6 surprising things about Arkansas

1. The official pronunciation of the state name is [ar (like a pirate)-can (like ability)-saw (like seeing in the past)]. With much more legalese and less helpful commentary, this pronuciation was adopted by the state legislature in 1881.

2. Crater of Diamonds State Park, about halfway between Texarkana and Little Rock, has the world's only diamond bearing site where the public can dig for (and keep!) the gems.

3. The state is in "tornado alley" and has about 60 days of thunderstorms each year.

4. When the Civil War began, about a quarter of the population was enslaved African-Americans. About fifteen years later, Bass Reeves was appointed the first
African American deputy marshal west of the Mississippi River.

5. After World War 2, the state began to diversify its economy. The service industry, aircrafts, poultry, steel, and tourism, along with cotton and rice, are the largest sources of the state's income.

6. Arkansas has four state songs, three "demonyms" (names for people who live there), two nicknames (one current and one former, and one motto: "Regnus populus" ("The people rule")