[Nameless]

I've noticed NW Arkansas has been growing a ton lately and Siloam Springs is but not at as fast of a rate. Now I'm not from the area so I don't know if it's politics or what. But why isn't West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma growing at all? The growth cuts off right at the border it looks like.

[DC at the Ridge]

Most of the growth in Northwest Arkansas is along the 540 corridor traveling north and south. Siloam Springs is on the western edge of Benton County and not along 540. W Siloam Springs is growing, as well, but I don't know where you would find the most recent growth figures. Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville have paid for special censuses in order to document growth and get more tax turnback money, most of the other cities are just waiting on the regular census.

Diane C

[matto]

Population wise Siloam springs is growing at a good rate. According to city data's profile on SS it has grown in size 30 percent since 2000 to 2006. Siloam springs is 27 miles from fayetteville I believe which is probably why you don't hear much about it.

[Nameless]

I understand Siloam Springs, Arkansas is growing fine. But across the border it's dead.

[lukeache]

I am from Minnesota and I drove to AR/OK a couple years ago and I remember stopping at the Wal Mart in Siloam Springs, AR and one thing
that caught my attention about the area is the relative large number of Hispanics in that area. I never thought of NW Arkansas as being an
attractive location for immigrants, but they are definitely there. Maybe that is part of the reason for the accelerated growth? Just thought
I would throw that in!

[GoHogsGo]

West Siloam Springs is in Cherokee Nation Lands, and I have no idea how their land use plans go. You know the sign on 412, it say "Entering CHEROKEE Nation"


Gotta admit though, that's the least dense populated area i've seen in a long time.....not to mention hardly any traffic, which means the CLEANEST AIR you've ever BREATHED!

[matto]

Originally Posted by lukeache

I am from Minnesota and I drove to AR/OK a couple years ago and I remember stopping at the Wal Mart in Siloam Springs, AR and one thing
that caught my attention about the area is the relative large number of Hispanics in that area. I never thought of NW Arkansas as being an
attractive location for immigrants, but they are definitely there. Maybe that is part of the reason for the accelerated growth? Just thought
I would throw that in!

Well, you have to think of it like this. NW arkansas is booming with construction, housing, etc. Who builds these houses and business's? Hispanics. It's the same for Rogers, Springdale etc

[DC at the Ridge]

Matto said:

Well, you have to think of it like this. NW arkansas is booming with construction, housing, etc. Who builds these houses and business's? Hispanics. It's the same for Rogers, Springdale etc

Response:

While you do find alot of Hispanics involved in construction, particularly residential construction in jobs like painting, roofing, and framing, the boom in the Hispanic population was originally fueled by the poultry industry. Tyson's and Hudson Foods (before it was bought out by Tyson's) and Cargill and several other poultry operators brought in Hispanics by the busload to work in the processing plants. Tyson's even has a bus service to transport workers who don't have their own cars. The boom, of course, attracted even more Hispanics just as it attracted non-Hispanics. Alot of the commercial construction is actually contracted to companies from outside the state, and they bring in their own crews. The thing that usually surprises people is the large Marshallese population in Northwest Arkansas.

DC

[matto]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

Matto said:

Well, you have to think of it like this. NW arkansas is booming with construction, housing, etc. Who builds these houses and business's? Hispanics. It's the same for Rogers, Springdale etc

Response:

While you do find alot of Hispanics involved in construction, particularly residential construction in jobs like painting, roofing, and framing, the boom in the Hispanic population was originally fueled by the poultry industry. Tyson's and Hudson Foods (before it was bought out by Tyson's) and Cargill and several other poultry operators brought in Hispanics by the busload to work in the processing plants. Tyson's even has a bus service to transport workers who don't have their own cars. The boom, of course, attracted even more Hispanics just as it attracted non-Hispanics. Alot of the commercial construction is actually contracted to companies from outside the state, and they bring in their own crews. The thing that usually surprises people is the large Marshallese population in Northwest Arkansas.

DC

Certainly another reason. We have two chicken factories here in Van Buren and this is where a lot of our small hispanic(for now) population comes from.

[Centaury]

West Siloam Springs has nothing to do with Siloam Springs, West Siloam is in Oklahoma and the water, utilities, etc. are from Oklahoma...and yes, they are very bad!! during the last winter storm West Siloam got several shortage of power, I believe it lasted for 3 weeks!!
They have now a brand new Best Western Hotel almost in front of the Cherokee Casino, they sell liquor and tobacco 24-7 in West Siloam, something you don't find in Siloam Springs (is a dry county).