[acs4art]

I have just visited the Little Rock area for five days and found that probably 90% of the people were extremely friendly and helpful. The "other 10%" hadn't said anything negative to me, but actions/body language sometimes speaks much louder than words! I know that when I move there (from Michigan) it will be easy to ignore that type of behavior. I have another question: Does anyone know of a very inexpensive weekly-rate motel that is near LR? (my job begins Oct. 1st in Lonoke, and the apartment won't be ready in Cabot until Oct. 15th)

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by crayfish

I thought Arkansas was part of the South. But I also consider Missouri to be somewhat Southern while most people think of it as the midwest, so maybe I just have a different opinion than most people.

I would guess SW MO is closer to southern than the rest of the state, but some would say NWA is closer to mid west. I remember in school, about 100 years ago, Ar was very much a southern state as was Texas. I think the boundries and attitudes are changing somewhat. Geographically, yes, MO is mid west, AR south, mind set maybe not so much.

Nita

[RTTNFAM]

Originally Posted by nmnita

I would guess SW MO is closer to southern than the rest of the state, but some would say NWA is closer to mid west. I remember in school, about 100 years ago, Ar was very much a southern state as was Texas. I think the boundries and attitudes are changing somewhat. Geographically, yes, MO is mid west, AR south, mind set maybe not so much.

Nita

Exactly! I have had many people from "the true south" laugh when I say Arkansas is in the south. I have always considered Arkansas (all of it) to be the south. I have also lived in MO and never considered any part of it to be the south.

[Aporkalypse]

Originally Posted by GetmeoutofAR

I now live in Springfield, MO and I notice a HUGE difference in the way the traffic is handled. Excellent outflow, not any significant gridlock, tons of wide avenues to use. I love it. NW AR has a severe problem and its only getting worse.

If you think NWA traffic is anything you should go live in a real city. I visit all the time and barely ever sit through a stoplight twice and never stop on the interstate. It has growth issues the way Austin, TX and many of the Florida boomtowns do but it's not that much of a pain. You can still get anywhere in 20 min.

[GetmeoutofAR]

Originally Posted by Aporkalypse

If you think NWA traffic is anything you should go live in a real city. I visit all the time and barely ever sit through a stoplight twice and never stop on the interstate. It has growth issues the way Austin, TX and many of the Florida boomtowns do but it's not that much of a pain. You can still get anywhere in 20 min.

I'm perfectly capable of realizing that "Big cities" have terrible traffic, but like Ive said many times and in many ways even a town of 184 people can have horrible traffic and you can sit in jams if theres more cars than roads. Im simply stating a problem Moderator cut: edit

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Aporkalypse

If you think NWA traffic is anything you should go live in a real city. I visit all the time and barely ever sit through a stoplight twice and never stop on the interstate. It has growth issues the way Austin, TX and many of the Florida boomtowns do but it's not that much of a pain. You can still get anywhere in 20 min.

My point many times. Yes, we have seen some pretty hefty backups around Bentonville, Rogers and on 412 approaching 540, but again, these conjected areas are nothing compared to hours of back up in many mid sized and larger cities. Even Lewisville, TX which is certainly the burbs is twice as bad much of the time.

Nita

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by RTTNFAM

Exactly! I have had many people from "the true south" laugh when I say Arkansas is in the south. I have always considered Arkansas (all of it) to be the south. I have also lived in MO and never considered any part of it to be the south.

When weighing what is "south" and what is not, I shall always bow to those who fought and died in a grand attempt to forever have a lasting answer to that question.

The 11 original States of the Confederacy are, always will be, and always have been, the *south*.

For MO to not be part of the south, it has the largest confederate cemetary, veteran's home, and a lot of the most noted of the war of northern aggression are buried there.

300 yards from my house, the tombstones still sit with men killed in battles. I see them while comfortably enjoying my morning coffee.

Confedrate veterans are the family of a lot of us here on this forum, and I, for one, shall never utter a breath that hints that these lands are anything but what my ancestors died for.

Old times here are truely not forgotten.

[GetmeoutofAR]

Missouri was the 3rd Most fought over state during the Civil War. Much of Southern Missouri was pro-confederate as well as the Kansas City area and along the Missouri River. It was the Missouri State guard (confederate) who fought in and won the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Missouri is as southern as Belles and the bonnie blue flag.

[Aporkalypse]

Originally Posted by nmnita

My point many times. Yes, we have seen some pretty hefty backups around Bentonville, Rogers and on 412 approaching 540, but again, these conjected areas are nothing compared to hours of back up in many mid sized and larger cities. Even Lewisville, TX which is certainly the burbs is twice as bad much of the time.

Nita

Anyone who's ever lived in Conway knows it has bigger issues than any part of NWA.


Parts of Missouri are Southern and parts most certainly are not. Southern Missouri, especially SE Missouri is Southern as can be. St Louis is not.

[Former Anaheim-ian]

We moved to Bentonville from Anaheim Hills in 1999. We have EVERYTHING here except the beach, Nordstrom's, traffic, Whole Foods Market, smog, Neimann-Marcus, earthquakes and drive-by shootings.

We own a retail business in which we meet at LEAST two new AR residents every day, and at least 75% of those newcomers we meet are from California.

We're thrilled to meet them. They have the same "deer in the headlights" look as we did when we first landed here, but after they get plugged into the kids schools, kids sports, church and the other social venues, they feel right at home.

Here's a very interesting social phenomenon: A full 60% of the residents in Benton County (Bentonville, Bella Vista, Rogers, Lowell) are not Arkansas natives and have NO family here because they are transplants. Thus they make friends very quickly (and neighbors, classmate parents, sports parents and church friends) are extremely open and welcoming to newcomers, because "we" all had to move here sight unseen also!

Case in point: We unloaded our moving van here on Tuesday of Thansksiving week, 1999. By Wednesday, the next day, we had received THREE invitations to join different neighbors for Thanksgiving dinner...and we were perfect strangers from a strange land called Cahli-for-neah. We were pleasantly stunned. They had all move here from other parts so we had that "we're all in this together" bond.

Moverover, those transplants from CA, NY, TX, FL and IL are all accustomed to big city amenities and have very high expectations for their kids' education and extra-cirricular activities. There is also a very high level (because it's so affordable here) of "stay at home Mom's" so they are very active in the school districts, in study groups, in PTO groups and in extra-cirriculars. It's an amazing energy and source of tremendous contribution to the community! Plus all the transplants have raised the educational standards to all time highs (Benton County now has the highest school testing scores in the entire state.)

We visit CA about every 2 years and can't stand it at all. We can't wait to "get back home" to our 2800 SF home on 3 acres of land (that would have cost us $4.5 million in CA but only cost us $200K in Bentonville!)

Moderator cut: edit