This Can't-Miss City In Arkansas Is A Historic Gem With Restored Landmarks, Opera Houses, And Cozy Bookstores

For history buffs, the name Van Buren might summon visions of America's eighth president, Martin Van Buren, whereas for dance-floor ravers, it could evoke the sounds of Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren. However, head to the Upland South near the Ozark Plateau, and the name Van Buren conjures up images of an Arkansas city just a few minutes from the Oklahoma border with a Victorian-era Main Street and a historical district with half a dozen blocks of restored landmarks and attractions.The city has numerous key sites, but any visit to Van Buren would surely be incomplete without a trip to their 1891 King Opera House and the city's indie hub, Chapters on Main, for shelves of new and used reads that are sure to make any bookworm linger.

Those coming from Dallas can fly into Fort Smith Regional Airport, about 12 miles away, with the airport's direct American Airlines service from Dallas-Fort Worth. However, those flying in from further afield should seek out flights to Tulsa International, 120 miles northwest of Van Buren. Direct bus services are limited, but Jefferson Lines runs buses between Fayetteville and the outskirts of Van Buren, great for anyone relying on public transport from the so-called "Athens of the Ozarks" in northwest Arkansas. By car, Van Buren sits roughly equidistant between Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Little Rock, Arkansas. With Tulsa being a touch closer to it than Little Rock, a trip there has the bonus of passing through the historic Arkansas River city of Muskogee. 

The cultural heartbeat of downtown Van Buren is undoubtedly the King Opera House. Constructed at the end of the 19th century, the Opera House still presides over Main Street as the city's signature performance venue. Renovated and reshaped more than once, most notably after a fire in 1914, it has hosted a range of art forms over the years, from vaudeville to early 20th-century (presumably silent) films, even with a sprinkling of traveling lectures for the more academically-minded as part of the nation's Chautauqua movement. Tales of the ghostly presence of a once eager actor said to still pace around backstage, determined to please crowds with one more performance, have been whispered across Van Buren for quite some time. 

Today, it operates alongside its next-door neighbor, Arts on Main, which hosts weekly events and a gallery where visitors can enjoy Van Buren's free exhibitions before catching a performance at the King Opera House. Van Buren's artistic pedigree doesn't just end there; the town also features a 1,500-seat concert hall at the Van Buren School District Fine Arts Center that music lovers should definitely seek out.

Chapters on Main is arguably the coziest spot in the whole of Van Buren. It is not just a bookshop, not just a coffee spot, but rather a community living room where locals can hang out and peruse the titles from all different categories of literature. You walk in off the other end of Main Street from King Opera House, and you are greeted with shelves of all the current bestsellers as well as some more niche second-hand gems. Launched in 2016 by the Foliart family, it has since been taken over by a new owner, but even after the change of ownership, it continues to serve as a great spot for book clubs, study groups, and even date nights. Their coffee is made with award-winning Onyx beans by baristas who have been trained to make it taste right at their special facility in the marvelous Arkansas city of Rogers, loved for its small-town soul.

Though typical public transportation links to Van Buren are limited, visitors can arrive in style from either Winslow or Springdale. Arkansas and Missouri Railroad offers special vintage train excursions to Van Buren, with their Winslow trip a three-hour round ride through the Boston Mountains and the 1,700-foot Winslow tunnel, while on select dates, the longer Springdale to Van Buren run includes a three-hour layover for lunch and shopping in Van Buren. From Veterans Memorial Plaza to Freedom Park, every block tells Arkansas history beautifully.