Mulberry wellpositioned for growth
Location is the best thing going for the city of Mulberry, according to Gary Baxter, mayor of Mulberry for the last 12 years.
“ Mulberry has a tremendous location,” Baxter said.“ It is located on Interstate 40, which connects the country from east to west. And just to the west( of Mulberry) a short distance is Interstate 49, which will connect Canada with the Gulf( of Mexico) once it’ s completed.”
The southern border of Mulberry is the Arkansas River, he said, adding river travel to the railway and highway routes that converge nearby. That makes the region an important transportation hub now and in the years to come, Baxter said.
East of the city flows the Mulberry River, a great place for outdoor recreation like canoeing, kayaking and swimming. The city gets its
cityofmulberry. org
Population: 1,616
City Hall: 207 N. Main St. Mulberry, AR. 72947 479-997-1321
Public Library: 220 N. Main St. Mulberry, AR 72947 479-997-1226 name from the mulberry trees that line the banks of the Mulberry River.
The foothills of the Boston Mountains, perfect for hunting, fishing, camping, and more, lie to the north of Mulberry, Baxter said. Other outdoor spots include Bluff Hole on the Big Mulberry River and Kirksey Park. Kirksey includes baseball fields and is home of the annual Fourth of July celebration and the Crawford County Fair.
Senior Center: 29 Kirksey Pkwy. Mulberry, AR 72947 479-997-1901
Post Office: 221 N. Main St. Mulberry, AR 72947 479-997-1505
Police Department: 479-997-8235
Fire Department: 479-997-1321
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“ We have one of the nicest city parks in the region,” Baxter said of Mulberry City Park.“ Everyone says that.” City Park features basketball and pickleball courts, a walking trail, playground equipment, a disc golf course and a pavilion.
The city itself has much to offer those looking for a bright future. For instance, the Mulberry-Pleasant View Bi-County School System recently saw 90 % support for a millage increase to fund an expansion, Baxter said. That kind of support for a tax increase is very indicative of the trust residents have in the district, he said.
Mulberry also works to take care of citizens in need. The youth shelter, formerly located near Cecil in Franklin County, will soon be moved to Mulberry, Baxter said. And the Mulberry food pantry serves 250 families every month, he said.
Edamame is a special type of soybean developed by a University of Arkansas scientist and grown and
Mulberry Mayor GARY BAXTER
processed in Mulberry by American Vegetable Soybean and Edamame Inc. Edamame has garnered national attention for Mulberry and the region, and Baxter is very much a champion of the product.
Mulberry has a 300-acreplus industrial park off U. S. 64 West. Mulberrybased Compass Cold Storage recently built a 70,000-square-foot facility that will mean an additional 200 trucks moving through the area, Baxter said. To help ease that increased traffic, the city is working to upgrade the roads in the industrial park area, according to Chris Keith, Crawford County judge.“ Mayor Baxter is doing wonderful things in Mulberry,” Keith said.
In addition, Mulberry has its own water treatment plant, which has doubled its capacity in recent years thanks to the use of several grants, Baxter said. Other recent infrastructure improvements in Mulberry include new water lines, sidewalks and street work, he said.
“ The thing that Mulberry has is it’ s well-situated for growth,” Baxter said. The current population of Mulberry is 1,453 residents, he said.