Mountain Home is Focal Point of Resort, Retirement Region
November 17, 1998
Mountain Home is Focal Point
of Resort, Retirement Region
*****
By Craig Ogilvie, travel writer
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism
MOUNTAIN HOME -- From 18th century French fur trappers to present-day visitors seeking an adventurous vacation or a retirement haven, this Baxter County area has long been a favorite destination in north-central Arkansas.
Surrounded by Norfork and Bull Shoals lakes, plus White River and the Ozarks, Mountain Home was one of the state's first water resort and retirement regions. Most of the retirees now living on local lakeshores and mountaintops were first introduced to the area while vacationing in the Ozarks. "They fell in love with our friendly people while enjoying the great outdoors," says Cari White, executive director of the local Area Chamber of Commerce. "They also discovered that the area has the facilities to care for their needs."
Mountain Home was once nicknamed "Little Chicago" because many of the original retirees during the 1960s were from that famous city. Now they have been joined by folks from throughout the Midwest and South, including retirees who have departed Florida in favor of the Ozarks. Touting the slogan "a good place to grow up and wind down," the county claims a population of some 35,000 of which about one-third are 64 or older.
Friendly neighbors, good fishing, clean environment, quiet surroundings and lower living costs are among the reasons retirees have favored the region. "Mountain Home has grown extensively in the past two decades, but still maintains its small town charm," Ms. White notes. Several major retirement magazines have extoled the advantages of re-settling in the twin lakes region in recent years.
Baxter County history can be traced to the fur trappers who settled along major streams and traded with Native Americans until both cultures moved west. After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, more permanent settlers found their way up the White River and established homes.
Major Jacob Wolf's homestead, called Liberty, was for many years the "jumping off" place for pioneers leaving the river and going overland to their new farms. The Wolf house, among the oldest frontier structures in the state, still stands on its original site overlooking the White River, at the town of Norfork. It is open to the public as a heritage museum.
When Arkansas became a territory, the Mountain Home region was part of Lawrence County, then became Izard County in 1825. During the Civil War years, Fulton and Marion counties shared the area until Baxter County was formed in 1873. It was named for Elisha Baxter, governor at the time.
Mountain Home was not incorporated until 1888, but two communities, Rapp's Barren and Talburt Settlement, existed in the immediate vicinity many years before. According to legend, the house servants of Col. O.L. Dodd provided the name for the new town. Dodd owned a plantation in the delta, south of Augusta, and a mansion at Rapp's Barren. When in the delta, the servants reportedly boasted about their "mountain home" to those who had never traveled upriver. Mountain Home was selected over other suggested names, including "Wild Rose" and "Claburn."
The White River remained a major passageway for north-central Arkansas until the railroad was completed along the stream in 1905. The town of Cotter, in western Baxter County, was created by the railroad and served as a construction and division headquarters for many decades. When the U.S. Forest Service created the Sylamore District of the Ozark National Forest in 1908, most of the county south of the White River was included.
Between 1941 and 1952, the Mountain Home area experienced its most dramatic change as Norfork and Bull Shoals lakes were constructed less than 25 miles apart. Because of its central location to both projects, Mountain Home derived the most benefit during the 11 years of construction and the economic boom that followed. In 1940, the area had overnight accommodations for only 108 people. In 1970, there were 300 motels, resorts, cabins and lodges providing housing for 8,400 visitors and the numbers have climbed steadily since.
Norfork, the oldest of the two lakes, was completed in 1945 and covers 22,000 acres with almost 600 miles of shoreline. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers placed the concrete dam on the North Fork River, a major tributary of the White, which quickly became a prime trout fishing stream. A world-record 38-lb, 9 oz. brown was taken from the dam's tailwaters in 1988.
Bull Shoals Dam was completed in 1951, and at the time was ranked the fifth largest concrete structure in the nation. The lake covers 45,500 acres with an 840-mile shoreline. Both lakes offer great bass fishing, including world-class stripers. There are also hybrids, walleye, catfish and a variety of fighting panfish. Boating, water sports, scuba diving and other activities are also popular on both lakes. Visitors may choose from simple cabins and motels to luxury houseboats and shoreline resorts.
Bull Shoals State Park, just below the massive dam, offers 105 campsites along the icy trout stream, picnic areas, pavilions, playgrounds, trails and full-service dock. The park also schedules events, nature programs, and tours throughout the year. Fishing resorts are located along the White River for several miles downstream from Bull Shoals Dam.
Another famous stream, the Buffalo National River, flows into the White just a few miles south of Mountain Home. The nation's first federally-protected free-flowing river is some 150 miles long, winding through some of the most scenic country in America. The highest limestone bluffs in the Ozarks have been carved by the unrelenting current of the Buffalo. Canoeing is the top activity in the 95,000-acre park, but camping, hiking and warm-water fishing are also popular. Canoe and cabin rentals are available at all major entries to the river and in nearby towns.
The Chamber of Commerce estimates that 63,000 people live within a 30-mile radius of Mountain Home, which has a good base of light industry and retail business. The area has long been known for manufacturing health-care products, first-class fishing boats, and furniture, but it also boasts some of the finest craftspeople and artists in the country.
Tourism has been a major factor in the region since the 1950s. Today, more than 1,600 Baxter County citizens are employed in the industry which attracts over $100 million in expenditures each year.
Fishing, water sports, outdoor recreation, shopping and dining are top draws. Also, golfing, historic attractions, and natural beauty lure visitors to the area. A scenic railway has operated along White River, through southern Baxter County, since 1995.
For more information about the region, contact: Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 488, Mountain Home, AR 72654-0488; tel. 1-800-822-3536; or web-site: www.mtnhomechamber.com.
####
Submitted by the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201, (501) 682-7606
E-mail: info@arkansas.com
May be used without permission. Credit line is appreciated:
"Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism"
Mountain Home is Focal Point
of Resort, Retirement Region
*****
By Craig Ogilvie, travel writer
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism
MOUNTAIN HOME -- From 18th century French fur trappers to present-day visitors seeking an adventurous vacation or a retirement haven, this Baxter County area has long been a favorite destination in north-central Arkansas.
Surrounded by Norfork and Bull Shoals lakes, plus White River and the Ozarks, Mountain Home was one of the state's first water resort and retirement regions. Most of the retirees now living on local lakeshores and mountaintops were first introduced to the area while vacationing in the Ozarks. "They fell in love with our friendly people while enjoying the great outdoors," says Cari White, executive director of the local Area Chamber of Commerce. "They also discovered that the area has the facilities to care for their needs."
Mountain Home was once nicknamed "Little Chicago" because many of the original retirees during the 1960s were from that famous city. Now they have been joined by folks from throughout the Midwest and South, including retirees who have departed Florida in favor of the Ozarks. Touting the slogan "a good place to grow up and wind down," the county claims a population of some 35,000 of which about one-third are 64 or older.
Friendly neighbors, good fishing, clean environment, quiet surroundings and lower living costs are among the reasons retirees have favored the region. "Mountain Home has grown extensively in the past two decades, but still maintains its small town charm," Ms. White notes. Several major retirement magazines have extoled the advantages of re-settling in the twin lakes region in recent years.
Baxter County history can be traced to the fur trappers who settled along major streams and traded with Native Americans until both cultures moved west. After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, more permanent settlers found their way up the White River and established homes.
Major Jacob Wolf's homestead, called Liberty, was for many years the "jumping off" place for pioneers leaving the river and going overland to their new farms. The Wolf house, among the oldest frontier structures in the state, still stands on its original site overlooking the White River, at the town of Norfork. It is open to the public as a heritage museum.
When Arkansas became a territory, the Mountain Home region was part of Lawrence County, then became Izard County in 1825. During the Civil War years, Fulton and Marion counties shared the area until Baxter County was formed in 1873. It was named for Elisha Baxter, governor at the time.
Mountain Home was not incorporated until 1888, but two communities, Rapp's Barren and Talburt Settlement, existed in the immediate vicinity many years before. According to legend, the house servants of Col. O.L. Dodd provided the name for the new town. Dodd owned a plantation in the delta, south of Augusta, and a mansion at Rapp's Barren. When in the delta, the servants reportedly boasted about their "mountain home" to those who had never traveled upriver. Mountain Home was selected over other suggested names, including "Wild Rose" and "Claburn."
The White River remained a major passageway for north-central Arkansas until the railroad was completed along the stream in 1905. The town of Cotter, in western Baxter County, was created by the railroad and served as a construction and division headquarters for many decades. When the U.S. Forest Service created the Sylamore District of the Ozark National Forest in 1908, most of the county south of the White River was included.
Between 1941 and 1952, the Mountain Home area experienced its most dramatic change as Norfork and Bull Shoals lakes were constructed less than 25 miles apart. Because of its central location to both projects, Mountain Home derived the most benefit during the 11 years of construction and the economic boom that followed. In 1940, the area had overnight accommodations for only 108 people. In 1970, there were 300 motels, resorts, cabins and lodges providing housing for 8,400 visitors and the numbers have climbed steadily since.
Norfork, the oldest of the two lakes, was completed in 1945 and covers 22,000 acres with almost 600 miles of shoreline. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers placed the concrete dam on the North Fork River, a major tributary of the White, which quickly became a prime trout fishing stream. A world-record 38-lb, 9 oz. brown was taken from the dam's tailwaters in 1988.
Bull Shoals Dam was completed in 1951, and at the time was ranked the fifth largest concrete structure in the nation. The lake covers 45,500 acres with an 840-mile shoreline. Both lakes offer great bass fishing, including world-class stripers. There are also hybrids, walleye, catfish and a variety of fighting panfish. Boating, water sports, scuba diving and other activities are also popular on both lakes. Visitors may choose from simple cabins and motels to luxury houseboats and shoreline resorts.
Bull Shoals State Park, just below the massive dam, offers 105 campsites along the icy trout stream, picnic areas, pavilions, playgrounds, trails and full-service dock. The park also schedules events, nature programs, and tours throughout the year. Fishing resorts are located along the White River for several miles downstream from Bull Shoals Dam.
Another famous stream, the Buffalo National River, flows into the White just a few miles south of Mountain Home. The nation's first federally-protected free-flowing river is some 150 miles long, winding through some of the most scenic country in America. The highest limestone bluffs in the Ozarks have been carved by the unrelenting current of the Buffalo. Canoeing is the top activity in the 95,000-acre park, but camping, hiking and warm-water fishing are also popular. Canoe and cabin rentals are available at all major entries to the river and in nearby towns.
The Chamber of Commerce estimates that 63,000 people live within a 30-mile radius of Mountain Home, which has a good base of light industry and retail business. The area has long been known for manufacturing health-care products, first-class fishing boats, and furniture, but it also boasts some of the finest craftspeople and artists in the country.
Tourism has been a major factor in the region since the 1950s. Today, more than 1,600 Baxter County citizens are employed in the industry which attracts over $100 million in expenditures each year.
Fishing, water sports, outdoor recreation, shopping and dining are top draws. Also, golfing, historic attractions, and natural beauty lure visitors to the area. A scenic railway has operated along White River, through southern Baxter County, since 1995.
For more information about the region, contact: Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 488, Mountain Home, AR 72654-0488; tel. 1-800-822-3536; or web-site: www.mtnhomechamber.com.
Submitted by the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201, (501) 682-7606
E-mail: info@arkansas.com
May be used without permission. Credit line is appreciated:
"Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism"
Submitted by the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201, 501-682-7606
E-mail: info@arkansas.com
May be used without permission. Credit line is appreciated:
"Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism"