Rebuilding a rural community in Northeast Arkansas
As a former railroad town with roots in manufacturing and agriculture, Wynne is the county seat of Cross County and is just 45 minutes away from the Memphis metropolitan area in Tennessee. But in 2023, tragedy struck when an EF3 tornado touched down with winds over 150 mph, destroying dozens of homes and buildings. "We lost our high school, we lost our big methodist church," says Brenda Smith, Cross Country Realty executive broker. "It's been traumatic."
Despite everything they've lost, this rural community of around 8,000 residents remained resilient. Not only has the city been awarded nearly $10 million in federal funds toward rebuilding initiatives, but the Wynne School District also broke ground on a new high school campus that will complete construction by 2027. "We have a really strong community," Brenda says. "That's what has kept us going."
Traditional housing in the natural state
Nearly a third of Wynne's housing was affected by the 2023 tornado. The tornado's path created most of the open land for sale in the east, with an average sale price of $34,000 per acre. Most of Wynne's available real estate is traditional and country-style housing with a median sale price of $185,000, which is lower than the state and national median. There's also an RV park with water and sewer hookup sites on the northernmost end.
Centered around the schools
With four campuses and a B rating on Niche.com, the Wynne School District is among the most diverse in the state and was ranked in the top 30 school districts for athletes in Arkansas. "Our football field is full during football season," Brenda says. "A lot of community activities revolve around the school." While the new high school is undergoing construction, students continue their education at the temporary campus with 36 modular classrooms. The East Arkansas Community College also has a sister campus in the local technology center.
Going deer and duck-hunting
Along with nine public parks, Wynne is also home to Village Creek State Park, which is the second-largest state park in Arkansas with over 7,000 acres of forest hills, lakes and campsites. Local youth sports leagues have eight baseball and six soccer fields to play at in the 100-acre sports complex, and outdoorsmen like to frequently hunt for wild game around the area. "You'll see deer heads in most of the houses," Brenda says. "Some of the farmers will dam up their land and rent it out to duck hunters."
A local economy fueled by local retail
In addition to the school district employing around 420 people, the local economy is primarily driven by Wynne's retail selections. A cluster of boutique stores and thrift shops dot the city's northern end, while a variety of pizza, seafood and barbecue restaurants make up most of the local dining. The biggest grocery stores are Walmart and Hays Supermarket.
Transportation in Cross County
Highway 1 was part of the original state highway system, connecting Wynne to Jonesboro and Forrest City. County-wide transportation is provided by the North East Arkansas Transit, which runs bus services from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Most of the city's health clinics are located alongside South Falls Boulevard, including 24-hour emergency care at St. Bernards CrossRidge Community Hospital. The closest commercial airport is an hour across state lines at the Memphis International Airport.
Historic places from the 20th century
Wynne is notable for having 10 sites included in the National Register of Historic Places, the oldest of which was the Isaac Block house built in 1885. History also comes alive in the Cross County Museum, which was retrofitted into the former New Hope schoolhouse originally established in 1903.
Weather & Crime
The area experiences relatively mild weather patterns, with average summer high temps being 86 degrees and average winter low temps being 34 degrees. The school district is also adding storm shelters to every classroom of the new campus in case of future weather emergencies. "We're well below average on violent crimes and property crimes," Wynne Police Capt. Daniel Getchell says. "In the past three years, I can think of one violent crime."
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
