[Luvvarkansas]

It's beautiful! Anyone have any experience with living there?

[ArkansasSlim]

Hey Luv, that's a new one to me. Where is it?

[Sam I Am]

I'd never heard of that one either - and found their website:

Lost Bridge Village Community Association Homepage

Beautiful photos of Beaver Lake in the photo section.

Luvvarkansas, did you visit or just stumble upon it...how?

[DC at the Ridge]

The best views are from the Lodge on Whitney Mountain. When it was open as a restaurant, you could eat your meal in front of the roaring fireplace while looking out at spectacular lake views. I did know someone who rented a home in the village. There was a stream that came out above the house, ran through their backyard, under the house, and then through the front yard to the lake. It only ran in the spring and fall, though, and the house always had a musty odor. They enjoyed the community pool very much. When there is an ice storm, it can be impossible to get out.

[Luvvarkansas]

Sam, how I stumbled upon it....I was looking at the Ft. Smith Craigslist (real estate for sale....always dreamin'!) and found a listing for a house for sale there. From there, I looked at realtor.com, and then, of course, google street view. I'm always "driving" around on google street view, because I'm stuck in a boring place right now and can't do any traveling. Soon, though, soon.....

There are 4 houses on realtor.com right now in LBV, and 3 are actually affordable for a common person, 2 are cute A-frames, and one of the A-frames is a bargain! The house on Craigslist was right on the water and was pretty affordable (for some people, not for me!). It was small, but what a view! We older folks are getting to like small houses more and more every day anyway. LOL

Beaver Lake and the surrounding areas are just gorgeous. I've been to it in several places before, but never to Lost Bridge Village. The area of LBV that I was looking at was on the mountainside, one street up from the street that actually runs along the shore, with long views of the blue, blue lake, wooded, curvy roads....my idea of Arkansas living! It is what they called a "covenant governed community". It has a community pool, as DC mentioned, some tennis courts, and community center, library, airstrip. They have monthly community events. The craigslist posting mentioned HOA fees of $115 a year.It sounds like a neat place to live. Also not far from Bentonville/Rogers for shopping and Eureka Springs, for fun, not to mention all the hiking, biking, boating, etc. available in NW Arkansas in general.

Anyway, I thought of ice storms as I was looking at those curvy, steep roads, DC, but I would think that, as little as they happen and since they never last long, it would just be something you'd have to be prepared for?....I would have wood for heat and propane for cooking and water heating. Who needs lights? I saw the view from Whitney Mountain....spectacular!

I may be letting a cat out of a bag, and by the time I'm ready to retire, people will have flocked there and prices will be sky-high!

So, are there any downsides to "covenant governed" communties?

[DC at the Ridge]

Originally Posted by Luvvarkansas

Sam, how I stumbled upon it....I was looking at the Ft. Smith Craigslist (real estate for sale....always dreamin'!) and found a listing for a house for sale there. From there, I looked at realtor.com, and then, of course, google street view. I'm always "driving" around on google street view, because I'm stuck in a boring place right now and can't do any traveling. Soon, though, soon.....

There are 4 houses on realtor.com right now in LBV, and 3 are actually affordable for a common person, 2 are cute A-frames, and one of the A-frames is a bargain! The house on Craigslist was right on the water and was pretty affordable (for some people, not for me!). It was small, but what a view! We older folks are getting to like small houses more and more every day anyway. LOL

Beaver Lake and the surrounding areas are just gorgeous. I've been to it in several places before, but never to Lost Bridge Village. The area of LBV that I was looking at was on the mountainside, one street up from the street that actually runs along the shore, with long views of the blue, blue lake, wooded, curvy roads....my idea of Arkansas living! It is what they called a "covenant governed community". It has a community pool, as DC mentioned, some tennis courts, and community center, library, airstrip. They have monthly community events. The craigslist posting mentioned HOA fees of $115 a year.It sounds like a neat place to live. Also not far from Bentonville/Rogers for shopping and Eureka Springs, for fun, not to mention all the hiking, biking, boating, etc. available in NW Arkansas in general.

Anyway, I thought of ice storms as I was looking at those curvy, steep roads, DC, but I would think that, as little as they happen and since they never last long, it would just be something you'd have to be prepared for?....I would have wood for heat and propane for cooking and water heating. Who needs lights? I saw the view from Whitney Mountain....spectacular!

I may be letting a cat out of a bag, and by the time I'm ready to retire, people will have flocked there and prices will be sky-high!

So, are there any downsides to "covenant governed" communties?

It is beautiful. Also, the Corps of Engineers operate two Lost Bridge parks out there. Lost Bridge North and Lost Bridge South. I think it's Lost Bridge North that has an excellent hiking trail, I think it's about 3 1/2 miles and runs from the shore to the top of the ridge where an old homesite is marked, and then back down. One of the best trails on the lake for spotting bald eagles. The other park has a marina and a shorter, easier trail. And lots of geese.

Lost Bridge Village is about 35 minutes from Rogers. And there aren't any nearby grocery stores. Kids go to Garfield Elementary, and then they are bused into Rogers for the higher grades. There are two convenience stores in Garfield. If you're driving through, stop to get a soft-serv cone, at either store, they are HUGE. And every spring, early summer, there's a stand in Garfield where they sell berries as they come into season. If you don't want to risk chiggers and ticks, it's a good place to buy local berries.

[wiseguymn]

Lost Bridge Village is my favorite place I have ever been.
I worked at the Lodge on Whitney Mountain for 5 years of my life in the 80s.
3 years I lived on property as resident manager.
Every time I make it down that way I go out to Lost Bridge Village and visit old friends.(who are starting to get old)
Things have changed a lot in NW Ar. since 1991 when I moved up here to Mn but right there still feels a lot like home to me when I go down.
Some day when I can't handle anymore of these Mn winters I will probably be right back in the Garfield area.
The older I get the sooner that day is coming.

[Luvvarkansas]

[quote=DC at the Ridge;28578411]. Also, the Corps of Engineers operate two Lost Bridge parks out there. Lost Bridge North and Lost Bridge South. quote]

Lost Bridge South is on google street view, and it looks nice. North isn't on street view.

That hiking trail up the hillside to the old homeplace sounds very interesting. I'll keep that one in mind for the future.

[Luvvarkansas]

Originally Posted by wiseguymn

3 years I lived on property as resident manager.

Resident manager? What does a resident manager do? Sounds like a good retirement job.

[wiseguymn]

Originally Posted by Luvvarkansas

Resident manager? What does a resident manager do? Sounds like a good retirement job.

It was a lot of fun for a guy 19,20,and 21
We had a very busy private club and restaurant plus the lodge which was busy most of the year.
If I was not on property I had a pager and had to be available at all times.
I did what ever needed to be done to make sure the place ran smooth on nights and weekends.
Checked in guests in the middle of the night.
If the chief was throwing knives in the kitchen I dealt with that.
Took care of the liquor inventory for the private club.
If the bartender called in sick I was the bartender.
Locked the doors when every one left at closing time.
We quite often served 250 people on a weekend night.Which is not a lot for some places but was busy for a place 25to30 miles away from any major town of any size.
I did not make a lot of money but I had no living expenses and a lot of fun.
I even had my pick of several vehicles to drive,I usually drove the new cadillac it had the car phone in it.