Listed as one of the best cities to witness the day turn into night was Russellville, Arkansas. The city is nestled in the heart of the Arkansas River Valley.
For months, the city and Pope County leaders had prepared to welcome nearly three times its population of 29,000. While crowds did not bring traffic to a standstill or deplete resources, local businesses said they saw a dramatic spike in sales.
As weather forecasts predicted a cloudy day in North Texas, hundreds decided to cancel or tweak their plans. Several families at Monday's event in downtown Russellville told NBC 5 they chose to make the nearly five-hour drive.
"The area is never this busy," Ivan Hernandez said. Hernandez helped extended family sell homemade tamales in Russellville's Moon Over Main event downtown. They sold out in a few hours.
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Judge Carmen White who represents Dallas County's Criminal Court 8 traveled with family to witness the eclipse.
"It's my hometown. When we found out it was coming to Russellville, we decided to leave Dallas and come celebrate with the hometown folks," White said.
Tosha Pearson was part of the group from Dallas and said she enjoyed the presentations featured.
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"I am totally impressed with the people they have sent in," Pearson said.
The city of Russellville welcomed folks from NASA, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, and the Paris Observatory.
"There is even a gentleman from Paris, and this will be his ninth total eclipse. Just to see how excited they are, just makes us excited. The energy is here."
After the buildup came a burst of cheer and then total silence as the crowds looked up in amazement.
"I'm so excited," Haleigh Benson said. "I'm trying to get the eclipse on my phone with my glasses."
Benson is from the area. She is in town visiting her boyfriend's family who owns the local sporting goods store Mullen Team Sports off Commerce.
The family sold out of eclipse-themed T-shirts ahead of totality. Benson found the perfect spot in the middle of the road to witness the four minutes and 11 seconds of totality.
"You're looking at the sun," Benson said. "Why not just lay down."
And just like that, the dark skies began to, once again, shine bright.
"We're eclipse chasers now," Carmen said.
