Arkansas

First, a few memories of Arkansas from when I was a little girl - a long time ago. 

We used to go to my aunt and uncle's house for Christmas and sometimes in the summer for a vacation.  I always thought it was great fun because they lived in Arkansas, in a little house out in the country.  At Christmas we could always depend on my Dad driving the car into the muddy ditch near my uncle's house.  My Dad would have to get out in the pouring rain (because it always rained at Christmas in southern Arkansas) and trudge through the mud to ask Uncle Frank to bring the mule to pull us out.  Of course, Dad was always mad about this time but to us it was funny because we knew we would be staying up beyond our bedtime.  We finally would get into the house and Aunt Edith would tell us to get warm in front of the fire while she warmed up some supper for us.  They had a fireplace that heated their home and I thought that was fantastic since I was a little city girl and not used to wood fires.  There would be food for us to eat once we got warm and then into bed. 

We sometimes would walk through the woods to my Mrs. Downey's house (my Aunt Edith's Mother).  Along the way we would find cicada shells to hook onto our coats.  They looked like little ghost grasshoppers.  The cicada sheds its skin once it reaches adulthood and leaves its exosceleton on a tree trunk usually - similar to a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.  The little hooks on the shells feet  were perfect for clinging to fabric so we would wear them like badges.



Vintage postcard near my Uncle's farm

 During the summer months that we visited, my brother and I would play with my cousins, walking down the dirt lane to the mailbox or exploring the fields.  Once we saw some wild boars (or razorback hogs) in the ditch but I think they weren't interested in us and ran away when we got near.  We were always told to watch out for them and for snakes during the summer. We would play near the pond, chase the dogs and play in the hay in the barn.  It was a very simple farm but  that was the joy of it for us children.  We could catch fireflies at night in a glass jug and watch them flicker their lights.  We could sit on the porch watching the stars come out, hugging the dogs, and listen to the big folks talk and tell stories.  It was for me, a wonderful place to visit.

  

Pivot Rock

Ozark Region

This the most difficult state for me to write about because I have so many good memories that I want to tell you about everything.  It is where I was born.  I have lived in many other states but returned to live in Arkansas about four years ago.  Arkansas is almost like a miniature of the United States.  If you want to see mountains, Arkansas has the Ozark and the Ouachita mountain ranges.  If you want to see forests, most of Arkansas is covered in some kind of timber.  If you are looking for prairie or farm land, the south and east parts of the state are almost entirely farm lands.  Lakes are scattered throughout and provide excellent fishing. 



Buffalo River aerial view



Rivers include the Buffalo River, which is a popular spot for white water floating and tubing.   There are caverns and a diamond mine where you can search for your own diamonds.  There is no ocean or white sand beach and the canyons here are not as grand as those in Arizona but for outdoor beauty and diversity, Arkansas is at the top of the list. 



Vintage postcard of Lake Chicot

It is the state where I have lots of relatives and where we hold our family reunion each year.  (It is not far from where my Uncle used to have his farm.) The reunion is usually held at Chicot State Park in the southeast corner of Arkansas.   The park faces Lake Chicot, a huge oxbow lake formed when the Mississippi River changed its path at one time.  The park is wooded and well kept.  It is a fisherman’s paradise and has boat launches and a tackle store.  The cabins are rustic in appearance but have been updated over the years to include everything except you, your clothes and your food.  Camping sites are plentiful and the park holds activities for the children during the summer months.  Reservations are needed for the cabins.  Parks similar to this are scattered throughout the state.

The Natural State is the motto for Arkansas because so much of the state remains open country rather than settled as cities.  Like almost every state in the USA, the majority of the towns are not large.  Many small towns and villages have just a few hundred people.  There are a few cities but even our big cities in Arkansas would be considered small by European standards.  Little Rock is the capitol city and I live just to the northeast from there in Sherwood which has almost 30,000 people.  Little Rock has a little more than 190,000.  The entire state has a total population of 2, 915,000 with the large majority living in rural areas, villages and small towns.



Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs



Oak Lawn Racetrack



Though the cities are not huge there is much to see in each of them.  Hot Springs includes the oldest National Park and has a popular horse racing track. 

Fayetteville is a college town, the site of the University of Arkansas, famous for their football team called the Razorbacks.  Fort Smith is near the Oklahoma border, El Dorado is near the Louisiana border, Pine Bluff is south of Little Rock which is in the middle of the state. There are other small cities but I am mentioning just a few of the larger ones. 



The Old Mill



Like most cities, Little Rock has its art museum, a sports arena and a number of places for the night life that young people enjoy.  Heifer International headquarters are also in the area near River Market.  River Market is a restored older section that includes unique shops, a farmers market several days of the week, a food court, several bars and other businesses.

The Clinton Presidential Library is near downtown Little Rock and the River Market Area.  I have toured it several times and find it fascinating each time I go.  It has a variety of displays showing the early years and then the Presidential years of Bill Clinton and his wife, Hilary.  A recent exhibit highlighted both of their Mothers.  Another exhibit that was amazing showcased some of the many gifts to the people of the United States given to President Clinton by heads of state from various countries.  Paintings, carvings, vases, jewelry, hand crafted items, jewel encrusted ceremonial swords, and many other items were included in this display.    

I am looking forward to a trip next month to Bentonville, which is near the Missouri border.  My son is treating me to a birthday trip to see an art exhibit.  Bentonville is the home of Wal-Mart and their family has gifted the area with an art museum called Crystal Bridges.  Currently there is an exhibit of Norman Rockwell’s paintings that I would like to see.  He was famous for his many Life Magazine covers reflecting the average American family.  My trip is also going to include a visit to Eureka Springs in the heart of the Ozarks.  It is a quaint old city that reflects much of the life of the early mountain settlers in this part of the country.  It is most famous for its Passion Play presentations.