As tourists traveling through Paris and western Arkansas, it is easy to be captivated by the beautiful scenery and wonderfully engaging people who live here. What they might not know is that the area is the setting for Charles Portis’ bestselling historical fiction, True Grit. It is the story of a young girl, Mattie Ross of near Dardanelle, in Yell County, a 14-year-old who could be described as the first feminist as she works to avenge her father’s shooting death in Fort Smith.
Perhaps you have seen the signs by the Arkansas DOT on highway 22, and interstates 40 and 540 designating the True Grit Trail. In the spirit of Mattie Ross, the True Grit Trail posse was created as an all-volunteer organization working to utilize True Grit to promote tourism in the river valley. The posse works through chambers of commerce, main street programs, business associations, and local businesses utilizing the reputation of the book, movies, and the recently created logo of the True Grit Trail to invite people to explore the seven counties in Arkansas and five counties in Oklahoma which compose the trail which is where the story occurs. While tourists from other areas come to see the True Grit Trail, the population of the area of True Grit Trail is 492,000! In southwest Colorado where the 1969 version of True Grit with John Wayne was filmed, tourism for True Grit is one of the top three draws to the area. After 50 years, True Grit is still a draw. Being part of the True Grit Trail is easy. Businesses can participate by utilizing the True Grit Trail logo and selling products or services themed with True Grit. The cost is nothing; there are no royalty rights for the usage of the logo or name. Consider Castle Graphics and True Grit Grounds Coffee and Tea in downtown Paris. Castle Graphics sells a variety of True Grit Trail merchandise, and at True Grit Grounds you can enjoy a cup of Rooster’s Roast coffee as well as other True Grit Trail themed foods. The goal of True Grit Trail is to bring tourists and dollars to communities and businesses. For more information, visit truegrittrail.com. Comments are closed.
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