Oppelo

Travelers are often introduced to Oppelo en route to Petit Jean State Park in Morrilton. The intersection of Highways 9 and 154 in the community serves as a route to the park.

Prior to the Flood of 1927, the route to Petit Jean Mountain was an often muddy dirt road that followed near the south side of the Arkansas River. After several attempts to replace it, a new gravel road to Petit Jean Mountain was built going west from town. In 1933, the state park roads were brought into the Arkansas Department of Transportation system, and the route to Petit Jean Mountain through Oppelo was established.

During the 1950s, Winthrop Rockefeller purchased land west of Oppelo for the development of his cattle farm located at the foot of Petit Jean Mountain. This operation, plus the barns and facilities on top of the mountain, provided employment for many in the community. Today, travelers can visit the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute in Morrilton to learn more about Rockefeller, who served as Governor of Arkansas in the late 1960s/early 70s, and his impact on the state and nation. 

Information courtesy of The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture