Toad Suck In Arkansas Just Might Be The Strangest Roadside Attraction Yet
By Daniella DiRienzo|Published September 12, 2021
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for more than 30 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as the Mississippi-based Parents & Kids Magazine. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
Typically, a roadside attraction is just that – a roadside attraction. However, there are exceptions to every rule, and in this case, Toad Suck is the exception! Not just one specific sight, Toad Suck is a roadside attraction that includes several photo-worthy sites scattered throughout an unincorporated community of the same name and a nearby town.
Most roadside attractions cause passers-by to do a double take, and that’s certainly the case with Toad Suck.
For the most part, the name is attributed to the steamboat captains and crews that once docked in the town. It’s said that the men would visit the local tavern and "suck on the bottle until they swelled up like toads." And thus, Toad Suck was born.
However, according to a researcher for the U. S. Board on Geological Names, the moniker has more of a literal meaning. Long ago, "suck" was used to describe an animal’s water supply. And so, the name Toad Suck came about because frogs and toads were drawn to the local "suck." Backing up his theory is the fact that the word, "suck," appears in other monikers, such as Suck Creek in Tennessee.
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Over the years, the community has become famous for no other reason than its strange moniker.
But the town hasn’t shied away from its unusual name. Instead, it’s capitalized on it!
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Countless signs, displaying “Toad Suck,” are plastered throughout Toad Suck as well as in the nearby town of Conway, which holds an annual fest, celebrating the odd name.
Located at the corner of W. Oak and Front Streets in Conway, it boasts a huge Toad Suck Daze logo painted in the street at the intersection and a marquee similar to the message board in Times Square in New York.
You can commemorate your time in Toad Suck with more than photos, though.