[Royearl]

Hi Roz, I am from CV, and married to a sweet southern gal that lived in Mountain Home for 22 years. I know these areas very well including the Harrison area also. Although the MH gentleman makes some general remarks that may seem to make sense, he is far from reality in regards to demographics and the fact that the locals support such activity as the KKK. Within the last 10 years the KKK tried to hold a meeting on the Mountain Home courthouse steps. There were so many non supporters of them, they needed to cut things short and also needed a police escort to get out of town, before trouble broke out. The leader of the KKK used to live in Harrison, and I do imagine he had some biggoted people he knew there, but Harrison residents in general are ashamed of what their beautiful town is known for. I also personally know a few black residents from MH, so his figures on demographics are outdated concerning Baxter County. I have not lived on foreign soil, but have traveled all over the U.S. and the world, and it always amazes me that racism and bigotry exist everywhere.
My wife is a native born Arkansan without a college degree, but although she was raised in a poor enviorment and she knew of racism, she was brought up believing what many Arkansans believe. That you treat others as you would want to be treated. Plain and simple. Don't much need a college education to figure thats the right way to think. I have lived here for several years, and the locals have a saying for the folks who come here to retire and spread their BS. "We don't much care how you did things where you came from. You're not there anymore"
Welcome to CV, Roz, and feel free to look us up anytime. We are just fair minded folks, that live in a community that has many fair minded folks. You will love it here.

[maggiemae]

Royearl, is the village2ya message board still active? I tried to sign up today, but there's a message that the webmaster won't be back until August. I assume no new members will be approved until then.

Oops.....nevermind. My registration did go through!

[red14karat]

Originally Posted by Victor912

I am considering buying a retirement property in Cherokee Village AR. Can anyone give me an idea of what I might run into in terms of race issues. I'm single over 60 with no children..

I have already read a lot of the threads regarding shopping, rural conditions, weather, Bible Belt, etc. etc. I am fine with all of that. I'm moving from CA and am looking forward to a much slower pace. And I am a Christian so I'm also fine with a Christian community. I want peace and quite and maybe a little fishing now and then..


BUT I don't want to have crosses burned on my lawn or anything. And I don't want to be afraid to go out of my house to shop or recreate.

I would appreciate candid comments. I've worked too hard to end up in a retirement location that causes me more stress than my job!

Thanks

Hi,

I currently live in Evening Shade, Ar and currently looking to buy a home in Cherokee Village. As far as your question goes there are so many people that are moving there from all over that I dont think you will have any problems. It is a very nice community and I found it to be very nice, quiet and peaceful. I could do a little checking around for you if you would like as I understand about moving all that way and having problems. I am a single person and thats one of the reasons I want to move there as it is so peaceful. Lots of trees, water and its so quiet. Let me know if I can help.
red14karat

[Victor912]

Thank you everyone!

I cannot tell you how excited I am. I am an Executive Assistant to a very productive (but kind) President & CEO but at 57 I'm so tired physically and mentally. I keep going to the internet looking at the pictures, reading up on the recreation etc. etc. I NEED THIS :>)

For those of you who know the power of prayer... AND know how to pray, please be in agreement with me that my CA property will sell quickly. I so want to be moved and settled by fall.

Best Regards to all of you AR residents... especially CV!

Roz

[Sam I Am]

Roz -

Welcome to Arkansas! I just know you will be here quickly and you will love every minute of your life here...please stay in touch and let us know from your viewpoint what you find, what kind of transition you are making, and anything about the area for prospective residents.

Again, thank you so much - we do look forward to having you here in our lovely state!

[ukyankee]

Hi Roz,
I am a 58 year old African American woman looking for a place to retire. I own a home in Oklahoma, but want an place on or near a lake. I have followed your postings and the responses. Based on what I have read, I will visit CV. I have an racially mixed family and want an area that will accept us as people who are willing to contribute to the communty. Good luck to you in your move. Keep in touch. I want to know how your move and settling in goes.

[Victor912]

Originally Posted by ukyankee

Hi Roz,
I am a 58 year old African American woman looking for a place to retire. I own a home in Oklahoma, but want an place on or near a lake. I have followed your postings and the responses. Based on what I have read, I will visit CV. I have an racially mixed family and want an area that will accept us as people who are willing to contribute to the communty. Good luck to you in your move. Keep in touch. I want to know how your move and settling in goes.

Hello Ukyankee:

Although I too am single, my "family" is quite small. I have no children or spouse, only a small Yorkshire terrier. So there are no offspring or spouse for me to consider. I also won't have family visiting me there except perhaps my mother is is quite elderly now. As I am a Christian, my activities and interests are governed by my faith and my beliefs. No partying, loud music, drinking etc etc.

From what I have seen and read both publicly and privately, those are important factors in this part of AR and most parts of the rural south. It appears CV is a peaceful, quiet community and that is what I am looking for and I also want to be a part of keeping it that way.

I would imagine others can advise you better than I on your particular situation.

Good luck on your search!

[junkman18]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Victor, I think a lot depends on where you settle. If I were you I would look in NW AR. My opinion of the eastern side, it may be more rural and a little less accepting of anything that might be a change in what they are used to. We loved the northern part of the state. Where do you live in Ca? After reading some of what we are all entering on these threads you might want to just google any town or community that sounds good to you and check it out on the web, then visit the area. Visiting and research will give you a good idea of what the areas are like.

Good luck,

Nita

I think you are right west arkansas will be better.

[raventeeth]

Originally Posted by Victor912

I am considering buying a retirement property in Cherokee Village AR. Can anyone give me an idea of what I might run into in terms of race issues. I'm single over 60 with no children..

I have already read a lot of the threads regarding shopping, rural conditions, weather, Bible Belt, etc. etc. I am fine with all of that. I'm moving from CA and am looking forward to a much slower pace. And I am a Christian so I'm also fine with a Christian community. I want peace and quite and maybe a little fishing now and then..


BUT I don't want to have crosses burned on my lawn or anything. And I don't want to be afraid to go out of my house to shop or recreate.

I would appreciate candid comments. I've worked too hard to end up in a retirement location that causes me more stress than my job!

Thanks

Well, first I'd like to say that it's very pretty here, but unless you go to the Spring River to fish, you won't be catching many fish here. They do not stock these lakes, and they've been pretty much fished out.

I've been here for 4 years. Most people are pretty nice, and they'll tell you they haven't seen any racism, but that's because there are very few black people around here. You may see a black person at Wal-Mart from time to time, but not all the time. It's VERY white. In fact, it's too white for me! I love blues, jazz, soul and funk music - I'm a musician and I miss culture. I'm originally from Florida, but spent half of my life up in Canada, in a very multi-cultural area. I miss having the cultural variety.

I'm moving to North Little Rock, I've had all the peace and quiet I can stand.

The shopping sucks - the only place to shop is Wal-Mart, unless you drive to Batesville (45 minutes) or Jonesboro (1 hour and 15 minutes).

I don't think you would have anybody burning crosses in your yard here, but I think you would like it at first, and then get very BORED. I'm 57 years old and I'm not ready to go gracefully into oblivion.

There's one cinema - there's no late show. They have two movies, nothing very radical shows there. It's all over by 9 PM. There's no hospital here - if anything happens, you'd have to go to Batesville to get care. (There was a hospital when I came here, but it closed.)

There's a library in Hardy. It's smaller than my house. There are no bookstores. There's a very small used book store and mostly he has lots of harlequin romances, which I loath. (It is also the FEDEX drop off.)

If someone flies in to see you, you will have to go to Memphis or Little Rock to pick them up. Also, we used to have Greyhound bus service at a gas station in Hardy when we moved here, but they cut that out about 2 years ago. So, to go anywhere on the bus, you have to go to Jonesboro. The bus station is not anywhere that I would want to leave my car, because it's sort of isolated there, in an industrial area. So all transportation is difficult from here. Also, there are no cabs, which doesn't matter, because there's nowhere to go.

You should check out Conway, or North Little Rock (Crystal Hill / Blue Hill), around there. I just bought a foreclosure in the Blue Hill area very reasonably. In fact, I'm kind of having a mirror image of your situation. We'll be the only white people on our block when we move! It's far enough out of the city to feel like the country, but I can be in Little Rock in about 10 minutes. I'm really, really looking forward to being there and making new friends. I'm Christian, too, and plan on attending the church around the corner, it's a CME church (Christian Methodist Episcopal). I hope to be accepted, and I hope somebody can give me some singing lessons, too (long story).

Also, Hot Springs is very nice and there are reasonably priced homes there, if you look for them. I've heard good things about NW Arkansas (Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Eureka Springs, etc.), but I've never been there.

Anyway, I sure wish you luck with your decision. Also, in case you aren't aware of it, Cherokee Village is in a dry county, in fact - it's in the middle of three dry counties. (Dry as in no liquor sold and no nightclubs - you have to drive 16 miles to Missouri to buy alcohol.)

There is a restaurant with a lounge in the Village, this is because it's a "private" club. You have to own property in CV to join it - $25 a year. I have never seen a black person in that lounge, but about 4 months ago two gay guys were beaten up there, I wasn't there, but could see the ambulance and police cars in the parking lot from my yard. That might give you an idea about the tolerance levels here, but I don't know the details of what happened. Still, is there ever any excuse for that - not in my world. Also, I wished someone a nice MLK day and they looked at me like they just didn't know what to say - but that's just me pushing the envelope, I guess.

Also, the few restaurants they have here all close at 8 PM (except the Sonic drive-in which is open later, 'til about 11, I think.)

There are no jobs here, which probably doesn't matter, since you're retiring, but the area is very economically deprived, as in POOR! Not Cherokee Village, but all around the village.

There is no Humane Society here, and people are always dumping off their pets in the Village, because they figure people here have money and can take in strays. I have personally rescued 6 dogs and a cat. I found them all homes, and kept one dog. There was nowhere to take them. When I came here, you had to call the cops, and they would come to get it, but I heard that they just take them out and shoot them, so I never called them. Then the cops got tired of being used for dog catchers and all quit (that's what I was told, they all put their homes up for sale). They still have cops, but I don't know what actually happened, except they have an Animal Control truck that goes around on Fridays' now, picking up strays. I don't know what they do with them, I'm afraid to ask. If you love animals, this place will drive you nuts!

Also, a word about Memphis - it's VERY unsafe. Lots of crime, lots of murders. I've met several people who were mugged there. If you go there, DO NOT go by yourself. I considered moving there, but the more I checked it out, the more afraid I got, 'til finally I crossed it off the list. It's very, very bad.

If you can afford it, I hear a lot of great things about Austin, Texas.

Anyway, I hope that's some help.

Good luck!

[Victor912]

Not sure what happened! Somehow this thread got rejuvenated by JunkMan's post on 8/15.

You will note there were no other posts prior to that since July!

Anyway I have long since made up my mind to move to CV. Looking forward to getting there as soon and as fast as I can. Escrow on my property closed recently. Los Angeles is not where I want to retire. I'm tired of it. And alarmed at what it is turning into. No peace, no quiet, too expensive, too crowded need I go on......

I have listened to all comments and taken them all into consideration. AND I AM STILL LOOKING FORWARD TO rural living. Don't plan on drinking, don't need the greyhound bus service. I have transportation. Don't plan on working. AND I love WallMart and Home Depot!

I'm looking forward to downsizing, slowing down and fully believe in my case less will be more. More rest, more fishing, more time relaxing, less driving, need I go on....

Nita, Sam and RoyEarl.... I'll be flying out the end of September to get property ready! I'll only be there a couple days...... Hope I can try and meet/greet you all then!

Roz