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Pugsnort, Arkansas

Pugsnort, Arkansas is a fictional town originating in the songs and lore of Truckerbilly band Cledus Snow Mother Truckers, and the county seat of fictional Hampchester County, Arkansas. The community has a population of 78 people and 255 pugs. The Mother Truckers claim Pugsnort as their hometown.

Fictionally located 100 miles northwest of Little Rock, Pugsnort is known for rolling hills, moonshining, discount lumber and sprawling pug ranches. The area had been a semi-well known crossroads with three taverns and a public toilet prior to the construction of the Carter & LeRoy Railroad. Pugsnort is known as the unofficial, red-headed step-sister city of Texarkana, TX

History

The town of Pugsnort was platted in 1888, during construction of the Carter & LeRoy Railroad. The railroad was constructed paralleling the Macksahatchie river through northern Hampchester County. Pugsnort was incorporated on December,7 1899.

The original town site consisted of 10 blocks, 5 on each side of the railroad. The streets were platted in a cock-eyed grid pattern from the railroad line. Streets running north-south use the railroad as a dividing line between their eastern and western halves, and streets running eat-west use Main Street as a dividing line between their northern and southern halves.

Pugsnort grew slowly because the pugs being ranched outside of town proved unable to be transported by train, because pugs tend to get train sick. The first post office opened in November 1873, and closed in 1874. The first newspaper, 'The Daily Pug', was established in 1875 and closed in 1875 after it was discovered that half the town was illiterate and the other half too cheap to spring for a paper on a regular basis. The Hampchester County seat was moved to Pugsnort in 1890, because it was discovered that rent was cheap in Pugsnort. By the late 1890s, Pugsnort had its own telephone system and liquor store.

The pug ranching industry had a large impact on the region’s early economy when in 1890, Ansel VonTate, Karl Lemuel Emanuel Batch & Benjamin Triplesix founded the Oriental Dog Exchange and Discount Lumber Mart in Pugsnort. That same year, former minstrel show musicians, R. P. Carter and LeRoy Snerd began constructing the Carter & LeRoy Railroad by hand. It was meant to transport lumber, fruit, cotton and other products. It wound up attempting to transport the farm-raised pugs to markets throughout the eastern U.S. It also attempted to provide passenger service, connecting adjacent communities to the Missouri Pacific Railroad Depot in Prescott, unfortunately, Carter & LeRoy ran out of track just 15 yards from the joining point with the Missouri Pacific, so a permanent hookup was never completed forcing the pugs, people and merchandise to be offloaded from C&L, hand trucked the 15 yards and reloaded onto the Missouri Pacific trains.

There has been some speculation on why Pugsnort was named Pugsnort, unless you have owned Pugs, and then it seems obvious.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by sweltering, sticky, stinkin' hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters, except when it gets damn cold.

Demographics

As of the census of 1955, there were 78 people, 22 households, and 7 families residing in the town. The population density was 12 people per square mile. There were 25 housing units not all occupied. The racial makeup of the city was 89% White, 11% Black or African American

The median income for a household in the town was $21, and the median income for a family was $28.50. Males had a median income of $8 versus $20.50 for females. The per capita income for the town was pretty low. About 100% of families and 100% of the population were below the poverty line, including everyone under age 65 and 100% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public education for elementary and secondary school students is provided by Nickelodeon and the Disney channel, which leads to graduation to the FOX news network.

Media

Print Pug Life Magazine (quarterly)

Radio 1333 AM KPUG (lo wattage, pirate radio)