Mena is located in
Polk County (of which it is the county seat) west of
Hot Springs, between Acorn and Hatfield along Hwy 71, near the Ouachita River and Rich Mountain. Also situated east of the Oklahoma boarder
The population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 6,050, an increase of 575 since 1990.
Mena, named in honor of Folmina Margaretha Janssen De Goeijen. Incorporated in 1896, and can be considered the heart and pride of the Ouachita (Wash-i-taw) Mountains.
Mena is a vacation and retirement paradise. Hunting, camping, fishing, water sports, hiking and biking trails, ATV and equestrian trails in the Ouachita National Forest and nearby Arkansas State Parks are popular attractions in the Mena area. Thirteen miles northwest of Mena is Queen Wilhelmina State Park adjacent to a state and national scenic highway (Talimena Scenic Drive) which spans the mountain range from Arkansas to Oklahoma.
