Seniors Enjoy Osceola

Senior travelers will find Osceola, Arkansas located along the Mississippi River within the Arkansas delta. The settlement was founded in 1837, incorporated in 1853, and today, with a population of 7,800, is one of the two county seats of Mississippi County.

If seniors are looking for a city with an interesting, varied, fascinating history, then look no further than Osceola. The city incorporates everything that is interesting to history buffs, but also caters to the latest in agriculture and technology.

Osceola is named for Chief Osceola of the Seminole tribe, who visited the area in 1832. In 1837, the settlement became known as Plum Point and was a popular stop for those traveling on the Mississippi River.

Originally swamps, trees, and Indian tribes, the area began to draw scouts, hunters and even outlaws. Traveling the Mississippi River in steamboats, farmers, loggers and settlers began to see the advantages of this area that became Osceola. The community was the only county seat of Mississippi County until 1901, when Osceola and Blytheville were named dual county seats.

 Seniors Enjoy Southern Hospitality, Food and Music

Osceola and South Mississippi County practice a tradition of fine, southern hospitality and for you senior gourmands, great southern food.

Just south of Osceola, Sans Souci Park is arguably the best Mississippi River outlook in Arkansas. It boasts an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission ramp for boat fishing access and several picnic pavilions with panoramic view of the Mighty Mississippi.

The Mississippi River still defines Osceola, even though the city of today sits a few miles west of the river due to the relocation of downtown buildings from “Old Town” to “New Town” and the meanderings of the river.

Osceola and the surrounding area has a wealth of attractions, from the restored art deco Greyhound Bus Station in downtown Blytheville to Sans Souci Park on the Mississippi River in Osceola, or the quaint Tudor-style square in Wilson to Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Manila. The legendary Blues Highway 61 runs like a vein through Mississippi County, making music heritage the biggest influence of the area, second only to agriculture.

 Seniors Enjoy The Historical Places

Throughout the county are over 30 buildings and sites on the National Register of Historic Places. I would not want to miss the Mississippi County Museum in Osceola. Anchoring the town square is the 1912 neoclassical Mississippi County Courthouse, with a copper roofed dome.

The courthouse is bordered by the Hale Avenue Historic District and other structures on the National Historic Register of Historic Places. Senior visitors will also find the Mississippi County Historical Center located in a 1904 building that once housed a dry goods store.

So, Welcome Home to Osceola: a friendly community with a rich heritage and promising future, a great place for a friendly visit. Senior visitors will find that the doors are open for you in Osceola. Set your GPS for Osceola and enjoy all the amenities. -jeb