Surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest, Mena is a gateway to some of the most visited tourist attractions in Arkansas. Landmarks include National Guard Armory, Janssen Park and Polk County Courthouse. Mena is the birthplace of T. Texas Tyler, musician.
Mena, Arkansas gifts and souvenirs: 36 designs made from Mena's own map, landmarks and history, from $10 to $99. Printed to order and shipped free in the USA.
| Popular | Price |
|---|---|
| Mena Hometown Ornament | $23 |
| Mena Landmarks Photo Poster | from $40 |
| Mena Vintage Travel Poster | from $40 |
| Mena Varsity Crewneck | from $57 |
| Mena Est. Tee | from $33 |
| Mena Town Line Mug | from $26 |
Ceramic keepsake, gold ribbon, in 4 styles
Nine local landmarks, archival matte
Its landmark photo in a classic travel-poster layout
A local landmark photo as a gallery print
Classic large-letter postcard art, filled with local photos
Six local landmarks as instant photos on kraft paper
The town's story in dates, from its own records, for home or classroom
Map of local landmarks, washable fabric
Heavy-blend fleece, street map printed on the back
Red heavy-blend crewneck, knit-stitch town print
Soft Bella+Canvas jersey
Kids' Bella+Canvas jersey, youth sizes
Bella+Canvas toddler jersey
Bella+Canvas baby bodysuit
Large-letter postcard art filled with local photos
Glossy ceramic, dishwasher safe
Large-letter postcard art filled with local photos, 11 oz ceramic
Weatherproof, for the front walk
24″×16″, printed coir-look fibers, rubber back
12″×12″ printed wood, ready to hang
Soft-touch, zip cover
A local landmark photo with the town name, 18″×18″
Sturdy all-over-print tote
Large-letter postcard art on a sturdy tote
Foam-front trucker, printed (not embroidered) with local photos
Glossy top, cork back
Soft fleece, 50″×60″
Six local landmarks as instant photos, soft fleece 50″×60″
20 oz, double-wall stainless
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
The town's earliest Sanborn fire-insurance map, drawn building by building and hand-coloured, from the Library of Congress
Population 1900: 3,423 → 2010: 5,737 → 2020: 5,589
From Wikidata (CC0).
Mena was founded by Arthur Edward Stilwell during the building of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad (now the Kansas City Southern), which stretched from Kansas City, Missouri, to Port Arthur, Texas. Train service to Mena began in 1896.
Stilwell named the town in honor of Folmina Margaretha Janssen-De Goeijen, the wife of his friend and financier Jan De Goeijen, whom Mr. De Goeijen affectionately called Mena. Janssen Park in the center of Mena is also named for her.
Mena was settled in 1896 and incorporated on September 18 of that year. In 1897, the Bank of Mena was founded. The following year, the county seat was moved from nearby Dallas to Mena. Mena's population had grown to 3,423 by 1900. The main industries of the area were timber, agriculture and mineral extraction, though it was advertised as a spa city located within a healthy environment. Stilwell donated land to the city in 1906, and a park and campground were constructed. In 1910, the railroad moved its shop facilities from Mena to Heavener, Oklahoma. This created a loss of eight hundred jobs. A private school in Mena, Hendrix Academy, closed in 1905.
There were attempts to intimidate early Black settlers into leaving between 1896 and 1898. In 1901, an African-American man accused of kicking a White girl, was removed from the jail, beaten, and hanged. Local citizens posted a reward for the murderers; there were no arrests. In the mid-1920s, the town advertised that it had no Negroes. In the early 1900s, the Black population declined, and Mena became known as a sundown town. In 1920, the Mena Star advertised the city as 100 percent White.
In the 1950s, a government program to stockpile manganese led to the reopening of local mines closed since the 1890s. The program ended in 1959, and the mines again closed.
During the 1980s, drug smuggler Barry Seal moved his operations to the Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport, where he owned and operated many planes and helicopters, as well as advanced radar equipment. Seal also flew gun and drug smuggling missions between Mena and Nicaragua as part of a CIA scheme to support the Contras. Local law enforcement claimed that attempts to investigate the operation were blocked by the White House.
On April 9, 2009, a large and violent tornado devastated the town, killing three and injuring thirty. Many homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. The Arkansas National Guard was deployed to the affected area. The tornado was rated as a high-end EF3, with winds near 165 mph (266 km/h), and damages estimated at $25 million.
Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Mena, Arkansas, revision 1378985528 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
We share a part of every Mena sale with local partners, and we'd love to print from your collection. Old photographs, maps and postcards make the best keepsakes.
Partner with usA favorite landmark, your street, a school or team, an anniversary gift, a different product. Tell us and we'll get back to you by email.
11 free coloring pages of Mena, each traced from a photo of a local landmark. Print them at home, at school or for story hour.
Mena's population was 5,589 in the 2020 U.S. Census, up from 3,423 in 1900.
Polk County Courthouse
National Guard Armory
Janssen Park
St. Agnes Catholic Church