Sunday, September 8, 2019

Canoeing on the Arkansas Buffalo River




Arkansas-We decided to take a side trip into the Ozarks of northwest Arkansas an area of wilderness, mountains, caves, rivers and hot springs.  Our goal was the small, Ozark town of Leslie where Jack's father grew up and three generations of Cottons lived.  We took off from Memphis and the Great River Route across the "blue roads" of farmland and fruitstands.



We found a campsite at Greer Ferry Lake, a reservoir that was created in the early 1960's.  Quirky campers strung long ropes of colored globe/bulb lights around their campsites or hung 5-gallon buckets illuminated with electric lights. It looked like a carnival midway!

Sunset at Greer Ferry Lake campground
Party Camping!

Our "neighbors" used this large construction fan outside- it was very hot & humid
Reading tourist brochures that described Leslie as a "quaint Ozark Mountain town - a treasure all its own" and "a restored town with old buildings that harkens back to a bygone era of Americana" we were expecting a cute, rustic town. Well, our raised expectations were, needless to say, crushed.  There were few businesses left and while there were homes on the National Register of Historic Places, most were run-down or vacant.
pretty little corner park
more boarded up buildings than open
one of the few "antique"-"junkque" shops

There are clearly some dedicated residents and community members who maintain the Ozark Heritage Arts Center (great building built in the 1930's and the only stage in the entire county) and several fine restaurants.  We went to a gospel music performance at the Arts Center and enjoyed a fantastic lunch at the SkyLark Cafe.
On the menu there is a description of the house being built by Dr. J.O. Cotton-Jack's great-uncle


we were told by several people about the strawberry pie- and it was superb
The sourdough bread and cookies from Serenity Farm Bread bakery, a wood-fired brick oven was delicious!
This business has been there for nearly 15 years making artisan breads
In the early 20's Leslie had two banks, two drug stores, a bakery, three barber shops, two backsmith shops, several eating places and a roller mill to crush corn and wheat into flour, meal or chops.  Farming was the chief occupation and the people were almost self-supporting.

Found some historical information about Dr. J.O. Cotton but no other Cottons-Jack's dad was one of 10 boys and most all left Leslie and joined the Navy
 Early in 1900's, Leslie was noted as producing 4,500 oak whiskey barrels a day, being the largest barrel producer in the world (or at least west of the Mississippi River).  The Missouri & North Arkansas Railroad built a stone depot in Leslie and the boom era was strong.  But these years were short-lived when the railroad relocated, fires destroyed the lumber company, decreased demand for barrels during prohibition and the Great Depression all contributed to a huge decline in population.  Jack's father left Leslie in 1928 at age 15 to join the Navy.  He must have seen the dismal future for his town.

The Buffalo River was the first National River to be designated in the United States.  The stream is 152 miles long and managed by the National Park Service.  We rented canoes at the Gilbert General Store, in the tiny berg of 28 people, one of the smallest municipalities in the nation.










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