Welcome to Goobertown

Okay, folks, you did really well in identifying Possum Grape, Arkansas. Let's see how you do on this one!

Some time back, my traveling buddy and I were driving south on Highway 49 between Paragould and Jonesboro, when we came across this sign for Goobertown, Arkansas.

I've googled Goobertown and found no official results for a population, but one site for a Goobertown corner grocery store did mention that the town had about 40 residents. Compared to Possum Grape, this place is a regular Mecca of civilization!

I guess we really missed out in not stopping at the grocery store, because they sell tee shirts with the name of the town on them. I admit that I didn't see the store.

The term "goober," of course, refers to a peanut, and I found this statement by (I think) the owner of the store:

"During the Civil War there were Confederate troops camped in this area. They ate wild peanuts while they were here. After the war they came back with their families and settled here and went to raising peanuts."

I admit that when I took these shots of various on-the-road oddities, I had no idea of how I was going to use them, so I didn't bother to stop and gather biographical and anecdotal details. Hereafter, I'll know better. In fact, I don't have to travel to Arkansas to find interesting city signs for places that are barely there anymore. We have an abundance of them in this area. My own town of Tillman (Tilman) is just up the road a piece!

Happy traveling, folks! If you run into an interesting novelty, take a picture, and send it to me at advancensc@sbcglobal.net, and I'll use it in my blogs!

It's a big, wonderful country out there, and you never know what kind of unique sights you'll see in small town America!

From the brown suburban hills of Tillman, Missouri (unofficial population, about one dozen) this is your rural reporter, Madeline, signing off on a late winter morning and wishing for spring!