[Ms.Charlotte]

Hi! I've been reading some interesting threads on Arkansas. I don't know much at all about the state, but have an opportunity to buy a riverfront lot in the Mountainview area.
We are a 40ish couple with three young children from NJ. The home we'd be building *eventually* would be for vacations and retirement.
If anyone is familiar with the area, could you please give me any information? Weather, things to watch for, shopping nearby, what the locals are like, acceptance of northerners? We lived in NC for 2 1/2 yrs. so I'm familiar with the feeling of being "outsiders" to some degree. However, the Charlotte area is full of transplants and I'm wondering if that part of Arkansas is less accepting of us Yanks I hope I'm not offending anyone, or making any generalizations--I'm just asking!
Thanks in advance for any advice!

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by Ms.Charlotte

Hi! I've been reading some interesting threads on Arkansas. I don't know much at all about the state, but have an opportunity to buy a riverfront lot in the Mountainview area.
We are a 40ish couple with three young children from NJ. The home we'd be building *eventually* would be for vacations and retirement.
If anyone is familiar with the area, could you please give me any information? Weather, things to watch for, shopping nearby, what the locals are like, acceptance of northerners? We lived in NC for 2 1/2 yrs. so I'm familiar with the feeling of being "outsiders" to some degree. However, the Charlotte area is full of transplants and I'm wondering if that part of Arkansas is less accepting of us Yanks I hope I'm not offending anyone, or making any generalizations--I'm just asking!
Thanks in advance for any advice!

You could do a lot worse than Mt. View.

It's a beautiful area with loads of recerational of recreational opportunities. I live north of there in Izard County, and go down for the fests, and some of the music venues.

Real estate is slightly higher than normal because it is a tourist area. During the summer vacation months the population swells. They pride themselves as being the folk music capital, and very often folks from all around drive in with their banjos, fiddles, guitars, and impromptu jam sessions for the public.

There's a lot of area restaurants in the area, lodging, but none of it is "upscale", so if you have any yearnings for an "urban hipness" as some do, it ain't here.

The people are very friendly, since you live in North Carolina I'm guesssing you know how to talk "right".

Yankee is a state of mind. We got yankees that were born and raised right here.

Here's a drop in the bucket for you to peruse:

Mountain View Arkansas, Your Place in the Mountains

[Ms.Charlotte]

Thanks for the response, RogMar! The area looks and sounds like it's beautiful. The last thing I'm looking for is "urban hipness"

I agree that "yankee" is a state of mind. I do love the area of NJ I live in, but *oh* there is just something about the South....

I'm hoping this deal works out for us (crossed fingers)!

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by Ms.Charlotte

Thanks for the response, RogMar! The area looks and sounds like it's beautiful. The last thing I'm looking for is "urban hipness"

I agree that "yankee" is a state of mind. I do love the area of NJ I live in, but *oh* there is just something about the South....

I'm hoping this deal works out for us (crossed fingers)!

You're welcome, and by all means good luck on that.

Hope you have a chance to spend a little time there looking around and take in some of the sights. Blanchard Springs is great to hang out at on a hot day, and everybody's gotta take a cavern tour *once*.

They have simple 1 1/2 hour walking tours, up to a reservation-only, bring your kneepads and helmet and flashlight, crawl-through-holes tour.

Don't know if anybody does fishing in your family, but there is absolutely great trout/catfish fishing in the area.

Nice to catch, drive to the campground, and fry 'em up right there.

Enjoy.

[Ms.Charlotte]

Thank you. My husband loves to fish and is anxious to get the little ones out there, too.
Just one more question for you. I'm reading a lot here about miserable weather, rain, bugs, snakes, etc...
Now, I realize there are going to be lots of critters, but is it as brown and humid/hot as everyone says, or does it differ from other parts of AR?

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by Ms.Charlotte

Thank you. My husband loves to fish and is anxious to get the little ones out there, too.
Just one more question for you. I'm reading a lot here about miserable weather, rain, bugs, snakes, etc...
Now, I realize there are going to be lots of critters, but is it as brown and humid/hot as everyone says, or does it differ from other parts of AR?

Depends on the time of year. Summer can be a real bear with more than a couple of days over 100 degrees. There is a period of acclimation once one settles here. The first year you look weird wearing shorts in November, the second year you grab a sweatshirt when it gets below 70.

We usually have some good periods of rain in the spring, which we're certainly having now. It wasn't that long ago that the hay fields were fertilized, and I think it's just God's way of helping where he can because it's perfect timing.

Summer gets hot, most grasses go dormant, and even those that have X amount of work to get done usually break in the afternoon.

The summer season, compared to the rest of the year, is not that bad when you consider that although you see some cold and snow in the winter, you see far more balmy days and there's not a month that the larger part of it isn't salvageable. September through May is great.

Nothing like sitting out at night in the summer and hearing the owls and whip-poor-wills calling and seeing a non light polluted starry sky. Some people have complained of mosquitos, but in our area we have enough birds & bats that mosquitos aren't a problem. As long as you don't feed the birds.

The bugs and snakes are not that bad. I live in an area that is probably as bad as it gets, and I generally don't see a snake unless I go looking for one or maybe clearing an old log.

I have lots of brush, and a dog, so that equals a lot of ticks. When it gets warm, we all start taking sulfur every day, and that keeps the ticks from biting. In a normal residential setting, however, with cut grass and some ornamentals, you may never see one. There are numerous powders/sprays if you want to make sure, or there's cheaper and effective "country" ways to get them out also.

When you come down, and look at all the green, smell the woods, and see some of the incredible views that are all around the Mountain View area, nothing else matters.

[Ms.Charlotte]

RogMar,
You are very sweet to take the time to address my concerns. Thank you!
It sounds like Arkansas has the same features I loved about North Carolina-plus the river and views!

Blessings,
Lucy

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by Ms.Charlotte

RogMar,
You are very sweet to take the time to address my concerns. Thank you!
It sounds like Arkansas has the same features I loved about North Carolina-plus the river and views!

Blessings,
Lucy

Thank you, that's what we're here for.

Helps shorten that time period from relocation of going from "stranger in a strange land" to "family".

[toogabooga]

Whoa.....the snakes, there are definitely plenty of snakes in Arkansas don't think you won't see one sooner or later! Hot and humid, you better believe it in the summer. That being said...Arkansas is a beautiful, beautiful state and Mountain View, well, I can't imagine anyone not enjoying that area. If you like music, you'll love Mountain View during the weekends! The river area is awesome, blanchard springs as you've already been told is a must see and in general you'll find beauty just about everywhere. On a funny note as you travel the backroads, you'll see lots of "blink and you miss them" towns and along the roads you'll also see that many of rural residents discard of their appliances on the side of the road by their homes. Friendly, it doesn't get much friendlier than Arkansas! People are nice, really nice. And if you like down home cooking....you'll definitely find it there!

[HotSpringsLiving]

RogMar, there was an interesting article I read about caves that mentioned many are being closed temporarily to relieve the transferral of a certain bat disease (does NOT affect humans). Officials don't want cave visitors to visit multiple caves and transmit the disease to other bat colonies.

The article mentioned that Blanchard has made no changes as of now, but may have to adjust in the future.

The tip was to change your clothing if traveling from cave to cave.

I loved visiting Blanchard and many other caves as a kid. I thought I would mention this since you brought up Blanchard earlier.