Exploring Arkansas Trivia Quiz

Answer: diamond

Arkansas knows how to do things with style: the diamond has been Arkansas' state gem since 1967. Crater of Diamonds State Park near Murfreesboro allows the public to dig for diamonds and other gemstones found there; it's the only site in the world that does so. A small diamond mine in Colorado operated from 1996 to 2002.

Answer: chalk

Most of the chalk mined in Arkansas is used to make cement. Found mainly in the southwestern portion of the state, in 1969 it was calculated that there were 700 million tons of chalk in the state. Less than two million tons are mined each year.

Answer: mockingbird

The northern mockingbird was named Arkansas' state bird in 1929. Quite talented, these birds can have up to 200 melodies.

Answer: Ozarks

The Ozark Mountains form a distinct region in northwest and north central Arkansas and continue into Missouri. Technically fissured plateaus, the Ozarks and other mountains separate the state into highlands in the north and lowlands and coastal plain in the south.

Answer: quartz

There are many quartz mines surrounding Mount Ida; some allow the public to dig, for a fee. Rock shops line the highways for miles around. Quartz is the Arkansas state mineral.

Answer: the spinach capital of the world

Alma cans about 60 million pounds/27 million kilograms of spinach each year, more than half of the U.S. spinach production. You'll find a statue of Popeye the sailor in town and can expect a spinach festival in April. Though not one of the top five crops grown in Arkansas, spinach is part of the state's diversification from cotton and rice. Pine Bluff, Arkansas calls itself the archery bow capital of the world. Mountain View has one of the largest handmade dulcimer companies in the world.

The city of Crystal Falls, Texas also claims to be the spinach capital.

Answer: false

In fact, there are almost 2,000 caves in Arkansas, mostly in the northern half of the state. Eight of the larger cave systems are open for public tours. They are considered "living" caves since dripping water carries dissolved limestone and minerals, changing the shape of stone formations over time. A skeleton about 1,000 years old was found in one of the caves.

Answer: bauxite

Bauxite has been mined in Arkansas since the end of the 19th century. The state has the largest deposits of high-quality bauxite in the United States. Due to changing world needs, little bauxite has been mined in the state since 1982 but during World War II, 98% of bauxite mined in America came from Arkansas.

Answer: Mount Magazine

In the Ozark National Forest at 2,753 ft/839 m, Mount Magazine takes the prize. Perhaps two because there are two peaks at the top of a plateau, Signal Hill (the highest) and Mossback Ridge (2,700 ft/823 m). You'll also find Mount Magazine State Park there.

Answer: The Natural State

Arkansas adopted "The Natural State" as its nickname in 1995 to emphasize unpolluted lakes, rivers and forests. It replaced "The Land of Opportunity" which was adopted in 1947.