Mena, Arkansas
Mena is a city of 5,582 people in Polk County, Arkansas, founded in 1896.
Why visit Mena
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 20 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Silver Screen Theater, Ouachita Little Theatre, Ebenezer Monument and Elks Lodge.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 28°F.
Weather in Mena
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Mena
Mena is a city in and the county seat of Polk County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 5,589 as of the 2020 census. Mena is located in the U.S. Interior Highlands. Surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest, Mena is a gateway to some of the most visited tourist attractions in Arkansas.
From the Wikipedia article Mena, Arkansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks12
Ebenezer Monument
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Monument in Mena, United States of America
Elks Lodge
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Arkansas, United States
Judge Benjamin Shaver House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic house in Arkansas, United States
Mena City Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Post office in Mena, United States of America
Mena Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Mena, Arkansas
Mena Kansas City-Southern Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Railway station in Mena, the United States of America
National Guard Armory
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Arsenal in Mena, Arkansas, United States
Polk County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in Arkansas, United States
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St. Agnes Catholic Church
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Roman Catholic church at 203 Eighth Street in Mena, Arkansas, USA
Studebaker Showroom
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Janssen Park
Park · National Register of Historic Places
Municipal park in Mena, Arkansas, United States
Restaurants and cafes20
Honey & Pearl's
Cafe · Bagel, Breakfast, Coffee Shop, Crepe, Diner, Donut, Local
811 Mena Street, Mena
Mo-Fr 08:00-16:00; Sa 08:00-16:00
Little Italy
Restaurant · Italian · 1.2 mi
1411 US-71 North, Mena
Mo off; Tu-Th 11:00-20:30; Fr,Sa 11:00-21:30; Su 11:00-20:30
Papa's Mexican Cafe
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.0 mi
1317 US 71, Mena
Mo-Th 10:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 10:00-16:00
Pizza Hut
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.7 mi
703 Highway 71 North, Mena
Mo-Th,Su 10:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-23:00
Honey and Pearl's
Cafe · Bagel, Breakfast, Coffee Shop, Crepe, Donut, Local, Sandwich
811 Mena Street
Mo-Sa 08:00-16:00
Baskin-Robbins
Ice cream · Ice Cream · 0.9 mi
901 US-71 North, Mena
11:00-22:00
Country Express
Restaurant · Barbecue · 1.1 mi
1146 US-71 South, Mena
Mo-Sa 06:30-20:00; Su 09:00-18:00
La Villa
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.0 mi
1100 US-71, Mena
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Skyline Cafe
Restaurant · Coffee Shop, Breakfast, Home Style
618 Mena Street, Mena
Th-Mo 07:00-14:00
American Artisans Eatery & Gallery
Cafe
615 Mena Street, Mena
Mo,Tu,Su off; We-Sa 11:00-15:00
Fully Baked Cafe
Cafe · 1.0 mi
1110 US-71 South, Mena
Mo off; Tu,We 08:00-14:00; Th-Sa 08:00-14:00,17:00-20:00; Su 08:00-14:00
The Ouachitas
Restaurant
821 Mena Street, Mena
Mo-We 07:00-20:30; Th,Fr 07:00-22:00; Sa 08:00-22:00; Su off
8 more on the map.
History
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.
From the History section of Mena, Arkansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship21
Mountain View United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 0.9 mi
1711 Sutherland Avenue, Mena
Union Mission Pentecostal Church of God
Church · Pentecostal
405 Janssen Avenue, Mena
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries14
University of Arkansas Rich Mountain Community College Adult Education
School · 1.1 mi
1100 College Drive, Mena
Healthcare2
Map of Mena
82 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 28°F | 4.0 in | 0.8 in |
| Feb | 54°F | 31°F | 4.1 in | 1.8 in |
| Mar | 62°F | 38°F | 5.5 in | 0.8 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 46°F | 6.2 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 77°F | 56°F | 7.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 64°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 68°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 66°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 83°F | 59°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 48°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 38°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 52°F | 30°F | 5.4 in | 0.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Mena Hcn (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Polk County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-08-27: Hurricane Laura (Hurricane)
- 2020-04-03: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-02-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Robert S Kerr Airport (RKR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 37 miles away.
- Waldron 24 mi north, about 38 min by car
- Heavener 30 mi northwest, about 48 min by car
- Mansfield 33 mi north, about 53 min by car
- Mount Ida 35 mi east, about 56 min by car
- De Queen 38 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Poteau 40 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Greenwood 43 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Booneville 43 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Glenwood 44 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Fort Smith 54 mi north, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- US 59 and US 71 in Mena, Arkansas, Brandonrush, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Railroad Depot, Mena, Arkansas, Doug Wertman from Rogers, AR, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Mena November 2016 30 (Mena Kansas City Southern Depot), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 29 (Mena Kansas City Southern Depot), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 28 (Mena Kansas City Southern Depot), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena Commercial Historic District, 2 of 3, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mena Commercial Historic District, 1 of 3, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mena Commercial Historic District, 3 of 3, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mena November 2016 31 (Mena Street), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 32 (Ouachita Arts Celebration), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 27 (Mena Volunteer Fire Department), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena City Hall ( Former Post Office), James E. Turner, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mena November 2016 26 (National Guard Armory), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- National Guard Armory - Mena, AR, Lauren Shufelberger, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mena November 2016 33 (Union Mission Pentecostal Church of God), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 40 (Ouachita Arts Celebration), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 34 (Ouachita Arts Celebration), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 39 (1915 Overland Touring) (cropped), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 39 (1915 Overland Touring), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 35 (Mena City Hall), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 38 (Ford), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 36 (1923 Moon 6-40), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 37 (Mena City Hall), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 25 (Janssen Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 22 (Janssen Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 21 (Janssen Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 24 (Janssen Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 42 (Elks Lodge), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 43 (Studebaker Showroom), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 20 (Janssen Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 19 (Janssen Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 41 (The Mena Star and Ouachita Trading Post), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 44 (Studebaker Showroom), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Elks Lodge, Mena, AR, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mena November 2016 23 (Polk County Library), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mena November 2016 18 (Janssen Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ebenezer Monument, Lauren Shufelberger, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Polk Co. Courthouse, Lauren Shufelberger, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Judge Benjamin Shaver House, Valis55, CC BY-SA 3.0
- St. Agnes Catholic Church, Lauren Shufelberger, CC BY-SA 3.0
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