Husband came home last night with the news of a possible transfer to Arkansas. Somewhere in the Hot Springs, or Russelville area. I would like to hear from those in these towns, or close by. What is the land prices? The people? The homesteading possibilities? Where is the nearest major airport? Thankyou in advance. Sissy

-- sissy sylvester-barth (jerreleene@hotmail.com), January 05, 2001

Answers

Here is a url for the NOAA weather station at the Hot Springs airport. http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/KHOT.html It is surely a fair sized airport if it has a reporting station.

Hot Springs is of course widely known for it's retirement living and community. Oh, don't forget the Hot Springs that you can bathe in.

Hot Springs is one of the areas that got hit hard by the ice storm and many residents lost power for days. My cousin there closed his house and went to visit his sister in Houston as soon as the roads cleared enough for safe travel. Some of the fair weather retirees might be looking for a warmer location and you might find some bargains.

I've stayed all night there and found it a pretty location, but don't remember much more about it. Sorry.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), January 05, 2001.

Hi Sissy,

Here is the website for Hot Springs that has links for Real Estate and a message board, weather, etc. I have relatives there and I lived there when I was in grade school. http://www.hsnp.com/ Hot and humid in summer! Blessings,

-- Nancy in CA (sonflower35@icqmail.com), January 05, 2001.

Sissy, I live about 17 miles north of Russellville. I think a lot of the land is over priced. But I am always amazed at what they get for houses. The people are very friendly. I am not sure what you mean by homestead possibilities. There is lots of country around here. You can homestead anywhere though. The nearest airpost would be at Little Rock about 80 or so miles east. Russellville is growing rapidly and has a lot to offer. Arkansas Tech is located here if you might be interested in classes of some kind. Anything else you would like to know?

-- Susan (mdefran@cei.net), January 05, 2001.

Sissy, I'm 50 miles west of Hot Springs and about 100 miles south of Russellville. If I had to live in a city, I'd pick Russellville. Hot Springs has a huge tourist based economy and the most awful traffic problems you could ever imagine. The only airport with regular flights to other areas is in Little Rock. As for homesteading, there is everything you could ever want. One acre with a mobile home to 100 acres with a huge, modern home, with everything in between. I'd advise going a few miles out from either town, stay away from commercial hog and broiler operations, and look really hard at the neighbors before you plunk down any money. And when you get here, make your friends from among the other outsiders. It's a little difficult to jump right in to a community if you aren't family. If you have specific questions, e me.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), January 06, 2001.

This winter's been an exception but usually they are very mild. When we lived just outside Beebe from '93-97, we had one winter with over 300 frost free days. Summers are horrific if you don't like heat and humidity. The last summer we were there was '96 when we had heat indices running 125o-130o--I had friends who lost sheep and dogs in that despite precautions. For what it's worth, there's an aging nuclear power plant in Russelville.

There are a lot of outdoor activities, good hunting and fishing, and just about any sport you could ask for. There used to be a big endurance ride on Mt. Nebo if you are into horses. Lots of historical sites and reenactments. Good people for the most part but you find what you seek.

Little Rock has the biggest airport in the state and it's pretty easy access. We used it a few times with no problems. Nothing like St. Louis or Kansas City where you are taking your life in your hands even to get to it. The airport is about 100 miles from either city.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), January 07, 2001.

Sissy, Hi! I guess I am the closest to Hot Springs. I like it though. I actually live about 15-17 miles ( west ) outside of city limits. I guess it depends on what you like, as to wheather you will like it here. There are things to do.

I think it has grown too much,in my own opinion. The land is priced anywhere from 3-7 thousand an acre around the LakeHamilton School district. If you have public schooled children; you will probably want to look into this district or maybe Jessivelle School. Stay out of the city districts. ( bussing is horrible and all the kids depending on their ages will go to different schools, on different sides of town.) WHAT A NIGHTMARE! Don't even want to go there.

Hot Springs does have an airport. Lots of homesteading opportunities. Pretty much anything you can imagine.

As for the weather; winters are usually mild. Spring comes early. Summers are sultry. All in all It is a pretty nice place to live. I have lived in California,Tennesee,Kentucky,Indiana, and Arkansas. I like it here the best.Lots of trees. Hot Springs is actually in a sort of vally, surrounded by mountains of trees. There are lakes,and lots of trails, Caves, ect,If you are the outdoors type. Lots of other amusement things to do, If you're into that.

I don't know a thing about Russelville though. I wish you luck.

-- Bonnie (Josabo1@juno.com), January 07, 2001.

One more thing re:Arkansas, then I'll hush. The whole state is covered by a system of TV broadcast towers so that everyone, no matter how remote, can get PBS if they so desire. One of the best ideas Arkansans ever had.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), January 08, 2001.

I live in western AR, south of Fort Smith. Have been to Hot Springs and Russelville. Hot Springs has wild traffic and is over crowded. My sis lived in Russelville for several years and liked it very much.

-- Evelyn Vanderpool (evelynv@ipa.net), January 09, 2001.

I live in north central Arkansas and have been to both places. Of the two I would choose Russelville. I think Hot Springs has some problems associated with Horse Racing, seems like there was a lot in the newspaper about increased taxes for law inforcement but I don't live there so didn't pay a lot of attention. Also, it is a very old town and some of the stores are not in good repair.. A woman was killed when a hill collapsed on the building she was working in. I didn't really much care for the place, and I like old places but Hot Springs is old and junky.. I don't know it is hard to describe. Russelville on the other hand was a big surprise to me with how much is there. The little Rock airport is not the best in the world. My husband used to travel a lot and most of the time he would have to go to Memphis to make the right connections. My son in law is a pilot and he must live within two hours of an airport and Little Rock is not one he can live by. There again it is the connections. Just about everything goes to Atlanta and you change there, very few direct flights. I-40 between Russlvill and Little Rock is absolutely the worst road in the State! Bar none!

A word of advise, for what it is worth, don't come to Arkansas if you don't have to. We are the methaphetamine capital of the world. Drugs are rampant here. As someone else mentioned choose your friends from outsiders. The natives are very friendly but they don't need you for a friend..they have family and lots of it and their friends were made in nursery school. Most of the people I know are consumed with consuming! The idea of voluntary simplicity never enters their heads. When we first moved here we were told by several people "Your a damned fool for giving up a good job in Houston [Texas] to move here." They were right and it had nothing to do with the job. We have lots of friends but they all moved here from somewhere else and none of them are interested in homesteading, or living simply or trying to be even slightly self-sufficient. They want the government to do everything for them. We are the quaint, oddball couple in their circle of friends. They come out to see what "weird thing we've thought of now."

There are lots of yuppie types associated with Lyon College and I am thankful for each one of them because they make it possible for me to meet our quota on our order each month to the Ozark Co-op warehouse. I buy wheat they buy expensive coffee, helps me out tremendously!

I am sure no place is perfect and most people are as happy as they make up their minds to be. But whenI lived in Houston I knew people who grew vegetables in flower pots on the terraces of their highrises and composted in trashcans...here I do not know one other person with a compost pile! A lady I quilt with told me that people were so poor for so long that now that there are jobs available so they can afford things they are like kids in a candyshop. Problem is jobs are low paying, chicken plants are the largest employer in Arkansas.

-- Artie Ann Karns (rokarns@arkansas.net), January 11, 2001.