Looney Tavern
In this photo, the tavern is shown in the early stages of restoration by the State of Arkansas, summer, 2009. For more information, see the Black River Technical College campus newspaper article here (The newspaper has TWO articles on the tavern. Be sure to see both of them!)
William Looney built his tavern/inn on the Eleven Point River in 1833, upstream from Shady River and just across the river from the 1828 home of his relative, Reuben Rice.
The accompanying map shows in blue the river route from Shady River (bottom) to the Looney Tavern. This is Arkansas’s oldest known standing commercial structure.
The old tavern is right on the Eleven Point River. You to travel there by boat if you'd like. Though it's currently under restoration and not open to the public, you can see it from the river bank.
