Border History on Highway 61

Between Blytheville, Arkansas, and Steele, Missouri, the Highway 61 Arch spans U.S. Highway 61 at the border between the two states. Its opposite sides bear the inscriptions “Entering Arkansas” and “Entering Missouri.” The arch was built in 1924 after the highway was paved. Its location, inscriptions, and construction date bring together three aspects: the highway as a transportation route, the state border, and the history of road paving. The arch is therefore a tangible point of reference for local history.

Regional Context

For broader geographic context, Pemiscot County lies in the far southeastern corner of Missouri along the Mississippi River, in a region commonly known as the Bootheel. Interstate 55 runs north–south through the county, and Interstate 155 runs east to Tennessee. This regional perspective complements the view of the arch with the transportation routes of the wider area.

Historic Hotels

The history of the hotels is also part of local history, though firmly in the past. The New Commercial Hotel was located on the upper floor of a building in Steele, with a retail store on the ground floor. The building was sold to Fannie Green in 1924. The Hotel-Main has a different historical marker: Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Prince operated it in Steele until 1929. The examples have different points of emphasis: for the New Commercial Hotel, the building’s division by floors is notable; for the Hotel-Main, its operating period ending in 1929 is the defining date.

Industry and Change

During World War II, a former shoe factory in Steele was used by a business that manufactured wooden boxes. The business remained in Steele for eight years; afterward, a decision was made to consolidate the operations in Steele and Caruthersville. This sequence runs from the factory’s earlier use through wartime production to a decision involving both towns. It gives industrial history a different scale from the stories of individual buildings and businesses.

Main Street and Other Traces

Main Street adds a more detailed business history. From 1926 to 1929, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. McCollum ran the McCollum Cafe there. A photograph of Main Street also dates from 1926 to 1929, placing the café and the image in the same period. Workman's Drug Store on Main Street was formerly known as People's Drug Store. In addition, a building in Steele formerly housed the newspaper Steele Enterprise. These connections reflect different aspects of local life—food service, retail, and the press—each with its own names and dates.

Not all named places represent former uses: Joe A. Saliba Park is one of the City of Steele’s LWCF projects. Together, these sites offer several distinct themes for a history-focused stay: the border on Highway 61, former hotels and businesses, and changing industrial uses.

Discover more destinations: Caruthersville, Hayti.

For the broader travel overview: Pemiscot.