Arkansas's Mammoth Spring

                Arguably the most famous springs in Arkansas are the hot springs found in the city and national park in Garland County from which their names derive. The springs found throughout Eureka Springs (Carroll County) are well-known too. But the largest natural spring in the Natural State isn’t found in Hot Springs or Eureka Springs, but near the Arkansas-Missouri border in Fulton County.

                Named Mammoth Spring due to its massive size, the spring is the third-largest in the Ozark Plateau and the seventh-largest in the world. Its outlet pool is contained inside Mammoth Spring State Park in the town of Mammoth Spring.

                Mammoth Spring’s massive discharge gushes several hundred feet down the outlet channel before merging with the Warm Fork of the Spring River to form the Spring River. The chilly water that comes from the spring creates excellent trout fishing conditions. It’s also great for canoeists and kayakers. In fact, floating the Spring River is one of the most popular outdoor activities in the state.

                Mammoth Spring is created by the rain and snow that falls in southern Missouri and creeps into the area water table, where it flows through a vast network of cavities and passages. Those cavities host an underground river that emerges on the surface at the town of Mammoth Spring. The water that emerges forms a 10-acre spring pool that drains over a tall rock dam. The spring generates a harmonic mean flow of about 322 cubic feet per second. The water emerges at a cool 58 degrees. 

                Mammoth Spring itself cannot be viewed at the Mammoth Spring site because its mouth is more than 70 feet below the surface of the vast spring pool. About 10 miles northwest of Mammoth Spring, a portion of the underground river that feeds the spring can be seen at a collapsed cave inside Grand Gulf State Park in Missouri. 

                Since the days of the early European settlers, Mammoth Spring was used to power a gristmill. The Mammoth Spring Milling Co. built a stone dam in the late 1880s and a water-powered gristmill downstream of the outlet of the spring-fed lake. The dam was purchased in 1925 by the Arkansas-Missouri Power Co., which built a hydroelectric plant at the dam site. This plant supplied electricity to the town of Mammoth Spring and the surrounding area until 1972. That same year, Mammoth Spring was declared a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

                In 1957, Mammoth Spring State Park was established by the Arkansas General Assembly, which condemned the land where a popular cattle sales barn was located. The park was placed under the management and supervision of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. The 62-acre state park provides many recreational opportunities for visitors, including boating, fishing and hiking. At the park, you’ll also find a tourism welcome center and a restored 1886 St. Louis–San Francisco Railway train. The old depot is now home to a railroad museum. The former depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in June 1992.

                Mammoth Spring State Park’s visitors’ center features numerous artifacts and exhibits that interpret the region’s history. A leisurely walking trail, which starts at the visitors’ center, leads to a restored rail depot that once connected the town of Mammoth Spring to the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway. The old hydroelectric plant and gristmill nearby showcase the economic importance the spring had to the early development of the region.  Mammoth Spring State Park also provides a pavilion, several picnic areas, a baseball field and a playground. Canoes and kayaks can be rented at the visitor center during spring and summer for those wanting to venture out on Spring Lake.

                Although it’s quite a drive from central and southern Arkansas, Mammoth Spring and the town and state park that bear its name are worth the visit if you find yourself in this scenic part of our state.

The Sad Story of the Winkley Bridge

                As a child, I spent many summer weekends at Greers Ferry Lake. Family and friends had cabins in Higden, but my parents and I camped at Devil’s Fork Park near the town of Greers Ferry. I can remember going to what was known as the swinging bridge, which spanned the Little Red River just a few miles down from Greers Ferry Dam in Heber Springs. And my persistent fear of heights never allowed more than a few steps onto the wooden bridge.

                The story of the swinging bridge starts in 1912, when Cleburne County leaders recognized a dire need for a bridge at Turney’s Ferry (also known as Winkley's Ford) on the Little Red River to connect the eastern section of the county to Heber Springs, the county seat and center of local government.

                County leaders issued a request for steel bridge designs but received no bids. Deciding that a suspension wire bridge would do just as well, they issued a request for three suspension wire bridges — one each at Tumbling Shoals, Miller's Point and Turney's Ferry — and this time received several bids. 

                Contractor Harry Churchill of Pangburn submitted the winning bid, totaling $26,000. But the commissioners felt the price was too high and negotiated with Churchill to lower the cost by $2,000. 

                The bridge at Turney’s Ferry was finished in early November 1912. The design was a streamlined suspension bridge. The bridges at Tumbling Shoals and Turney's Ferry were completed that same year. The Turney's Ferry bridge ran over budget and was finished for $6,500.

                In 1968, a group of Cleburne County citizens petitioned the state Highway Department to replace the aging Turney's Ferry bridge. The group didn’t advocate for the demolition of the old bridge, but rather wanted to make the bridge a local tourist attraction. Highway leaders debated the proposal for months but eventually approved it, deciding that the swinging bridge would be replaced but remain standing. 

                In 1972, a new bridge was built a few hundred feet downstream from the old Turney's Ferry's bridge, which was closed to vehicular traffic but remained open for pedestrian use. In 1972, the Heber Springs Business and Professional Women's Club raised $450 to buy commemorative plaques and build fieldstone pedestals. The group placed them at both ends of the bridge. In 1985, the Turney's Ferry bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

                Throughout its lifespan, a significant sway could be both seen and felt on the bridge, earning it the “swinging bridge” nickname and keeping me from ever crossing it. For years, it was popular for tourists to walk out onto the bridge, feel the sway even try to make it swing more than usual. On Oct. 28, 1989, a group of about 40 people on a youth retreat from the Free Holiness Church in the Prim community (Cleburne County) ran onto the bridge and began to rock it from side to side. The bridge couldn’t take the raucous back-and-forth action and collapsed. The senseless tragedy killed five people, hospitalized 18 tourists and fishermen and destroyed an iconic historic structure in Cleburne County.

                Victims and families of the victims of the bridge collapse sued Cleburne County arguing that the victims of the bridge collapse were denied their due process rights. In this case, they claimed they were denied their safety. In August 1996, the Circuit Court ruled in favor of the defendants on the grounds that the Cleburne County government did not need to warn citizens about possible dangers regarding the swinging bridge.

                What’s left of the bridge and the commemorative markers placed in 1972, can be viewed at 76 Swinging Bridge Drive outside Heber Springs.

Natural State Nicknames

                Throughout its nearly 188 years as a state, Arkansas has had several nicknames. Many of these nicknames were unofficial and often meant to be humorous rather than a serious representation of the state. As time passed, so did our state’s nicknames, as politicians and business leaders tried to steer the public perception of Arkansas away from the hillbilly-filled backward place Arkansas had long been known as.

                One of Arkansas’ first recorded nicknames was the “Toothpick State.” This nickname is derived from the legendary knife known as the Arkansas Toothpick that was made in Washington (Hempstead County) by blacksmith James Black. Black is most famous for making a knife for one of the heroes of the Alamo, Jim Bowie. This knife was based on a Bowie design that Black was able to execute. Some experts consider the Bowie Knife and the Arkansas Toothpick the same, while others believe the knives were two separate knives made by the same blacksmith. The Arkansas Toothpick was a double-edged dagger often worn as a side weapon of early Arkansans. The knife was a common inexpensive sidearm and became a very popular accessory for men in frontier Arkansas. Unfortunately, the messy dispatching by knife of one Arkansas state representative by another in 1837, cemented the new state’s reputation as a lawless, rough-and-tumble land.

                Another one of Arkansas’ earliest nicknames was the “Bear State.” In the early 19th century, Arkansas had a large population of Louisiana black bears, which is one of 16 black bear species found in the U.S. Sadly, so many bears were killed by residents throughout the years for their meat, fur and self-defense that the population of native black bears in Arkansas dwindled to fewer than 50 by the mid-20th century. While the black bear population has gradually increased in the past several years, the number of black bears in Arkansas is nowhere near what it once was.

                Finally, Arkansas received an official state nickname in 1923 when the Arkansas General Assembly recognized the activities of the Arkansas Advancement Association, a group of prominent businessmen whose goal was to help improve the state’s image and attract business and tourism. The association’s most prominent leader was former Gov. Charles H. Brough, who traveled throughout the midwestern and southern parts of the country in the early 1920s. Brough promoted the natural resources of what he called the “Wonder State.” In 1923, the group persuaded the state Legislature to officially adopt the “Wonder State” as the state’s nickname.

                In the 1940s, a group of Little Rock businessmen who called themselves the Committee of 100 began diligent efforts to promote economic development in Arkansas. Central to the group’s efforts was the changing of the state’s image. The group’s advertising and promotional material referred to Arkansas as the “Land of Opportunity.” In 1941, the phrase appeared for the first time on Arkansas auto license plates. In 1953, the Arkansas General Assembly changed the official nickname of the "Wonder State" to the "Land of Opportunity.”

                During the 1980s, Arkansas’s outreach to tourists became more aggressive, reflecting a maturing understanding of tourism as a growth industry. In the mid-1980s, the Arkansas parks system began first promoting Arkansas “…is a natural” and then later to the current official nickname, “the Natural State.” In 1995, State Rep. Dennis Young successfully sponsored legislation to make the Natural State Arkansas’ official nickname. 

                The nickname “Arkansas: The Natural State” can be seen on all welcome signs at our state’s borders, state tourism publications and commercials, merchandise and granite markers in front of our state’s 14 welcome centers.

The Birthplace of the Cheese Dog

            As I’ve written before, Arkansas claims to be the home of cheese dip. Blackie Donnally first served the popular dish at his Mexico Chiquito restaurant (originally called Little Mexico) in Hot Springs in 1936. While Mexico Chiquito’s cheese dip is arguably the most well-known in the Natural State, cheese dip is served in pretty much every nook and cranny eatery in Arkansas. 

            But what you may not know is that another American favorite delicacy has its roots in Arkansas as well — the cheese dog, a hot dog stuffed with cheese or processed cheese as a filling. 

            The creation of the cheese dog takes us back to the year 1956. Elvis had become the king of rock and roll and Americans elected Dwight D. Eisenhower for a second term as president. This would also be the year that the Finkbeiner Meat Packing Co. of Little Rock first introduced the delicious cheese-stuffed sausage.

            Originally from Germany, the Finkbeiner family arrived in Chicago around 1910. The Finkbeiners made their way to Arkansas and set up a meat packing business in the small town of Fourche in Perry County. 

            In 1915, the company, led by patriarch Christian Finkbeiner and his sons, Frank and Otto, moved to Little Rock and opened a processing plant at the corner of 9th and High streets. Otto’s other sons, Chris and Paul, later joined the family business as well. While some accounts credit Chris Finkbeiner, we simply don't know who created the cheese dog — that information has been lost to time. 

           Shortly after the successful launch of the cheese dog, Chris Finkbeiner served two terms as president of the American Meatpackers Association. He entered the Arkansas political arena by unsuccessfully challenging Gov. Orval E. Faubus in the Democratic primary for governor in 1958. Faubus handily defeated Finkbeiner and went onto to become the state’s longest serving chief executive. 

            That would be Finkbeiner's only foray into politics. Later, he tried his hand as a professional wrestling promoter in Arkansas, but that too proved unsuccessful, as Finkbeiner was unable to compete with an established promoter, Leroy McQuirk, and his popular Mid-South Championship Wrestling promotion. 

            Popular radio and television personality Volmer “Cactus” Vick served as the Finkbeiner Meat Packing Co.’s longtime spokesman. Vick was one of the top Arkansas media personalities in the post–World War II era. A consummate entertainer, Vick was a combination of magician, ventriloquist, comedian and cowboy.

            In the years following the introduction of the cheese dog, Finkbeiner Meat Packing Co. became a multimillion-dollar operation with 150 employees. Finkbeiner’s products were popular across Arkansas and surrounding states including Louisiana and Texas. 

            On April 2, 1964, Finkbeiner and company executive Lester Hobbs were killed when their twin‐engine plane crashed shortly after takeoff from the municipal airport in Harrison. Finkbeiner was just 42 years old. Without their outgoing leader, Finkbeiner Meat Packing’s sales dwindled and the company was sold to food conglomerate Sara Lee. 

            Eventually, the idea for the cheese stuffed hot dog was adopted by other meat packing companies. Today, several meat manufacturers such as Oscar Mayer sell stuffed hot dogs with cheese. Petit Jean Meats of Morrilton sells a delicious version of the cheese dog that incorporates both cheese and bacon in its filling. 

            These days, cheese dogs stuffed inside a corn dog have become popular at local fairs and food truck festivals across Arkansas. 

            So, the next time you buy a package of cheese dogs at the grocery story or get one at the state fair, you’ll now know that the delicious cheese-stuffed wiener has its origins in Arkansas.

Arkansas' Oldest City

 

                You may think that Arkansas’ oldest city is its capital city of Little Rock or perhaps Arkansas Post, home of Arkansas’ first settlement and territorial capitol. However, you may be surprised to learn that the oldest city in the Natural State is Batesville.

                Located in Independence County on the White River, Batesville lays claim to Arkansas’ oldest city, as it was incorporated in 1822—fourteen years before Arkansas became the 25th state.

                In its early days, Batesville was a vital steamboat port on the White River and served as the entry point to the interior lands of northern Arkansas. Batesville played a significant role in the settling of the Ozark Mountain region, and served as the central land office for the area. In 1808, a treaty was signed by the Osage Indians and the federal government which gave the territory to the United States. Unlike other portions of Arkansas, this land was never returned to Indian control.

                The first known settlement of the area now known as Batesville sprung up around 1810 at the mouth of Poke Bayou. By 1819, the community had a ferry across the White River and fifteen houses and buildings. For a brief time, the community was known as Napoleon (not to be confused with the southeast Arkansas town of the same name once located on the Mississippi River). What became the town of Batesville was laid out in early 1821, and on March 3, 1822, a bill of assurance was recorded and executed and the town's plat was laid out. 

                The town was named Batesville in honor of Judge James Woodson Bates. Bates was a territorial delegate who had helped spearhead efforts to establish the Arkansas Territory. In 1819, Judge Bates moved to the town that would bear his name and practiced law there, along with serving as a judge. Of notable interest, his older brother, Edward Bates, served as Attorney General under President Lincoln.

                In 1821, Batesville became Independence County’s seat of government. The town’s first post office opened in 1822 with Nathan Cooke as its first postmaster. The first steamboat visit to Batesville took place on January 3, 1831 when Captain John Pennywit came to the city and docked his boat “The Waverly.” On September 25, 1836, shortly after Arkansas became a state, Gov. James Conway incorporated the state's first academy—Batesville Academy. 

                Between 1940 and 1941, Batesville was home to the minor league baseball team, the Batesville Pilots. The Pilots competed in the Northeast Arkansas Baseball League.

                On July 31, 1964, country music superstar “Gentleman” Jim Reeves and his manager, Dean Manuel, left Batesville’s municipal airport. The two men were headed to Nashville in Reeves’ single-engine Beechcraft Debonair aircraft. Reeves was piloting the small place when it crashed later that day near Nashville International Airport. The crash killed both men.

                Batesville is home to Lyon College (formerly Arkansas College), a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. Lyon is well-known for its annual Arkansas Scottish Festival held each fall. The city is also home to the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville.

                Batesville contains three National Register Historic Districts and has several properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the 1842 Garrott House and the 1909 Cook-Morrow House. The Old Independence Regional Museum, which interprets the history of Batesville and the surrounding area, opened in 1998. The building that houses the museum was constructed by the Works Progress Administration in 1936, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

                Some of Batesville’s most famous residents include Arkansas’ 13th governor Elisha Baxter, current lieutenant governor Leslie Rutledge, NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin and college and professional football player Ryan Mallett.

                Batesville was listed in Norman Crampton's 1992 book The 100 Best Small Towns in America, coming in at #75. Just one visit to the charming river town and you will see why the oldest city in Arkansas made the prestigious list.