While Poplar Bluff might not be the biggest town in the world, or have any world-famous landmarks; there are a couple of things that everyone who has spent a significant amount of time in Poplar Bluff knows about this cozy little place that we call home.
10. Lunch Traffic
It may not be difficult to get around town in the morning or late at night, but the traffic at lunch time will have you asking, "where did all of these people come from?!?" If you're trying to get from one side of town to the other for a quick lunch meeting, you might as well leave 10 - 30 minutes earlier.
9. Kids Crossing Westwood BLVD
Football season in Poplar Bluff has always been a blast, but also sort of dangerous. Thankfully, the Poplar Bluff Police Department has always done an excellent job of managing traffic and allowing Mules fans to cross back and forth between the First Baptist Church parking lot and the Poplar Bluff Junior High School. With that being said, you will have a few stragglers crossing the busy street during the game, so you Poplar Bluff drivers know to be on the lookout.
Of course all of this will change with construction of the new high school football stadium well underway.
8. Nobody Drives the Speed Limit on PP Highway and Shelby Road
We do not condone breaking any laws of any sort, but let's be honest, if we had a dollar for every car that drives over 45 miles per hour on PP Highway and Shelby Road, we'd probably be able to payoff the cost of the new Poplar Bluff High School.
7. I know! I know, but His Name is Rocky Raider!!!
Three Rivers College's mascot does not look like any other fictional character. You'd be crazy to think he looks like anything that you have ever seen before. Why are you still watching cartoons anyways?
6. You know what your senior pictures need? Brick roads.
It never fails. Another year, another graduating class, and another flood of pictures taken on Downtown Poplar Bluff's famous brick roads. Don't worry though, you are more than welcome to take your prom pictures and engagement photos here too!
5. Shorts on Tuesday, Snow on Thursday
The weather in Poplar Bluff, Missouri is so fickle. One day you will be struggling to breathe in 85 degrees with 99.999% humidity, and the next day you'll find yourself wearing shorts being bombarded by freezing rain.
4. Before He was Psycho-T from UNC, He was Tyler from Poplar Bluff
Even for those in Poplar Bluff who don't pay attention to collegiate or professional basketball, we all know the name Tyler Hansbrough. Following his great high school career as a Mule, Tyler Hansbrough went on to being one of the greatest University of North Carolina Tar Heels EVER. It was there that he garnered national attention for what we already knew about his skill-set and hustle. Tyler was later drafted by the Indiana Pacers, played for the Toronto Raptors, and is currently back in North Carolina, playing for the Charolette Hornets.
3. Don't take good Mexican Food for Granted
For a small town in Missouri, we have a spectacular selection of Mexican restaurants. For students who go away for college, eating at one of our many family owned Mexican restaurants is a must when returning home to visit the family.
Oh and Poplar Bluff really knows how to celebrate Cinco De Mayo.
2. The New Roundabout is the Best/Worst Thing to Ever Happen in PB
The intersection of Township Line and PP Highway has always been one of the most dangerous intersections to cross in the area, but now we have a new roundabout taking its place. You would think that this would make things better, and I have yet to see an accident happen... yet. I can't count how many times I have pulled up to the roundabout to see 1 of 3 things happen. 1: Drivers don't yield and just drive through. 2: Drivers never enter the roundabout. 3: Drivers stop WHILST INSIDE the roundabout to let others in.
1. The Scariest Place On Earth is the Poplar Bluff Square Parking Lot
We've all experienced it: you're going to have a lovely dinner with your friends at places like Colton's, Exotic Grill, or Las Margaritas, then you pull into the parking lot and it looks like a very uneventful demolition derby. In this parking lot, nobody appears to abide by any rules. Everyone might as well close their eyes and scream "GOOD LUCK" as they inch their cars closer and closer to the impending doom awaiting them. Okay, maybe it's not THAT bad, but next time you visit that parking lot, count how many cars you see driving through the parking spaces, cutting through the lot at an angle, or see cars driving on the "wrong side." That parking lot is the last remaining remnants of the wild west.
Written by Nico Cuevas.
You can listen to Nico's ridiculous ramblings on his podcast Nico Says Things.
You can also follow him on Twitter @NicoSaysThings