The Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine May 2018
Historic Blossoms & Boughs he t t e a Me n o r me a e r se d r o h stick
Forest History Pottery Like You’ve Never Seen Down Back Roads Spring Tragedy
Trees have a s Recorded within those skyward boughs, are decades and sometimes centuries of ice, wind and drought.
Since the industrial age, few “virgin” trees remain. Fortunately, we have a lingering representation of specimens that have guarded corners, steep slopes, meadows and fence lines since before Arthur Stilwell and his townsite crew laid their railway to the Gulf of Mexico. Every grand tree has a story to tell.
Beginning with this issue, we will share these stories. We invite our readers to share photos and stories we may not know about.
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story to tell
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Looking Glass 2.0
Welcome to the relaunch of Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine. There are loads of stories to tell, photos to enjoy and new things we can learn together. Most of all, we hope to inspire a greater appreciation for the natural beauty of the Ouachita Mountains. We will also clarify some of the urban legends about life in the mountains of the midsouth. A generation has passed since the original Looking Glass informed and entertained readers locally and across the nation. However, the interest in Classic Looking Glass articles continues. Therefore, we will select at least one classic article for reprint or reference as a monthly feature.. An important part of our mission at Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine is to include these roots. The writings of Inez Lane and her peers included timeless features, wisdom and revealed their pioneer spirit. That attitude has value in a modern world not only as contrast but as a source of inspiration. For example, many of our modern woes about weather are laid on environmental changes. The pioneer viewpoint expected change and prepared for calamity as part of their lives. Pioneers did not have 911 in their pocket. This self-sufficiency point of view was handed from father to son and from mother to daughter generation to generation. Almost every mountain home-
1958, the editor in his great grandparent’s apple orchard on Miller Street in Mena. stead was self-sufficient to a much greater extent than a typical home today. From their selection of homesite, garden spot, water well and storm shelter/root cellar. My great grandfather passed before I had opportunity to absorb the accumulated life skills he attained. However, I am learning from him even a half century after his death by observing the decisions he made, ie: where he put his garden, set his cabin and laid his fence rows. His selection was strategic to make the best use of the land, soil conditions and survivability of crops and livestock. The Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine gives voice to those gone before and encouragement to future generations. In these pages, you’ll discover how people coped with their times and thus, how we might cope better with ours. You’ll also find new appreciation for the natural beauty of our unique region and hopefully join in the conversation by encouraging those around you. Enjoy this complimentary issue and tell others about us. PLEASE, thank our advertisPage 4
ing sponsors when you shop or greet them. They share your appreciation for history, community pride and hope for the future. Here’s the bottom line: Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine is literally designed to create conversation between past and present. Our advertisers make it possible for you to enjoy this edition absolutely FREE! Let them know you appreciate their involvement. Michael Cate Editor Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine is a publication of Avalon Keep Botanical Gardens
Upcoming Features
Mountain Legends Forbidden Treks Artists Among Us Our Natural World Gardening Tips Mountain Musicians Going to the Big City Under Hot Springs Exploring our Caves Dealing with Newcomers Woodsmen Rocks & Minerals Classic TLG Articles Springs & Waterwells Wildlife in your Garden
Lakes of the Ouachitas... and the secrets they keep Guest writers
Scenic photos and much more!
Trees are a Lasting Legacy
Mena Pharmacist Bill Plunkett and his wife Katie, planted this tulip tree on the north side of their new home built in the 1970s on Eve Street. Through a half century of ice storms and wind, the tree has survived to remind the neighborhood of the love the Plunkett Family shared with each other and with their hometown.
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After two tornados, only a few centuryold trees remain in Mena. Most, are located on Stilwell Heights. Although these have escaped the tornadic fate of their peers on Mena’s West Side and in the city center, each tell their history in the form of scars and regrowth. This White Oak located at the corner of Pine and Amsterdam is approximately 76 ft tall. It is believed to have been planted shortly after the townsite was established. It is rich wiith the scars of time.
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Janssen Park was once a well shaded paradise until two tornados took direct aim at this cherished icon of Mena’s pride. Although the historic cabin was badly damaged, it was quickly repaired. Almost every tree either took damage or was destroyed. The jagged rimnants can be seen in this recent view of the park. Since the storm, there has been a special effort to introduce varieties that give a spriing show of blossoms and grow quickly. The many hardwood trees lost to the storms have yet to be replaced.
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Ouachita Giants
Lord of the Oaks is located on the Oden School Property near the northwest corner of the administration building. The tree was named by vote of the students following a professional review and mitigation of structural concerns. This Southern Red Oak is approximately 72.5 inches in diameter, stands 69 feet tall with an average crown spread of 75 feet. At chest height, the trunk is currently 19’ 10.5” in circumference. (See inset on facing page) From a distance, the oak may appear to be not much different that many other trees that have been preserved on hilltop surrounding the Oden School. However, standing next to the massive trunk is an experience described as both humbling and exhilarating!
In 2014, Oden Beta Club adopted Lord of the Oaks as a project to stabilize the tree with hope of allowing it to live another century. It’s currently estimated to be between 250 and 290 years old according to Oden Teacher Linda Barnes who helped oversee the tree preservation project. The Beta fundraiser was successful and allowed a professional arborist to recable the upper third of the tree. Cabling relieved worries the tree would split under future wind or ice loads. In the past, plans had been set to cut the tree for fear it would crush whatever it fell upon. At some earlier point, a cavity in the tree was filled with concrete. The Arkansas Forestry Commission has determined Lord of
Beta Club Tree Savers - Front row, left to right: Ginny Monk, Kaeley Underwood, Melanie Norman, Linda Barnes (science teacher and Beta Club Sponsor), Madison VIncent, William Edwards (Oden High School Principal) Second row: Kelsey Simmons, Alex Henry, Kaitlin Smith, Haley Wagner, Callie Monk. Standing against the tree: Wayne Armstrong, Sarah Banta, Colby Kennedy, Lane Wagner, Kaitie Philpot, Mason Wagner. (Group photo courtesy of Linda Barnes)
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the Oaks is the third oldest oak tree in the State of Arkansas and the oldest red oak in the state. Red Oaks are believed to have not been native to Southwest Arkansas but arrived here as undigested acorns in the dung of elk migrating from the north. According to an appraisal conducted in 2012, by Forester and Certified Arborist Peter Rausch, the tree was valued at $21,800 based on its size, species, condition and contribution to the property. In his survey of the giant (Quercus falcata), Rausch noted the tree was absent any disease or pest infestation. Lord of the Oaks has a singular trunk to the height of approximately 18 feet where it divides into two co-dominant stems. The southern face of the tree had in some point of the past, developed an area of decay that over time had created a cavity which has been filled with concrete. When traveling through Oden, we encourage you to take a few extra minutes and enjoy the numerous very large oaks that dot the rolling hills around the school. Of course few oaks will rival The Lord of the Oaks! Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine is looking for giants in other varieties of trees. If you know of a giant willow, cherry, holly, pine, gum or other tree in the Ouachitas, please let us know!
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Mena’s Champion Wateroak
In Arkansas, Champion Trees are listed as the largest but not necessarily the oldest of a species within the state. To qualify, a tree must have been measured and documented by the Arkansas Forestry Commission. Cities, organizations, or individuals can nominate a tree. Details are available online at http://www.aad.arkansas.gov/ar kansas-forestry-commission Champion trees are determined by a “bigness index” commonly referred to as BI which includes three measurements applied to the formula: BI = C+CS/4+H One such tree is a Water Oak (Quercus nigra) owned by Suzanne and Dr Robert Manis of Polk County. When measured in 2013, the tree scored a BI of 373. The massive trunk was listed as 259 inches in circumference (21.583 ft) with a canopy spread of 88 feet and a total height of 92 feet. The oak features a single base trunk that opens into a double leader structure at approximately six feet above ground. Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine congratulates the Manis
family for the care they provide to this magnificent giant. An April 2018 measurement of the circumference revealed the tree has grown to 22’ 10”, or an additional 16 inches in girth or approximately 3 inches per year since it’s previous checkup.
As with any interest or topic we share with our readers, we hope this inspires others to make special effort to protect future champion trees. This is just the beginning of a conversation in which we hope many more voices join. Here are a few suggestions on how to protect mature trees you want to preserve for future generations: 1. Avoid any disturbance of the ground under a grand tree including grading, trenching, plowing, burning, or storing materials that may block moisture or leach chemicals into the soil. 2. Avoid routing any utility under, through or over the canopy of a large tree. There is an increased chance of damage to the eco system that has allowed the tree to survive to this point.
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3. Avoid moving large or heavy equipment to closely that may compress the soil or damage roots. 4. Never store or pile extra soil, fertilizer or wood products including firewood under a very large tree if you expect to keep it healthy. 5. Any activity that changes the natural moisture levels near the roots, like building a pond too closely, can kill a healthy tree in a few short years. Did you know? Joseph Spencer Myrick, the grandfather of music legend T. Texas Tyler (David Luke Myrick) once owned the Manis Farm where this Champion Oak still stands. The young musician lived with his grandparents on the farm during the 1920s until he left Mena in 1932 at age 16. As T. Texas Tyler, he became known as a charismatic country and western singer who pioneered the art of speaking part or all the lyrics to a song. For more on T. Texas refer to the February 1990 issue of The Looking Glass.
1940s, Log Trucks loaded to the hilt with pine logs from the Ouachitas.
This photo reminds me of my Dad’s (Press Barnett) truck with a typical load of pine logs cut in the Ouachita Mountains. The loggers loaded as many logs as they possibly could carry on their trucks—it was a different time! The trucks, then, did not have much horsepower. In fact, most pickups today would be more powerful. However, the old trucks had a gear ratio that allowed them to
move incredible loads. They would start by shifting into what they called “compound gear.” This got the truck moving at a very low speed. I remember vividly, Dad’s story of losing his brakes on his approach to Waldron with a load of logs. As he neared Waldron from the South, off the steep hill on old US-71, his brakes failed. Helpless to do anything about it, the truck picked up speed and entered Waldron significantly above the legal speed limit. It was almost Christmas and city workers were stringing lights across main street which was also the main highway. As illus-
trated here, the logs on Dad’s truck stacked high. In fact, they were higher than the Christmas lights. Therefore, his load snagged the wire and pulled down everything. A worker was also knocked from a ladder but escaped injury. After finally stopping his truck, Press surveyed the damage. City officials were not happy but realized that it was purely an accident so no charges were filed. Most loggers back then had no insurance anyway. Fortunately, it was a more tolerant era! Jim Barnett
We invite your stories of days gone by in the Ouachitas. Call 479.437.4902. Page 15
The Miller Bell
According to local folk history, Miller’s Chapel was built at Board Camp on Hwy 8 East, shortly after John and Mary Miller moved by wagon to Polk County from Dade County, Georgia in 1858. For years, Miller Bell announced worship services, weddings, funerals, and community gatherings. After the original Miller Chapel burned, the bell was moved to Board Camp School. There, it was used to call students to class. When the school closed, it became a yard ornament until local attorney Danny Miller was invited to purchase it. Since then, it rang for two of
his children’s weddings and has been enjoyed by their grandchildren. In 2017, Danny and his wife,
Carol, donated it to Christ Community Fellowship where the bell will again be used to announce joyful celebrations.
The original bell from Miller’s Chapel now has a new home at Christ Community Fellowship east of Mena
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Tragedy at Janssen Spring
Malvin Mourton was born in 1919 at Water, Arkansas (now known as Pine Ridge). By the time he was old enough to start school, his parents moved to Mena. Malvin enjoyed exploring the streams and ponds around Janssen Park for crawdads. He recalled an old man who boarded at the old Goss Hotel located at 7th and Maple Street. As a matter of habit, the old man visited the Janssen Spring to fill a jug he kept for fresh water about dawn every morning. Many others kept the same ritual but this old chap was always the first every morning. The Spring was as close to a city water supply as Mena had
in those days. When the man bent over to fill his jug, he discovered two feet sticking up out of the spring. At first, he thought somebody was playing a prank on him. He imagined it was the work of some kids who had placed a pair of shoes and some trousers over a couple of poles. As he reached to pull it out, he discovered there was an actual body attached to the feet. The old fellow threw his jug down and ran all the way back to the hotel. It liked to have scared the old man to death. When the police arrived at the spring, they discovered it was the body of Mr. Steele. Steele had taken everything
Readers now have opportunity not only to enjoy old classics from the original Looking Glass but are invited to share their recollections and histories as well. Call 479.437.4902 Page 17
out of his pockets and laid it carefully against the wall next to the spring then stuck his head into the opening. At that time, there was a large tile which was about four feet deep. Once Mr. Steele slipped into the moss-lined opening, there was no return. After that, the spring was capped so nobody else could drown by accident-or-otherwise. Malvin believed Mr. Steele had recently lost his wife and thus, his desire to live. He was buried in an unmarked grave on the paupers side of Pine Crest Memorial Cemetery. (From a Looking Glass interview first published in 1991)
Are you prepared for emergency or are you a sitting duck?
Many assume the government or insurance will take care of them in an emergency but reality teaches us disasters often overwhelm rescuers. Much distress can be avoided by having the right supplies.
Advance preparation and knowledge can minimize suffering for yourself and those you care about after a fire, flood, tornado or criminal activity.
Survival Kit Components (You + The Tool + The Environment = Your Life)
Do you remember the tornado that tore apart the town of Mena a decade ago or Potter’s recent wind encounter? Let’s talk about the S-Word. That’s right... SURVIVAL!
Here is an individual survival kit you can assemble that will serve you well in most any condition or terrain. It will get you through times when things seems bad with no end in sight. While this kit is designed for ONE person to carry, additional items can be stored in zip lock bags in a secure place in case your family must shelter for several days.
1. Heavy-duty freezer bags (gallon & quart size) stick with brand name freezer bags, cheap store-name brands are just that - there is a difference in quality. Spend the extra 65 cents.
2. Tincture of Iodine 2% - to disinfect water. Protozoa, parasites, bacteria & viruses. Iodine
kills every one with the exception of protozoa which infects many herd animals, including cows, goats, sheep, deer and elk. In general use 5 drops per quart of water, although as many as 10 drops may be used. Let the drops set for 30 minutes or longer. Strain the water through a piece of clothing or bandana to improve clarity and to make the water look and smell a whole lot better before treating w iodine. The colder the water, the longer it takes to successfully eliminate bad bugs. For extremely cold water, let the drops sit for 2 to 3 hours or longer, if possible. Add no more than 10 drops per quart. Give the bottle a little shake, let the solution sit for at least 30 minutes. Before drinking, partially unscrew the lid and turn the bottle upside down, allowing the treated water to dribble down the threads under the lid. Remember, it only takes a drop of some contamination to get very ill. Page 18
Another major advantage to carrying tincture of iodine 2% is its use as a topical wound disinfectant. This product allows you to disinfect your water and your wounds for less than a dollar. It comes in a 1 oz. plastic bottle with cohesion dropper. Circle the bottle with brightly colored tape for better visibility and write “Iodine” in permanent marker on its surface.
3. Condoms (Jumbo size nonlubricated) Seriously, each will hold a gallon of water in an emergency situation. Transport these like a water balloon hobostyle inside an extra bandana, shirtsleeve, or large sock - just use caution. 4. Regular space blanket (bronze-and-silver-sided type) take great care to vent excess body moisture and avoid breathing into the blanket, as the breath gives off loads of water vapor. The moisture will hasten hypothermia.
5. One roll dental floss - remove the spool from its plastic container, the spool about the size of a quarter yet composed of 100 ft. of fiber, cover it a few times with plastic wrap or in a small baggie to keep it clean. Carry good old-fashioned unwaxed floss. Stay away from scented, minty assortments as they might attract pests.
6. Colored surveyor’s tape (at least 3 or 4 feet) - to mark your path so you can find your way back, should be hung at eye level, can also write a note on it for rescue to follow. 7. Look for a pea-less brightly colored plastic whistle - earshattering decibels a whistle creates attract attention from a good distance while saving energy, body moisture, and your voice and can be used to signal for help in any environment. 8. Paraffin coated, strike-anywhere matches in a brightly colored match-safe.
9. Disposable butane lighter (brightly colored, non-opaque, adjustable flame, and non-child proof).
10. Magnesium-block fire starter with blade striker.
11. 6 to 8 extra large cotton balls saturated with petroleum jelly in brightly colored vial. Tear open ball and light to start fire. Will burn for several minutes.
12. Credit-card-sized magnifying lens in brightly colored sheath.
13. Flashlight and lanyard with two AA batteries (brightly colored).
14. Two AA batteries with date of purchase. Taped together in pack.
15. Extra carbon-steel knife with sheath. Fixed blade full tang type.
16. Clear plastic pencil-sized drinking tube, 3 feet long.
17. Collapsible 1 to 2 gallon water container.
18. Two 55-gallon barrel liners or three large capacity leaf bags. (store rolled up in a onegallon freezer bag). 19. Heavy-duty space blanket (brightly colored). 20. Wool or synthetic stocking cap (brightly colored).
21. Cotton bandana (brightly colored) 3 or 4 or maybe a few more.
22. At least 100 feet of 550parachute cord, 7 strand variety. (white for summer, olive or black for winter).
23. 3x5 inch glass, sightable mirror with brightly colored ducttape reinforced pouch. 24. Homemade first-aid-kit.
25. A patented protein power pack.
26. 7.5 minute topographical map and compass. Page 19
27. Two candy or nutrition bars.
Use the smallest size pack that all items will fit in to carry this kit (Blue or black are the best colors never camo or olive drab as it points you out as possibly military or law enforcement. This may be seen as a threat by strangers which could result in additional risk to you). Attached to the pack’s straps or belt, carry 2 one-quart water bottles, one on either side of the bag to evenly distribute the weight in the pack. Both bottles feature a wide mouth making it easier to collect and disinfect water for drinking. Take ducttape and wrap around each bottle in two areas. Apply as much tape as possible while still allowing it to fit within its carry pouch. On one bottle put a short piece of paracord under the tape with a loop at the top. This will allow you to tie on cordage and lower the bottle into a crevice, wash, windmill or well casing to retrieve water. Also on the outside of your pack, carry an extra flashlight and a good quality multi-tool. For your pack use one that you can carry alone with shoulder straps or arm straps to keep your hands free. Also include an array of bungee cords and tie straps that are capable of anchoring other gear if needed. This survival pack sounds like a lot but it won’t weigh very much at all. Learn to use the items in the pack so if something does happen you’ll know what to do. YOU + The Tool + The Environment = Your Life! Until next time, Stoney Rivers
An early spring day at Lake Wilhelmina unveils the beauty of nature.
While a frozen mist lifts away from the higher elevations of Rich Mountain, waterfowl congregate on stumps along the north end of the lake in hopes of snagging an aquatic breakfast.
Photo by Michael Cate
Thank you for previewing The Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine
We welcome your suggestions for photos, stories and features. Contact Michael Cate at 479.437.4902 or email: mcate@me.com
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Spring arrives in the Ouachitas
The Great Wood Forest Circle at Avalon Keep Botanical Gardens near Mena.
Serving private events for 2 to 200.
To schedule your anniversary, vow renewal, bridal shower, reunion, church group outing, or wedding call 479.437.4902
.
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At Freedom Pharmacy in Mena, we treat you like family and we appreciate the opportunity to serve.
The marvel of modern flight began with many tragic attempts but mankind pursued their desire to fly and eventually mastered the technical and physical hurdles to overcome gravity.
719 4th Street Mena, Arkansas
Call (479) 437-3089 Mon-Fri 8-6 Sat 9-12:30
Likewise, in medicine, there are similar challenges to overcome. First, we must understand the causes of a specific disease, then find ways to correct the problem without doing more harm. The process of testing new drugs begins in the laboratory long before they can be trusted for human use.
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Often, the decision to use a drug is based on a balancing act between sustaining life, and some level of inconvenience known as “side effects”.
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479-394-3373
318 Highway 71 South in Mena
New hope toward a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s is a sad reality for many families but there may be hope on the horizon! Researchers at Gladstone Institutes in California recently isolated a wayward gene identified as apoE4. Using human brain cells, scientists found a single copy of the gene more than doubles a person’s liklihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Having two copies of the gene magnifies the risk twelve times as compared to a person with the more common version of the gene, apoE3. Page 24
The E4 version creates a toxic protein that damages brain cells. While it is still unclear how this small alteration works, scientists are learning how to neutralize the damage. Until now, most research has been conducted on mice. Unfortunately, disease in mice does a poor job of miming human disease, especially in brain cells. Although a drug may work wonderfully on rodents in laboratory, they often fail miserably in human trials. This has slowed progress for the past decade.
Recently, however, human cells were used to test new compounds. Researchers used skin cells donated by Alzheimer’s patients who had two copies of the apoE4 gene. Results were compared to human cell responses from healthy individuals who had two copies of the apoE3 gene. Major differences were discovered in the responses to protein and drug interactions when mice and human cells were compared. Although treatment to mice cells did not respond to this method Page 25
of trial, it was discovered that treating human apoE4 neurons with a structure corrector eliminated the signs of Alzheimer’s disease, restored normal function to cells and improved cell survival. The team is now progressing toward human trials. For now, however, such trials are limited to laboratory petri dishes. Collaboration with experts in academia and the pharmaceutical industry has begun.
Dawn of Spring
The Great Wood at Avalon Keep Botanical Gardens near Mena awakens with hues of green. New leaves cautiously emerge amid lingering dogwood blossoms and golden tassles of oak. The moments just before sunrise are called “sweet light� due to the penetration of longer wavelength energy. This results in a pink pastel horizon. Want to learn more about reading light and improving your digital photography? Reserve your spot in our photography series July 15, 22, and 29 from 1-4pm. We will cover portraiture, event documentation and nature photography. Call 479.437.4902 to reserve your seat. Class is limited to 20 and will be taught by our editor, Michael Cate. Michael is professionally trained and has 40+ years of experience. Total fee for the series is $399 - includes guidance notes and materials. Reservation: $99
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How the Ouachita Nati
Adapted from the book Dreamer on a Stickhorse by Buddy Bean Used by permission
The Ouachita Mountains were mapped by Hernando DeSoto in 1541 under the Spanish Flag. Soon after, French explorers arrived. The name “Ouachita” is a French deviation of a Native American word “Washita” which is said to mean “good hunting ground”.
President Theodore Roosevelt signed an act establishing the Arkansas National Forest December 18, 1907 with approximately a half million acres. On April 29, 1926 the timberland officially became Ouachita National Forest. Although the original purchase was primarily from only a few private sources, hundreds of other land owners have sold or traded land to enlarge todays forest to more than 1.7 million
acres. The majority of the land is in Arkansas with about one fifth of the forest located in Oklahoma. This extensive forest helps limit erosion into the Arkansas River, Ouachita River and Little River watersheds. At the turn of the century following the civil war and reconstruction, the 1900s saw railroads emerge as the most convenient mode of transporting not only people but cargo
Early timber harvest was made possible by mule cart and temporary railroad spurs that supplied a nearby company mill. Page 28
ional Forest originated
and forest products including that are more typical of any off and narrow valleys with rivers logs and finished lumber. road travel today. that were prone to flood sevIndustry was gearing up for East of the Rockys, the eral times each year. It wasn’t future growth. Giant sawmills mountains of Arkansas were until 1896 when Arthur Stilwell popped up everywhere from last to be cleared. Part of the completed what would become the East Coast, westward to challenge was the extra miles the Kansas City Southern RailIdaho and South to Texas. Pi- rail would have to run to con- way that cities like Mena and oneers were building cities in nect to any city or hub of DeQueen could be found on a California and were harvesting transportation without con- map. giant trees in the mountains quering numerous mountains The virgin timber of the Ouaalong the West Coast. chita Mountains caught By 1920, there rethe eye of two competing mained only a few islands families. of uncut virgin forests. The Dierks Family One of those islands was started building railroads in the Ozarks and Ouaeast and west between chita Mountains of mountain ranges. When Arkansas. The Northern they found a gap next to half of Arkansas has a river, they’d build south something that is unique and wind back to their to the North American sawmills. Continent. Its mountains They had established run East and West large lumber mills at whereas the Smokey Graysonia and Prescott on Mountains and Appelathe southern edge of the tions as well as the Rocky Ouachitas. Mountains all run North When Thomas Whitney and South. Rosborough saw what the Early settlers found a Dierks people were doing landscape much different he went to Amity and anthat what we see. Pionounced that he wanted neers had little trouble to build a large sawmill navigating the dense there. The locals resisted forests which were covprimarily because they ered by large hardwood knew the Rosborough and conifers hundreds of people worked Blacks in years old. These towertheir crew. ing giants had suppressed After harvesting the last of the easily Undaunted, he took his underbrush with the reached timber in the Ouachita Moun- idea to Mount Ida but shade of their dense tains, Thomas W. Rosborough sold vast they too, refused to coopcanopies. In much of the acreages of his land holdings to the US erate for the same reason. Ouachitas, trees were Government and used the money to Mr. Rosborough then found to be naturally reestablish his sawmilling business in went to Glenwood but still spaced 30 or more feet the more profitable Pacific Northwest. couldn’t get a consensus. apart. This allowed easy This Ouachita Mountain land formed the That’s when he decided to passage without the junbasis for the oldest national forest in the settle halfway between gle-style entanglements Amity and Glenwood
South.
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where he started his own little town of Rosboro. The Arkies couldn’t spell or say Thomas “Whit” Whitaker Rosborough’s last name correctly, so to be a good neighbor, he just put up a sign spelled the way the locals pronounced it. That’s where Rosboro Lumber Company got its start. The familiar name would thrive and even today, Rosboro remains a respected pioneer in the integrated forest products industry. Mr. Whit built a great mill in Rosboro and later went back to Glenwood. By then, the folks in Glenwood had decided they better cooperate or they were going to miss out on what would be a once in a century opportunity for jobs.” At Glenwood, he established Caddo River Lumber Company in 1906. When one of his sheds
caught fire, a year later, it burned a half million dollars worth of lumber. The shed was 800 feet long. His mills were gigantic in size. After the fire, he rebuilt the mill twice as large as before. When he revisited Mount Ida, they still refused to allow a company in their town that worked Blacks. He visited with the folks in Waldron and they had the same viewpoint so he decided to establish another town half way between at a place he named Forester. He built a giant mill there complete with worker housing and a railroad. Meanwhile, the Dierks family saw the Rosboro company moving in on them. They decided to built a mega-sawmill at Muse, Oklahoma and called it Pine Valley.
The Ouachita’s were just starting to be clearcut so both the Dierks and Rosborough families became concerned that the other organization would buy up land around their mills which would make it less profitable and more complicated. The two companies met and cut a contract agreement dividing the Ouachitas North and South. Rosborough’s people could not cross west of the line to buy land and the Dierks family interests could not go east of the line. However, the Dierks family had already reached a little town outside of Hot Springs called Mountain Pine where they built a mega-mill. Company timber buyers discovered they could buy the land for the same amount they
The book everyone is talking about. Order now! At age 5, Buddy Bean rode his stickhorse to the top of Red Bean hill and dreamt of having lots of lumber sheds and fork lifts. Betrayal, disasters and heartbreak could not dissuade Buddy from his dream but they did lead him back to an abiding faith. Dreamer on a Stickhorse contains dozens of stories from his life experience told only as Buddy can. Illustrated throughout with great images from his first 70 years of adventure. Order for yourself and as a great gift for others!
Hardcover $24.99
Soft Cover $11.99
Add $4 shipping Mail check to:
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Buddy Bean 503 Lakewood Drive Mena, AR 71953
were paying for just the trees population of more than 2000 timbers spread across the so they hired foresters to ride people. It just took that many ground. the countryside and basically people to not just log the The timbermen tried to lay cruise the trees. This meant woods and run the sawmill, but their rail spurs at least six they were calculating the they also had to build railroad months before they went in to equivalent board foot of timber. spurs everywhere they cut cut trees. This was for safety If they discovered there was at timber. When one valley was reasons and allowed the an average of at least 5,000 completely clearcut, they’d pull ground to settle. board feet of timber per acre, up the tracks and reassemble The mills at Glenwood and they were prepared to buy the them in the next valley over Rosboro could process 75 flatland. until both sides of that valley car loads of logs into lumber At that time, virtually every had been cleared. every day. uncut tract throughout the Only the main lines had At Mauldin, Rosboro built a Ouachitas had at least 5,000 raised roadways and perma- hardwood mill where they cut board feet of standing timber nent bridges. The spurs and crossties for all their rails. so they naturally wanted to harvest lines were just laid on They also had a shop to repair buy everything they could. train engines. In reality, some stands of By the time Whit was 86 timber could have as much years old, just about all the as 20,000 board feet. Ouachitas had been cut. He Much of undeveloped rural decided to move his comArkansas had been granted pany to Springfield, Oregon by the U.S. Government as so he put his vast Arkansas scripts of land. These holdings up for sale. The scripts had been claimed by spruce, sugar pine and ponveterans who had fought in derosa pine of the Western any war prior to 1900. Most Rockies had gained his adof the scripts contained 160 miration. acres but sometimes more. He contacted the governThis was the way the govment and they offered him ernment was encouraging $2 an acre. It was a price people to homestead and he gladly accepted. Whit build new communities. often sold the government Dierks and Rosboro buyers thirty to forty thousand would go to the county acres at a time. courthouses and look up Not only had he cut the these forested scripts. They virgin timber but was douwould offer a going rate for bling or quadrupling his the land. In those days, the original land investment. competitive rate was beRosborough used the tween 50 cents and a dollar money to buy Western timper acre. The two compaber land and build a new nies bought up tens of thou- Whereas an inch of virgin pine may mega-mill there. sands of acres this way. Eventually, the governhave 20 or more growth rings; fast Across most of the Oua- growing pine may average only 5 to ment realized they were the chita Mountains, there were 10. only buyer so they hired a virtually no automobiles Kiln drying technology helped over- man to negotiate a better until the 1930s. TransportaRosborough was come warping issues associated price. tion was either by horse, moving massive parcels at with fast growing trees. Lumber buggy or train. Til the 30s, them so quickly, they began chemically treated under pressure everything had to be logged to offer him only a dollar and by rail. That’s why Old also helped extend the life of wood ahalf, then a dollar. EventuForester at one time had a exposed to the elements.
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ally, the last parcels he sold went for only 75 cents per acre. Those government land purchases became the foundation for the Ouachita National Forest. The United States had granted all the land in the Ouachitas to private ownership until Mr. Rosborough sold his land to them. They have continued to buy land since that time. The stifling of private enterprise through the Federalization of land continues to be a concern of timber companies and tax dependent organizations such as school districts. The government can offer more money than individual investors but once a bureaucracy controls land, you never know
what policy or rules will be enacted. At the time the Ouachita National Forest was being established, the Dierks family held onto their land which they eventually sold to the Weyerhouser Corporation. By 1968, the Dierks family had accumulated nearly a million acres which Weyerhouser bought for $33 Million. The Weyerhouser Corporation would eventually be one of the key customers that helped Hatfield Lumber Company become established in the treated wood business. This paved the way for success through the years and created many local jobs.
During the first cutting of the Ouachita Mountains, it wasn’t practical to cut all the timber. They called it a clearcut but in reality, there was quite a bit left because they only took the mature trees. There were also areas across marshy land and steep terrain that mule drawn wagons simply could not reach. By the time the government purchased all of Rosborough’s land, Whit’s grandson who was named Rosborough Bemis, of Prescott, Arkansas, resurrected the old mill at Rosboro, Arkansas in the 1940s. He downsized the mill and made modern improvements. By then, much of the countryside had begun to regrow and again had marketable timber.
A Dierks Company Sawmill at DeQueen, Arkansas Page 32
Roads and gasoline powered trucks could reach areas that had been inaccessible to his grandfather’s generation. The regrowth timber, known as second growth had always been rejected for lumber because it was considered too knotty. Bemis proved the experts wrong because virtually everything he sawed for more than 20 years, was second growth timber. By the 1960s, second growth timber had become acceptable and the Ouachita Mountains had regrown substantially. Companies like Weyerhouser had begun to plant pine plantations with great success as well. Kiln technology helped make second growth lumber more usable. Whereas the older a tree becomes, the slower it grows, younger trees with larger growth rings and smaller diameters warp and cup more easily. Compared to old growth wood, most builders and carpenters wouldn’t buy second growth wood as long as there was any alternative. By 1968, Weyerhouser was hiring people to go out into areas of the Ouachita Mountains where they still find some of the largest virgin pines. They would carry toesacks and collect pine cones in hope of replanting trees with superior genetics. Sometimes they had to shoot the pinecones out of the trees or climb the trees to harvest the cones. The company then extracted the seeds and began to raise seedlings by the millions which were then planted on areas recently cleared. They experimented with crossing different varieties to
create a faster growing pine and named them “second generation” trees. The Bean brothers watched with interest as Weyerhouser began to replace the native shortleaf pine forests with their improved variety of loblolly. It grew much faster than the native trees. Within ten years, the second generation trees were 30 feet tall. Continued improvements now produce seedlings that consistently have at least a 50% growth advantage over the native varieties. This means, a setout that used to take 40+ years to maturity can now achieve the same size in half the time. By using containerized seedlings instead of bareroot trees, setouts also see a dra-
matic improvement in survival percentages. By the mid 1970s, Weyerhouser began to shift their interests toward the rich river bottomlands of Mississippi. They opened a real estate division in Arkansas where they sold some of their less productive property in the red clay and sandstone hills of the Ouachitas. Their man, Dan Bogler just happened to be good friends with my partner Bill Heaton in Hot Springs. Dan told Bill they were going to sell off some land and much of it had 12 year old trees that were already about 36 feet tall. They had decided to sell the land, trees and all, for about $300 per acre. I thought it was crazy so I met with my forester Junior King and Bill
Load of logs on the city square at Amity, Arkansas. Bill Hayes Drug Store shown in background on right. Willliams Hardware was located to the left of Hayes Drug. The Williams extended the Beans credit for nuts and bolts after the fire destroyed the Johnny Bean Lumber Company sawmill. Page 33
Heaton. We headed out to look at some of these tracts. We took our tapes to measure DBH (Diameter at breast height) and spent hours measuring trees and counting setouts. (A setout is a timber term referring to land that has
been harvested and replanted with a specific type of tree seedling). Generally, companies use a uniform spacing between rows and trees. This meant foresters, could drive along the road, measure five trees and because all the trees
were almost identical in size and spacing, you could easily calculate the timber value per acre. This had never been done before so it took us a while to get comfortable with the concept.
1969, Monk Partridge drove for the Bean family from the time Buddy was 14 and worked until Monk was 70 years old. Page 34
Buddy Bean and his 1966 International. Notice the early model air conditioner atop the cab.
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About 1980, my brother Curt called and told me he was cutting a setout that had been planted in 1950. I didn’t really believe him because I didn’t think anybody was setting out trees as far back as 1950. He said they had already run some through the dry kiln and the results were impressive even with the trees that had big growth rings. The key was to quickly dry the wood while it was bound in bundles so its dimensions and form would be stabilized. Kiln drying gave re-
sults similar to what could be achieved from slow growth wood naturally. Faster growing trees and faster drying time was a lumberman’s dream! After visiting the site they were logging near Amity, I went back to Hatfield with a totally changed viewpoint regarding the new setouts and the potential we could see from the tracts we were considering from Weyerhauser. When I saw Bill Heaton the next trip to Hot Springs, I
couldn’t wait to tell him what I had seen. I find it humorous now to realize neither Curt nor I told each other we had separately begun to buy Weyerhauser setouts for several years. At the time we didn’t want the other brother to know what they might produce. Although Curt and I worked well together since childhood, the Beans have always been a competitive bunch. We also didn’t realize that we’d still be buying setout land
Modern Loblolly Pine Plantation in the Ouachita Mountains
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thirty years later. At the time, we thought we had bought up everything. Although we were conservative in that we didn’t buy anything without first having a substantial cash downpayment, we did accumulate as much as we could justify. As Curt and I look back at those first setout purchases, we can laugh now. Our investments became the financial strength of Buddy Bean Lumber Company, Hatfield Lumber Company and Curt Bean Lumber Company.
We calculated that over a 30 year period, we averaged a profit of $150 per acre, per year. If you started in setouts now, you wouldn’t make quite as much because the price of timber is down at the moment. However, on average, for every 100 acres of setout trees, you’ll grow about $15,000 worth of wood per year over the 20-25 year life of the trees. The biggest hiccup to that formula is recession. When times are good, people build homes, decks and
fences but during times of recession, you’ll need some other means of income. If you sell your timber during bad economic times, you will not get ahead so it’s better to wait it out if you can. Fire, windstorms, ice and beetles are other risks overwhich a timber owner must be attentive.
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Reprinted from the Classic Looking Glass Archives Coming soon to our premium membership subscribers
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Down back roads continued and the edible plants found in abundance in these mountains in good years. The neighbors who raised cotton for market would let Ora gather the scrap cotton left in the fields late in the fall. Mrs. Storey still marvels at their
ability to manage, although Mrs. Dusenberry had a vast knowledge of the native medicinal herbs and the use of every “wild” plant which grew and how to prepare them for tasty and nutritional food. The two women were very reserved and not well known by their neighbors. Mrs. Storey could not
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recall that they ever attended the community singings, church, or any social activities. It may have been that they feld they could not afford to dress appropriately or contribute anything to others. But the Storeys valued their friendship and found them worthy of their love, respect, and admiration. In those years of the late 1920s and early 1930s, most of us were busy “making do” even under the best of circumstances, and those were really lean times for those who did not own their homes or were unable to do productive labor. Who told the researcher about Emma’s unique singing ability? This is for us a yet unsolved mystery. We hope some reader may be able to enlighten us. I try to remember the many old ballads sung so often by Mama in her soft, sweet voice, only a few titles come to mind: “The Letter Edged in Black”, “May I Sleep in Your Barn Tonight, Mister?”, “Dead in the Baggage Coach Ahead”. I begin to wonder, were there no happy events recorded in ballads?
Editor’s note: I originally contacted Suzanne and Bob to inquire about a champion tree on their property. It wasn’t long before the conversation got entirely out of hand and on another topic. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
S
uzanne (Goodwin) Manis grew up in El Dorado, Arkansas and graduated from Hendrix College in Conway as a French major. While at Hendrix, Suzanne met and married Bob Manis who was a pre-med student from Paragould. The couple were both sophomores at the time they married. Bob continued his studies in med school via a Navy Scholarship. Meanwhile, Suzanne finished her bachelors and taught French for a year at Hendrix.
A shared passion for life
The pair moved to Florida for Bob’s residency experience followed by four years in Memphis fulfilling his obligation to the US Navy. They had their first child, Kristy, while Bob was in med school, Their oldest son, Walt, arrived while they were in Florida, and Zach was born while they lived in Memphis. Dr. Manis had always dreamed of living in the moun-
Suzanne enjoys working with a range of colors. Page 41
tains of Arkansas. Responding to an invitation from Dr. David Fried, in Mena, Bob and Suzanne visited the Ouachitas for the very first time in 1980. Until then, they were unaware Mena had mountains and always assumed they would live in Northwest Arkansas. It was love at first sight and the family began looking for a home in Mena. Bob took a partnership with Dr. Calvin Austin’s Medical Clinic on DeQueen Street. Unfortunately, nothing on the housing market at that time, caught their fancy. They asked local realtor, Sharon Liles, to help them find a parcel of land near town. While looking at a listing next to where they now live, Bob asked Sharon, “What’s down that road?” As they explored down the lane, Bob and Suzanne recall individually realizing, “this was IT!” It is interesting to note, the property was never actually listed for sale. In keeping with her reputation as an intrepid professional, Sharon called the
owner, Charlie Wiles to inquire if he’d consider selling. Charlie thought it strange that just the night prior, he had decided to sell but had told no one. Meanwhile, Suzanne said she had been praying for months, that God would show her where they should raise their family. As they crawled through the farm gate, Suzanne and Bob glanced at each other and knew instantly what they both were thinking. They bought the property immediately and Bob drew up their house plans himself. At the time, they knew nothing of the history of the property or the fact an Arkansas Champion Tree stood only a hundred yards from their future home. (See the related story in this issue.) Bob was guided by an image he had held in his mind from the time he was a little boy. Nowadays, the Manis children have families of their own, leaving Bob and Suzanne with more time to pursue a range of personal interests. In 2005, Suzanne enrolled in a beginning clay course with Sandra McMaster at Rich Mountain Community College. As with most beginners, Suzanne struggled to center clay on the wheel. After numerous attempts, she still could not get it. “It’s a steep learning curve. You have so many things that must be done correctly,” she explains. Although she learned hand work technique from the course, she really wanted to work on the wheel. Bob purchased Suzanne a set of videos that she watched re-
peatedly and after many many attempts, she began to see success. Bob transformed their modest greenhouse into a pottery studio complete with a wheel and a small kiln. By 2008, the Manis house and their children’s homes were overrun with pottery. They decided it was time they should try to sell something. They loved the creative satisfaction of transforming clay into something useful, as well as beautiful. By then, Bob had caught the bug too. However, Bob insisted it was Suzanne’s business and should carry her name. They created a small show-
room and soon they were serving customers. While Suzanne produces round pieces “thrown” on the potter’s wheel, Bob enjoys free form shapes and molds where he can explore textures and organic forms. Perhaps most rewarding are pieces that are collaborative. If it isn’t obvious by this point in the story, these two love birds enjoy every moment together. Most of all, they love taking a project from concept to completion; each contributing their expertise and innovation. The very first Suzanne Manis Pottery Open House was part of the Mena Art Gallery Studio Tour just before Christmas 2008. It
Centering the clay is a skill requiring concentration.
Suzanne uses a mirror to create a perspective advantage. Page 42
Drawing up the clay to create a perfect vessel. Page 43
was very well attended and word began to spread. Suzanne established two annual open house events. One is the first weekend of May, the second is the first weekend of December. They also sell at an art show each fall in the Springdale Convention Center where they have numerous clients who collect their pieces. Each item Suzanne and Bob create is numbered and cataloged with complete glaze and color details as well as the person who purchased the piece. “I have so many colors and finishes, it would be impossible to keep all that in my head,” she
explains. “Also, just in case a customer breaks a plate or a lid, I can simply look in my notebooks to make an accurate replacement that matches the original piece.” All this attention to detail adds value for her clients and gives an added sense of accomplishment to the artists. For custom items, Bob uses found objects or starts entirely from scratch. He often takes inspiration from items that have been donated to PCDC. Through the years, people have requested Suzanne Manis Pottery replicate items from their private collections as well as completely new ideas they’d like
to purchase. Some of these include an oversized butter dish, an olive tray, a bluebird house, and an olive oil dispenser. Among their most popular signature creations are bread trays and serving bowls custom incised with scripture. Suzanne calls her pottery “functional art”. After an item is formed, it is allowed to dry an hour or so until it has the texture of cheddar cheese. If lettering or textures are to be applied, they are added at this point. Suzanne hand scribes all her letters so beautifully, many customers find it difficult to believe the finished art was not em-
Newly created pieces are air dried for two weeks before they are fired in a kiln.
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bossed with an imprinting tool. From the beginning of her pottery career, Suzanne was never happy with the inconsistent result from stamping. She much prefers the tactile control she can maintain by hand scribing. Creations are allowed to dry for at least two weeks at room temperature before the first firing in the kiln. After the first firing, the pottery is known as “bisque” upon which glaze is applied. The second firing requires a kiln heated to almost 2300 degrees and lasts 13 hours. The entire cycle including cool-down requires about 36 hours. When finished, her bowls,
plates and stoneware containers are food safe, dishwasher safe and microwave safe. Bob and Suzanne enjoy visiting with other potters because they pick up different techniques and ideas. Bob explains their continued creative process in this way, “I’m always amazed at how we can observe another potter as they share their technique yet ours never turn out exactly the same. This is because every artist has a different interpretation in the subtle way they hold their hands or the pressure they put on the clay. The new concept serves as inspiration so even if we are trying to replicate another person’s idea, our end
product is uniquely ours. It’s that way for everyone!” Bob admits his hands are short and stubby compared to Suzanne’s which limits his ability to work inside tiny openings so often required when “throwing” vessels on the wheel. (FYI, the term “throwing” is not an angry act, but rather the technical term used by potters describing how a chunk of raw clay is affixed to the wheel at the beginning of the process.) Bob is completely in his element with hand forming clay. From piggy bank ears to serving tray handles and elegantly textured rectangular items, his work perfectly completes the
A few of the finished stoneware products in the Suzanne Manis Pottery Showroom
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main body of objects Suzanne creates on the wheel. Among Bob’s most impressive creations is a very life-like sculptured bust of his wife, he made from a cherished photo. At the top of their signature items are elegantly detailed scripture bowls and serving platters for which they have become quite famous. Suzanne says they also enjoy making pottery people can use like coffee cups, soup bowls, bread bowls, plates, kitchen jars and more. This year, Suzanne Manis Pottery Spring Open House will be held Thursday and Friday, May 3 and 4 from 10am-til 5pm. It continues Saturday the 5th from 10am til 4pm. The public is invited. Her studio is located at 181 Penny Lane about a half mile southeast of Mena Lake. Examples of Manis signature bread and fruit bowls.
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Left: A collaborative creation by Bob and Suzanne. The main body of this bluebird house was created by Suzanne while the roof and details represent the hand craftsmanship of Bob.
Below: This decorative bowl is an example of the multifaceted detail work Bob produces using hand formed texturing in various colors.
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Careful record keeping serves a critical purpose for Suzanne
Suzanne explains how important her pottery ledger has become. As she was beginning to master her craft, she created a beautiful vase. It was perhaps the most beautiful creation she had ever made to that point. Thinking she had allowed it to air dry adequately, she fired it in the kiln but it disintegrated. After a thorough review of her steps, she discovered the piece had set for only a week instead of two weeks as necessary. From that day, she began to keep complete records of her steps including dimensions, dates, as well as the weight of each piece at each step along the process. “I just love to document everything,” she explains. “It helps me and it benefits my customers.” When asked if she docu-
mented the daily events of her household when she had children at home, she laughed and said, “No.” She then recalled a humorous story involving her daughter in law, Annie Schulte Manis whom she describes as being extremely organized. In 2001, Annie married her son, Walt, so he brought his new wife home for a visit during the holidays. At the end of their first day home, Suzanne asked Bob if he was going to “do the night log”. Annie was momentarily stunned to think she had married into a family that actually kept a daily record of all activities. She attentively watched Bob go out and get a huge piece of wood to put on the fire. “Oooh... the night log...”, Annie sighed under her breath. It has bePage 48
come a fond recollection for a family full of love where a hearty laugh comes as natural as breathing. “No, I don’t keep a diary,” Suzanne replies with a chuckle. “Except on my pottery and our garden.” To fully understand why Annie may have needed clarification regarding the night log, it’s important to know that Suzanne has documented every plant that has been placed in her five acre garden since 1981. Bob and Suzanne have always shared an interest in gardening and landscaping as a hobby. It also serves as a form of physical exercise for the couple. The habit of record keeping is equally important to Suzanne in her garden as well as her pottery. Her garden ledger lists plant origins, dates, placement location, colors, and for her hybridized daylilies, she also records their parentage.
(This feature is from one of many delightful audio interviews of area residents. You may be interested to know these recorded conversations will be available to premium and sustaining members of Avalon Keep Botanical Gardens. Watch for details in coming issues of Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine.)
