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Battle of Pea Ridge took place on March 6 - 8, 1862 and was one of the largest engagements in the Western Theater of the Civil War.Additional reading: Pea Ridge Civil War Campaign in the West by William L. Shea and Earl J. Hess
Lake Ouachita State Park was a pleasant surprise. It was an alternative to staying at the less-than-inspiring campgrounds of Hot Springs Nat. Park. Lake Ouachita is a massive lake that stretches over 40,000 acres. It's perfect for fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, etc.... The campgrounds were very well-kept - I stayed right next to the water. I even woke up early and jumped in the clear waters of the lake. The park also has its own spring...The Three Sisters Spring...but the water wasn't fit for drinking.
The last place I camped was at Mount Magazine State Park. It's a new state park and sits atop the tallest peak in Arkansas...Mount Magazine. Actually, Mt. Magazine isn't very tall...it's more like a big hill... but in this part of the country we'll take any kind of mountain that we can get. The campgrounds were very nice. There aren't any lakes or rivers here, but there are some scenic overlooks...a.k.a. great views. Hiking is the thing to do here...I took a trail and found a marker which indicateds the highest point of Mt. Mag...it seems like there would have been a nice view from this point, but it was surrounded by trees. Another thing about this area of Arkansas...it's bear country...Unfortunately, I didn't see any, but the park rangers said the bears had hit many trash cans that night...I did hear something creeping around during the night...should've had a look!
Pea Ridge National Military Park commemorates the Civil War battle that occured here on 7 and 8 March 1862. Here 26,000 soldiers fought to decide the fate of Missouri. Even though the Confederate Forces won the early battles, the Union Forces under Brigadier General Samuel Curtis defeated the Confederate Forces under Major General Van Dorn essentially keeping Missouri under Union control. This battle followed closely the battle at Wilson's Creek and was a pivotal battle in the Civial War. The 4,300-acre park honors those who fought to preserve their way of life. Pea Ridge is the most intact Civil War battlefield in the country. In addition to the battlefields there is also the Ruddick Farm, a nice museum in the Visitor's Center and other points of interest. This park is well worth a visit.For more information and photos see my Pea Ridge National Historic Park Page coming soon.
DeWitt (or De Witt) is the county seat of Arkansas County and has a population approaching 4000. I found it to be a pleasant little town with a friendly populace and a nice historic district. Interestingly, the town name came from writing three proposed names on slips of paper and drawing them from a hat. The main Historic District surrounds the County Court House.There was a small farmer's market going on when I visited the town. The people were very friendly, and the vegetables very fresh.While here stop at Lizzie's a nice restaurant across from the courthouse.
Pine Ridge is one of several tiny places along Arkansas Highway 88. The main thing here is the Lum and Abner Museum. Lum and Abner were a duo of comedians that had a radio show from 1932 to 1954. They also made a few movies. They were known for their low key, rural wit. They resided in the then fictional town of Pine Ridge and ran the Jot 'em Down General Store. They (the charcters) were constantly getting involved in get rich quick schemes but getting thwarted by their nemeisis. The show was very popular for many years. The small town of Pine Ridge and the museum came to be because of the show. The museum is stuffed full of memorabilia about the show, Lum and Abner themselves, the area and artifacts from the time period. Chester Lauck (who played Columbus "Lum" Edwards) and Norris Goff (Abner Peabody), were from nearby Mena.For more information see my Pine Ridge Page.
Queen Wilhelmina State Park is perched high in the Ouachita Mountains. I was there in June and the park was a welcome relief from the high 90 degree weather in the lowlands. The park was much cooler and the views were spectacular.The park has had well-known luxurious lodging since 1898. The currect lodge is certainly no exception. The lobby is very impressive and the 38 guest rooms are (reportedly, I did not see them) also very nice. Good restaurant too.In addition there are other things to do like hike (although the trails were closed when I was there due to an angry black bear) mini-golf, train rides, and other activities. This is a very nice park!For more information see my Queen Wilhelmina State Park Page.
Is it Southern Quirkiness or Just More Adorable in One Space than You Can Stand? Well, whatever you want to call it - the Peabody Hotel has pet ducks. They live upstairs (I'm sure in their very own suite) and every morning they are escorted downstairs to the lobby where there is a fountain they swim around in all day. Then in the evening, they're again escorted back up to their beds for the night. They have a red carpet and even little steps to help them get up into the fountain. See? More adorable than you can stand!You can take pictures but don't feed or touch the ducks. There's a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs. And if you want to enjoy the ducks for a long time, the Peabody is a pretty nice hotel so you could stay there during your stay in town.
Of course one of the main things to do at Hot Springs National Park is to go to bathhouse row and experience the springs. People have flocked to the area since the mid 1800s to experience the healing powers and just plain comfort from the hot natural water. Bathhouse row started then and has changed in some ways and stayed the same in some. Of the eight original buildings on the row; one is now the visitor's center and two (I think) function as bathhouses.There is a nice drive up one of the mountains belonging to the park right near bathhouse row. The road is very twisty with tight turns but the view at the top is worth it.At the top of the mountain is a viewing tower. The tower is run by a private organization and was fairly expensive. The view from the free viewpoint was good enough for me.Other things to do at the park include hiking and having a picnic.I happened to be there when...
Sheridan is the county seat of Grant County, and home to the Grant County Court House. It has a population of around 4000. Sheridan has a small historic district with buildings from the late 1800s to the early 1900s around the court house. Sheridan is a nice little town. For more information see my Sheridan Page.
New Orleans Hotel and Spa Eureka Springs
4 Reviews and 120 Opinions For those without a car, this is a good place to stay as it is located right at the heart of the...
The Capital Hotel Little Rock
2 Reviews and 244 Opinions the historic capital hotel is located across the street from the old state capital in the heart of...
Baymont Hot Springs Hot Springs
2 Reviews and 148 Opinions Basically, this place is annoyingly amazing! I found it after rigorous research. My partner likes...
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