Arkansas Post National Memorial
The Arkansas Post (French: Poste de Arkansea; Spanish: Puesto de Arkansas), officially the Arkansas Post National Memorial, was the first European settlement located along the Mississippi River, in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and in the present-day U.S. state of Arkansas. It is 7 mi south of Gillett. Running it is the National Park Service. Recorded visits for 2025 came to 28K.
A national memorial, 7 mi south of Gillett
Plan where you’ll sleep
The nearest town with many places to stay is Clarksdale, 46 miles east. Where to stay ↓
July is the busiest month
July averages about 3,907 visitors, 3.5 times December. When to go ↓
Best months: Mar, Oct and Nov
March, October and November are mild and quieter than average, with highs of 63–76°. When to go ↓
Established in 1686
Arkansas Post National Memorial dates from 1686 and is run by National Park Service. About ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
When it’s busy, and the weather
Pick a quieter month for Arkansas Post from the chart below.
Arkansas Post National Memorial
The Arkansas Post (French: Poste de Arkansea; Spanish: Puesto de Arkansas), officially the Arkansas Post National Memorial, was the first European settlement located along the Mississippi River, in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and in the present-day U.S. state of Arkansas. In 1686, Henri de Tonti established it on behalf of Louis XIV of France for the purpose of trading with the Quapaw Nation.
The French, Spanish, and Americans, who acquired the territory in 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase, considered the site of strategic value. It was the capital of Arkansas from 1819 until 1821 when the territorial government relocated to Little Rock.
- Type
- National Memorial
- Established
- 1686
- Area
- 758 acres
- Elevation
- 174 ft
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (1966)
- Wikipedia readers
- 13K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/arpo
Hours, entry and address
Nights near Arkansas Post National Memorial
The nearest towns with places to stay are DeWitt (4) and St. Charles (3), and Clarksdale has the most rooms in the area (24).
Gillett
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
619 people
7 mi north of Arkansas Post Visitor Center · 7 mi to the park
St. Charles
191 people
27 mi northeast of Arkansas Post Visitor Center · 27 mi to the park
Clarksdale
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
13,643 people
46 mi east of Arkansas Post Visitor Center · 42 mi to the park
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillett | 7 mi north | 10 min | 2 2 lodges & cabins | 619 | $88K | — |
| Dumas | 12 mi southwest | 20 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 motel | 3,476 | $84K | D |
| DeWitt | 19 mi north | 30 min | 4 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 2,791 | $76K | C |
| St. Charles | 27 mi northeast | 40 min | 3 3 lodges & cabins | 191 | $119K | — |
| Star City | 29 mi west | 45 min | 3 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 2,059 | $122K | D |
| McGehee | 27 mi south | 40 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 motel | 3,389 | $99K | D |
| Almyra | 27 mi north | 40 min | 1 1 lodge or cabins | 237 | $83K | — |
| Clarksdale | 46 mi east | 1 hr | 24 11 hotels · 6 motels · 5 inns & B&Bs · 1 hostel · 1 RV park | 13,643 | $84K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Nearby, too
You can reach each of these within 63 miles.
56 mi MuseumB.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center
62 mi National MonumentEmmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument4K visitors a year
46 mi MuseumDelta Blues Museum
40 mi MuseumGrammy Museum Mississippi
56 mi MuseumDelta Cultural Center40 mi MuseumArts and Science Center for Southeast ArkansasPhoto credits
B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center: Swampyank, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument: Calvin Beale, Public domain · Delta Blues Museum: VitaleBaby at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Grammy Museum Mississippi: BobCummings, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Delta Cultural Center: Unknown, Public domain
27,674 people came in 2025
See how visits changed from 2016 to 2025.
Questions before you go
What town is Arkansas Post National Memorial near?
Gillett, AR, about 7 miles north.
When is the best time to visit Arkansas Post National Memorial?
March, October and November, with highs of 63–76°. July is the busiest month (about 3,907 visitors).
How many people visit Arkansas Post National Memorial each year?
27,674 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 36,079, set in 2017.
What is the closest airport to Arkansas Post National Memorial?
Mid Delta Regional (GLH), about 42 miles away. The nearest big hub is Frederick W. Smith (MEM), about 105 miles.
Where should I stay near Arkansas Post National Memorial?
DeWitt (19 mi, 4 places to stay), Clarksdale (46 mi, 24 places to stay) and St. Charles (27 mi, 3 places to stay).
Tips from people in Gillett
No one has shared advice yet; Gillett’s Town Square takes questions.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.