The Cross County, Arkansas town of Parkin is yet another rural town ravaged by Arkansas’s forced school consolidation law. The loss of its local schools ended any possibility of a recovery for Parkin, whose main street, known as Parkin Avenue, is a two-block stretch of ruins, vacant lots and collapsing buildings. Like many Delta towns, Parkin has suffered from a declining population, as well as mysterious fires that have destroyed buildings. The only viable businesses at this point seem to be a gas station, a grocery, and a nightclub, Griffin’s Lounge. Another night club, Club Hundred Grand, is abandoned out on Highway 64, with holes visible in its roof.
Although about a thousand people live in Parkin, they shop, work and go to school in Wynne, where there are more stores and opportunities. Parkin these days writes an inordinate number of traffic tickets, which seems to be an effort to fund the town government, as there are almost no businesses or industries in the community.