Ouachita High Country - Spring 2016

100 Years 100 Miles

Happy Anniversary National Parks Service

Garvan Woodland Gardens A Continued Tour of Regional Breweries Exploring the Ouachitas

Plus: Arts & the Park Professor Tele Thompson Building Ou a c hit a H ighCo u ntr y .com 1

5th Annual Sprint Triathlon Saturday, June 11th Registration is now open, visit www.TRItheVillage.com!

This USAT-sanctioned event includes a 500-yard swim, a 13.5 mile cycle ride and 3.2 mile run in beautiful Hot Springs Village and is managed by DLT Events with support from and in benefit of Teen Challenge of Arkansas.

Golf Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning for Family Member Rates with cart plus tax. Call 501.922.2858 for pricing or to book.

To register for the Tri, go to ExploretheVillage.com or DLTevents.com

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2016

Subscribe Now! You Aspire

Dreams drive each of us. Whether you want to be a journalist or a doctor, an artist or a park ranger, ambitions can become reality at Henderson State University.

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At Henderson, we empower students with the tools to excel.

We offer more than 70 majors and a variety of academic support resources.

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A student-centered focus makes Henderson more than a university.

We’re a community that prepares you for a successful career and life.

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The Evans Children’s Adventure Garden offers 1.5 acres of pure fun! This interactive garden rocks with a maze of more than 3,200 tons of native Arkansas boulders. Explore a fossilized cave behind a 12-foot waterfall. Dip your toes in the cascades as you catch a crawfish!

And there are still 200 acres of woodlands and gardens to explore when you’re ready! $15 adults | $5 ages 6-12 | Free ages 0-5 Annual Family Membership $85

STREET ADDRESS CITY

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photo by Shannon LaDuke Photography

550 Arkridge Road | Hot Springs | 800-366-4664 | garvangardens.org

@ garvangardens

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Live Outside the Expected Hot Springs Village offers an outdoor lover’s pardise in the heart of the Ouachita Mountains, featuring eleven lakes, miles of natural trails and within minutes of world-class hunting & fishing. Follow Hot Springs Village Basecamp on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, and find your place in a community made for adventurists, lazy-day paddlers and first-timers! Find training opportunities, social get-togethers and organized events deeply rooted in an outdoor culture you won’t want to leave. Come for the fun, stay for the lifestyle — Welcome to our naturehood!

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CONTENTS

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What’s Inside

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Over the Hills and Through the Woods

Exploring the Ouachitas is Fun for Everyone

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Backyard Inspiration

Garvan Woodland Gardens Offers Ouachita Residents & Visitors a Welcome Reprieve – and You Can Even Take a Little Home With You

Beer-Thirty Point Two

Our Continued Tour of Tasty Regional Breweries Finds a Few More Places Making Beer Great Again

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ART

Creative Director Marisa Rodgers

COPY

Contributing Writers Mike Brooks Zachary Powers Judea Robinett Josh Williams Copy Editors Josh Williams

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New to the Ouachitas

Glance Back

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The Resurrection of the Thompson Building

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Hot Springs’ First Horse Track Mysteriously Destroyed by Fire

100 Miles, 100 Years

Celebrating a Centennial Anniversary Through Activity

There’s Nothing Wrong with a Little Friendly Ride in Little Rock

One of Israel’s Native Sons Spreads the Joy of Cooking

Music & Arts

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Professor Tele

A Guitar Prodigy Learned the Hard Way

Arts & the Park

Art, With a Side of Nature, is Placed Center Stage

O u ac h i ta Hi gh C ou nt r y

Josh Williams

For advertising opportunities: ohcads@rendercreativegroup.com or call 501-620-4520 For editorial queries: Please write to: Render Creative Group attn: Ouachita High Country 801 Central Avenue, Suite 30 Hot Springs, AR 71901 or email info@rendercreativegroup.com

It’s Not a Race

Make Meals, Not War

SALES

Fire and Ice

Fare

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Chief Photographer Amanda Shelley Ledbetter Contributing Photographers Chris Brashers Judea Robinett Jeremy Rodgers

Departments A Date with History

PHOTO

In Each Issue

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Letter from the Editors

Spring Back Into Action

Calendar of Events

BE SOCIAL WITH US

What’s Happening This Spring

In Your Words

Reader’s Submissions:

Humble Hope of Creeping Spring

by Heather Clenney

The Dance of Spring

by Paula Woodman

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LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Spring Back Into Action

As the weather warms and the flora blooms, the Ouachitas become a breeding ground for activity: The hikers knock last year’s mud off of their hiking boots; the bikers air up the tires on their mountain bikes; the campers unroll their tents and sleeping bags; the kayakers check their rigging and replace old seats; the golfers replace their grips and soft-spikes on their shoes; the fishermen re-string their rods and update their tackle boxes...and it’s not just the humans getting out either. The birds sing and the snakes slither and the bees buzz and the deer prance and the bears--yes bears--come out of hibernation. Spring is the best time to be alive in the Ouachitas.

This issue will focus on the relationship that the denizens of the region have with each other, and with Mother Nature herself. One of the fastest growing outdoor sports, cycling, is starting to seep it’s way into our home, and there is a big event happening in May. We took a trip up to Rich Mountain, just 13 miles outside of Mena, Arkansas, and returned as different people. The view from the overlook on Lover’s Leap Trail will change you on the inside. And what better way to conclude your day on the hills and trails than with a freshly brewed beer, made with grains and water from right here, in our own backyard.

2016 also marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the National Park Service in the United States. Arkansas is celebrating with the Centennial Iron Ranger Challenge, where park visitors all over the state are challenged to log 100 miles of activity before December 31. Fun stuff. We also give you some tips and tricks on nurturing your very own botanical garden right in your very own yard. The 2nd annual Arts & the Park festival invites artists of all ilk to showcase their talents during the first week or so of May, and we bet you didn’t know that there was a horse track in Hot Springs before Oaklawn. All this and more await. Enjoy the soothing spring weather, and as always, enjoy this magazine.

Thanks for reading.

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NEW TO THE OUACHITAS

A Date with History

Since the recession of 2008, the economy has been on the mend in most places.

Hot Springs had been on the back end of job growth and new business, until recently. There has been a slew of new capital enter the town. Some gains in certain areas aren’t as large as people would like to see, but more money is being invested into the community each and every day in the revived mountain art town. Because of the unique and varied styles of architecture found in downtown Hot Springs, The Central Avenue Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 25, 1985 by the United States Secretary of the Interior.

The five-block stretch of downtown has been itching for some TLC for the last quarter century, and its finally starting to get it. One of the

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developers investing in downtown Hot Springs is TKZ, LLC., comprised of architect partners Anthony Taylor and Bob Kempkes of Taylor-Kempkes Architects, along with Robert Zunick— an investment advisor at Wells Fargo.

The partnership reportedly invested $2.5 million in a transaction to purchase the Thompson Building and the DuganStuart building, located at 304 and 256-264 Central Avenue, respectively.

Harrison Construction Company Inc. took out a building permit of nearly $6 million for the Thompson Building, designed by George Mann, the same architect who designed the Arkansas State Capitol building. We were lucky enough to get inside the Thompson Building for a closer look.

As we were led inside the Thompson Building by Ellie Isaacs, historic

The Resurrection of the Thompson Building

by Josh Williams

preservationist and designer for TaylorKempkes, we could see that the owners wanted to preserve as much of the original structure as possible, without totally gutting the place. For one thing, the owners of the building had to follow a strict set of guidelines set forth by the Central Avenue Historic District. They are reusing old sinks and clawfoot tubs. There are huge pieces of marble and perfectly laid hexagonal tiles that are more than a century old and still in tact on the floors and walls. There are gigantic wooden doors and desks and cabinets weighing hundreds of pounds being renewed to their former glory.

They had a little more leeway on the inside of the structure as opposed to the outside, but it’s still a challenge.

“The most difficult thing for me as a designer,” Ellie said, “is the differing

Ascend hotels in Arkansas are the Hotel Seville in Harrison and Inn at the Mill in Johnson. Taylor said that there are no plans outside of the Hot Springs area, where they have practiced for three decades. They do, however have plans for the Dugan-Stuart Building on the horizon.

layout for each room. No two room dimensions are the same, each floor is different. It’s easy to (try to) get sucked in to that cookie-cutter approach, but with the guidelines we have to follow here, we can’t do that, and I’m glad.

I really have to stay on point with this project, each room has to be perfect.

I’m glad I have high standards, because I really have to use them here.”

The Thompson Building was erected in 1913 and was used primarily to house several doctor’s offices. It was a perfect spot to help heal the sick, as the 143 degree waters were right across the street in the form of the natural thermal springs that occupied this area. Patients were actually given prescriptions for the baths before today ’s modern advancements in antibiotics and other medicines.

“This is the first project for TKZ, LLC.” said Taylor.

For a long time now, downtown Hot Springs has been largely ignored. What was once the thriving heart of the town, has been crumbling for decades. “The historic buildings in the Central Avenue Historic District have not been for sale in over 30 years,” Taylor added. “When this one became available, we bought it.”

The Thompson Building is a gem in two ways: One, it was considered a high-end structure originally, and two, it found architects that are themselves responsible for some fantastic structures. Anthony said, “November 2016 will mark the 30th anniversary of our firm’s founding. We have a large body of work including restorations of the Mountain Valley Spring Company, the Old Post Office for Selected Funeral and Life Insurance Company, the Weir Building (our offices and Rolando’s) along with another two or three dozen historic projects. We designed the Ponce de Leon Performing Arts Center, the Ponce de Leon pro shop and several other projects in Hot Springs Village. Our twenty-plus year on-call contract with Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism has resulted in over 200 projects for them and a regional contract with McDonald’s Corporation has led to hundreds of projects all over the mid-south. We keep busy.”

Taylor and his partners have signed a franchise agreement with Choice Hotels from the company’s Ascend Hotel Collection. The only other

You can find out more about all the the buildings in the Central Avenue Historic District at www.cityhs.net or call 1-800-SPA-CITY.

The five story building will house 62 rooms with either queen or king-sized beds, a floating open closet system, a restaurant and bar, a gym, and other amenities, such as a valet service and a women’s boutique.

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It’s Not a Race

The biggest misconception about the Little Rock Gran Fondo is that it’s a competition.

Now, granted, when most people hear the words “bike” and “street” in the same sentence they usually assimilate that information and their mouths spit out the term “race” without thinking about it. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

“It’s not a race, it’s a ride,” says Michael Chaffin, co-founder of the Little Rock Gran Fondo, or “great ride” for those out there, like me, who have a deficiency in Italian. “Most of the so-called bicycling events are races,” Michael said. “They’re timed--there is this sense of urgency that accompanies the event. There is nothing wrong with competitive events, that’s just not us.”

Along with co-founder Tony Karklins, Michael Chaffin wanted to create a “festival wrapped up in cycling events”

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There’s Nothing Wrong with a Little Friendly Ride in Little Rock

by Josh Williams photo courtesy of Gran Fondo

inspired by the types of happenings in many European countries. The cycling occasions in Europe are more about the camaraderie and the adventure. “It’s not about winning the race, it’s about enjoying the experience.” Michael said, “We wanted to do it because there wasn’t such a thing in this area. We weren’t concerned about bringing in professionals and breaking records—we were more concerned about the level of hospitality, the quality of food and the amount of fun people would have.”

2016 ushers in the third installment of the Little Rock Gran Fondo, and it’s starting to attract some heavy hitters in terms of sponsorships. Michael has a background in hospitality. He is trained in the art of making people feel important and comfortable, which is a difficult thing to do. So, it came as no surprise

to us that companies like Arvest Bank (title sponsor), Ben E. Keith (presenting sponsor), and Yellow Rocket Concepts (food sponsor and owner of Little Rock favorites Big Orange, Local Lime, ZaZa, Lost Forty Brewing and the Heights Taco & Tamale Co.) have joined this nonprofit event. The Gran Fondo draws a big crowd anyway, but with the addition of companies like Yellow Rocket and the upstart Leiva’s Coffee, the resulting crowd could be huge. Michael told OHC that “When we have to create the route for the ride, it’s not like we’re paying a couple police officers to block off a few intersections. It’s actually like bringing the circus to town.”

Trying to organize this event may seem like attempting to get elephants and clowns to live together in harmony, but Tony and Michael know what an event

like this brings to the community of Little Rock. Last year, they gave away more than $10,000 in prizes at the event. The city of Little Rock has started to notice and it is giving back to the Gran Fondo: Mayor Stodola sacrificed himself to a dunk tank; volunteers work countless hours; also, because of this giant organized bike ride, people like Ron King, founder of Recycled Bikes for Kids, takes old, broken-down bikes and refurbishes them to their past glory. He then makes those bikes available to kids who come in off the street for free. How cool is that? One can imagine Ron’s voice piercing the air as a youngster, who might not have the means to afford a new bicycle, walks up to his store—“Hey kid, you want a bike?

Take this one right here.” According to Mr. Chaffin, Ron gave away his 10,000th bike to the kids of Little Rock in 2015. But, this type of hospitality and spirit of giving is nothing new here in Dixie.

“I’ve lived in more cities and seen more things than most people experience in

their lifetime because of my career,” Michael said, “and the eight years I’ve been here are the longest I’ve been anywhere.” (Isn’t it funny how most people who visit our region say this?)

“The warmth of the people…it’s like there is this thing where everyone knows each other that’s the way they want it. It’s a pretty special thing.”

Not only are the people of the Ouachita region welcoming and hospitable, but so is the landscape. Everything a cyclist could want is here. But that’s not to say cyclists don’t have their fair share of challenges during the Gran Fondo. “The geography is perfect for cycling,” Michael said. “You can run the entire spectrum of features.

If you want some flat stretches, we’ve got them. If you want hills or mountains, of course we’ve got those too. Even if you want an urban street setting, that’s there.

The one thing I can say about Arkansas is that it is quite appropriately named. This place is about as natural as you can get,” as he finishes with a chuckle.

As another popular activity finds its way into the Ouachitas, we should inhale deeply and not take for granted what the landscape offers: A natural canvas ready for anything. Not everyone is a bicycle enthusiast, that’s understood, and if one wants to join this bike party, action must be taken soon. “This is a limited-entry event,” Michael urged. “This is a premium cycling activity and not everyone will get to participate. You have to control the participation, for obvious reasons, but hopefully we will have the capabilities to become bigger and better as the years go by. If you ever get on a bicycle, this is one event that you should attend. Not many enthusiasts of any activity get to join something this great in their own backyard.”

The Little Rock Gran Fondo will take place on Saturday, May 21 beginning at 8 a.m. You can register for the event at EventBrite.com. You can also find more information on Facebook @ Little Rock Gran Fondo.com.

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NEW TO THE OUACHITAS

100 Miles,100 Years

2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. Arkansas, in particular, is doing something special this year to celebrate this milestone and to encourage people to live healthy, active lifestyles. Let’s face it, we aren’t gettin’ any younger. The national parks of Arkansas have formulated the Iron Ranger Challenge, which started on January 1st and runs through December 31st of this year. Visitors can choose to hike, bike, swim, paddle, walk, run or roll 100 miles in any or all of the Arkansas National Parks. This also includes activity on public lands in Arkansas, such as state parks, national forests, water trails, national wildlife refuges, Army Corps of Engineers land and so on. In return, those who complete this 100 mile journey will receive a special Centennial Iron Ranger Challenge commemorative award, patch and certificate of achievement.

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The National Park Service Celebrates its Centennial Anniversary Through Activity

by Josh Williams

Several examples of participating Arkansas national park sites include: Arkansas Post National Memorial, Buffalo National River, Fort Smith National Historic Site, Hot Springs National Park, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, Pea Ridge National Military Park, and President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site. The history alone at these sites is worth the trip, and as a bonus, you can get some great exercise:

Buffalo National River Harrison and St. Joe, AR

Arkansas Post Gillett, AR

Fort Smith National Historic Site Fort Smith, AR,OK

Located at the confluence of two rivers, Arkansas Post has served as a gathering place for many cultures throughout human history - it represents cultural cooperation, conflict, synthesis, and diversity.

From the establishment of the first Fort Smith on December 25, 1817, to the final days of Judge Isaac C. Parker’s jurisdiction over Indian Territory in 1896, Fort Smith National Historic Site preserves almost 80 years of

Established in 1972, Buffalo National River flows freely for 135 miles and is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states. Once you arrive, prepare for an exciting journey from running rapids to quiet pools while surrounded by massive bluffs as you cruise through the Ozark Mountains down to the White River.

history. Explore life on the edge of Indian Territory through the stories of soldiers, the Trail of Tears, dangerous outlaws, and the brave lawmen who pursued them.

Hot Springs National Park Hot Springs, AR Water. Hot, bubbling, soulfully soothing 143 degree water. That’s what first attracted people, and they have been coming here ever since to use these calming thermal waters to heal and relax.

Rich and poor alike came for the baths, and a thriving city built up around the hot springs. Together nicknamed “The American Spa,” Hot Springs National Park today surrounds the north end of the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Little Rock Central High School Little Rock, AR Little Rock Central High School is recognized for the role it played in the desegregation of public schools in the United States. The nine African-American students’ persistence in attending the formerly all-white Central High School was the most prominent national example of the implementation of the May 17, 1954 Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education.

Pea Ridge National Military Park Pea Ridge, AR On March 7-8, 1862, 26,000 soldiers fought here to decide the fate of Missouri and the West. The 4,300 acre battlefield honors those who fought for their beliefs and their families. Pea Ridge was one of the most pivotal Civil War battles and remains the most intact Civil War battlefield in the United States.

President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home Hope, AR On August 19, 1946, Virginia Blythe gave birth to her son, William Jefferson Blythe, III. Named for his father who died before he was born, he grew up to become William Jefferson Clinton - the 42nd president of the United States. In the house at 117 S. Hervey St., he learned many of the early lessons that defined his life and his presidency.

Buffalo National River Deputy Superintendent Laura Miller encourages visitors of all ages and fitness levels to participate in the Centennial Iron Ranger Challenge. “The National Parks in Arkansas have so much to offer. Visitors can see spectacular views paddling the Buffalo River, take a bicycle tour of President Clinton’s hometown at the Clinton Birthplace Home, hike in the Ouachita Mountains and then relax with a thermal bath at Hot Springs National Park, and see places where history was made from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement.

There are so many great options in Arkansas, so get out and have fun.”

Not only will visitors be doing a good thing for their physical health, but for their mental health, too. It always wise to take an opportunity to learn a piece of history because it increases general awareness of one’s self and surroundings. Get up and get a move on.

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To register to participate in the Iron Ranger Challenge, go to www.ironranger2016ar.org.

More information can also be obtained from the respective National Park websites and www.facebook.com/IronRanger-Challenge.

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FARE

Make Food, Not War

Israel has been the center of religious turmoil and social conflict for eons. The battle between the Palestinians and the Israelis has caused a great divide between many, many people, not only in the Middle East, but all over the world.

Even the population in this country is divided over which side is right and which side is wrong. We might not be able to agree on whose deity is “better,” but we can agree on one thing: Prime rib cooked in an Alto Shaam Oven for six hours to a perfect rare in the middle that melts in your mouth is delicious.

And that prime rib just happens to be one of the signature dishes at Hot Springs Village’s newest eatery, Elan’s, where Israel native Elan Grenman is the executive chef.

a chef. He lets out a hearty chuckle as he remembers being in the kitchen with his mother when he was a young boy.

“I remember when I was a kid, I had siblings who were always playing— doing regular kid stuff—and I was in the kitchen with my mom, learning how to make her jumbo lump crab cakes, which people drove an hour just to eat,” he said. The crab cakes were the first recipe Elan learned from his mother, but the most important idea he learned was how to truly love and care for his food and his future customers. Elan said, “In her 34 years of executive chef experience, her mantra was ‘a fresh, clean kitchen is a happy kitchen.’ I live through her with every dish I prepare. I can still hear her voice today.”

Chef Elan Grenman came to the United States in 1990 with dreams of becoming

Elan’s initial restaurant job in Hot Springs was at Waterscape Restaurant

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One of Israel’s Native Sons Spreads the Joy of Cooking

by Josh Williams photography by Amanda Shelley Ledbetter

on Lake Hamilton, where Fisherman’s Wharf resides today. Waterscape was a higher-end restaurant that focused on American cuisine, which was important in helping Elan become familiar with the local taste buds. Next, he landed a job at Hamilton House, where he met his long time friend and business peer, Charles Jennings. Hamilton House has a reputation of being one of the finer dining establishments in the Hot Springs area, so it was a great opportunity for the young Israeli transplant to prove his worth. Jennings was a server and Elan, a mere bus boy at the upscale eatery, hit it off immediately, undoubtedly since they came from the same humble background.

They became great friends and soon realized they shared a deep, passionate love of food and hospitality, which led them to the next phases in their culinary adventures.

fun atmosphere without the upscale attitude.” This shows in another of his signature dishes, shrimp scampi— exquisitely cooked jumbo shrimp that still have a little bite, which barely fit in the palm of your hand on a bed of perfectly cooked pasta with the lightest, yet most flavorful butter and parmesan sauce you’ve ever tasted.

Grenman and Jennings both took positions at Back Porch Grill, a steakhouse located on the south end of town in the spa city. Back Porch Grill is known for its great steaks and beautiful views of Lake Hamilton, and Elan took advantage of the opportunity.

Showing his ability and work ethic, the young chef-in-training earned an offer to become the restaurant’s general manager and he seized the day. He accepted the GM position and brought his best friend on as the manager for the front of house operations. Things were going swimmingly: business started to increase, Elan and Charles were becoming a well-oiled, dinnerproducing machine and the public began to recognize their efforts.

Eventually, Charles Jennings decided to purchase Back Porch Grill.

Elan was proud of his friends accomplishments, but he wanted more. Jennings and Grenman remain “brothers” to this very day, but Elan knew that his dream was to own his own establishment, and prepare things the way he wanted to prepare them, the way his mother did, with love and respect.

He didn’t quite reach owner status with his next opportunity, however, around the turn of the millennium, he was offered the executive chef position at Diamanté Golf Club in Hot Springs Village (the only private golf club in the community). Elan said, “Being the executive chef at Diamanté for more than a decade showed me that the people really do want what I can provide—a truly upscale restaurant experience, but one without the snooty disposition. Everyone deserves a light,

That is exactly why Chef Grenman has been successful all these years. He brings a loving, passionate, humble attitude to his dishes—which is pretty rare considering most chefs around the globe—and it shows. Elan’s is only the second restaurant in Arkansas to butcher its own beef. A must try is the Gregg Burger—100 percent beef steak patty topped with a 100 percent beef sausage, grilled onions, American cheese and a fried egg. Elan said, “It was about four years ago on a rainy day when a maintenance man by the name of Gregg approached me and said ‘Make me something that will make me full—I don’t care what it is.’ I plopped my creation down in front of him and said ‘If you finish that burger, I’ll name it after you.’ He ate it all right, even the pickle.”

The competition is fierce in Hot Springs for chefs— there are close to 300 restaurants in the Hot Springs area— but that’s what drives Elan even more.

He finished our conversation with, “There is so much competition here that you have to stand out to really make something of yourself. I want to provide dishes you can’t get anywhere in town.

I want to be readily available to the people of my community. I want to be THE competition.”

Elan’s is located at 250 Maderas Drive on the Grenada Golf Course in Hot Springs Village. Call (501) 9221372 or visit http://elanshsv.weebly. com, or check out Elan’s on Facebook for more.

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MUSIC

Professor Tele

Every once in a while, a person comes along and teaches you something that you might not have known. Maybe it’s something about a certain artist. Maybe it’s something concerning yourself that you were in denial about. Maybe it’s the fact that there is a 22-year-old prodigy sitting next to you who might be the next great blues guitarist. My last thought was confirmed by the fact that right in the middle of our interview, a stereotypical biker came up to Grayson and basically called him a guitar god. The biker said, “Dude, I saw you playing the other night and I have to say you’re the baddest guitar player I’ve ever seen, man. And I’ve seen a lot of guitar players in my day.

Keep it up, you’ll get there.” I assumed when he said “there” he meant rockgod status like Jimi or Stevie Ray. By looking at Grayson, you certainly

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A Guitar Prodigy Learned the Hard Way

by Josh Williams photography by Amanda Shelley Ledbetter

would think he’s older than 22, with his scruffy red beard and long rust-colored hair flopping around everywhere, plus at 7:00 in the evening, he looked like he just woke up—artists, you know.

Whatever knowledge was to be gained, the journey to obtain that knowledge was going to be entertaining.

Professor Tele is a blues outfit based in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Vocalist/ Producer Shane Simanton, drummer Brian George, bassist Kenny Tillery and lead guitarist Grayson Goff could possibly be the greatest blues band you’ve never had the pleasure of hearing. Ok, they might not be the greatest ever, but they ’re pretty darn good. And their lead guitarist is incredible. All of these guys have years and years of experience playing music, but it’s the lack of education, or

the inexperience of the lead guitarist that makes these guys so interesting.

Grayson Goff received his first guitar when he was eight years old. Seriously, I know most stories start off by focusing on a moment when the subject was eight years old, but really, that’s where this story starts. And it ends almost immediately. Well, it doesn’t really end. It just sort of goes on sabbatical. Grayson said, “I got my first guitar when I was eight years old, but I barely touched it.” Which is kind of weird because his older brother Dustin was a good guitar player, and you know how kids look up to their older siblings. “I listened to Dustin playing and I said yup, I wanna do that,” Grayson said. “But, I was distracted by other things-football, kid’s stuff…I just put my guitar down and stopped playing.

It’s my biggest regret.”

Grayson didn’t pick up his guitar again until he was 15 years old. He took it seriously this time. He met a guy by the name of James Vanderburg who had a band called The Vandals. They released one album on vinyl entitled First Offense! James has played with the likes of country mainstays like Gene Watson, Ray Price and Doug Kershaw. Grayson said, “James is the inspiration for Professor Tele. I learned most of what I know from him, he played from the depths of his soul. He battled some demons and told those stories through his music. He brought us all together, sort of like the band grandpa. I practically lived with him for months. I’ll always be grateful to him.”

Surely a guy this talented will make the big time, right? He’s got what it takes. But not everybody wants that kind of life. “I’d love to be a true working musician, but I’m not going to compromise,” Grayson said. “The band seems to be happy with playing local gigs and making a modest living in the Ouachitas. I think the bigger the city, the more the artist tries to live up to these huge expectations. I love it here. I love sitting out on my porch and gazing at the river and mountains. It’s so relaxing. That’s actually where I do most of my writing, the landscape is incredibly inspiring.”

When he was challenged about taking his talents to the big markets and getting out of here, Grayson responded with, “Not unless my boys can come with me. I love playing with these guys because they care about playing the music, not playing the game. Plus, it’s really Kenny’s decision. He’s the glue of the band. Most people don’t realize it, but they can feel his presence. We wouldn’t exist without Kenny.” I laughed and asked Kenny if that was the truth.

Kenny said, “Man, I’m just riding Grayson’s coattails as far as I can. I’ve played in a few bands over the years, and he’s the best I’ve ever played with. He’s so quick and natural on that Telecaster, he makes an extremely difficult thing look easy. Plus, that guitar sings when it’s in Grayson’s hands.”

I started talking about another guy that can make a guitar sing by the name of Derek Trucks.

Grayson laughed and said, “It’s awesome you mention his (Derek Trucks) name because he is my favorite contemporary guitarist without a doubt. He’s an innovator and pioneer melodically. Not only is he a slide guitar prodigy, but he also plays a sarod, a lute-like fretless stringed instrument— kind of like a sitar. I mean, the guy plays most of his solos on one string. Are you kidding me?”

So, we have a 22-year-old guitarist who has only been playing for seven years and self-admittedly watches more Nurse Jackie than he should. He has complete strangers walk up to him and tell him he’s the greatest thing they’ve ever seen, and other, more experienced musicians saying they’re just riding on his back like barnacles. I’ve seen Grayson play guitar a couple times myself, and I have to say that sometimes the best education is not seeking it out, but putting it out. Kenny said, “He’s (Grayson) so into it, watching him, you just believe what you’re hearing. His emotions seep out of his fingers and leak all over those guitar strings, and his passion for music is felt physically by anybody watching him.”

To learn more about Professor Tele, contact Kenny Tillery at 501-762-2861 or send an email to kentillery@gmail.com

Lunch Dinner

Mon-Fri 11am - 2pm Mon-Thurs 5pm-9pm Fri-Sat 5pm - 10pm

Brunch

Sundays 10am - 2pm

1803 Airport Road Hot Springs, Arkansas (501) 767-0200 Ou a c hit a H ighCo u nt ry.com

17

ARTS

Arts & the Park

Hot Springs is an art town – no two ways about it. It’s home to great arts organizations like The Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs, Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance, and Low Key Arts. Hot Springs also hosts world-class events like monthly gallery walks, film festivals, a weekly poetry night that hasn’t missed a Wednesday in 27 years, and numerous music festivals – from classical to blues to whatever beautiful thing Valley of the Vapors is. Each event is unique and features talented artists from around Arkansas and, moreover, the world.

But it’s just one small town and there’s only 365 days in a year. There’s no way it can host events for every art form known to the human experience.

Enter the Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance’s Arts & the Park.

Open to any and all art forms, this eight-day

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O u ac h i t a Hi gh C ount r y

Art, With a Side of Nature -Art is Placed Center Stage in a National Park

by Zachary Powers photos courtesy of Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance

event plays no favorites. If you create or perform any kind of art, they want you there showcasing your passion. The 2016 Arts & the Park lineup includes poetry readings, studio tours, lectures, music, theatre, film presentations, circus arts, workshops, book signings, a talent competition, and more.

The festival closes with Art Springs, the two-day outdoor festival at Hill Wheatley Park featuring artists’ booths, artists’ demonstrations, a children’s art wall and live performances on the festival stage. It has a little something for everyone.

As the executive director of a small performance art organization in Hot Springs (Red Door Studios), I am very excited to have a show be part of Arts & the Park for a second straight year.

Though Hot Springs is an art town, I would not call it a theatre town. It’s just not part of our everyday dialogue. Being a part of

the festival allows Red Door Studios, the Pocket Community Theatre, The Muses Creative Artistry Project, and other groups to reintroduce (or in some cases introduce) people to performance art and show that theatre is alive and well in Hot Springs.

Last year Red Door Studios produced the play “Derby Day” by Arkansas-born professional playwright Samuel Brett Williams during the festival, and we were pleasantly surprised by the positive feedback, support, and appreciation we received from Arts & the Park organizers and patrons.

This year, Red Door Studios called for submissions of one-act plays from Arkansas natives. 28 plays were submitted by 22 different Arkansas playwrights – seven of which were selected to be produced as “Arkansas One-Acts: Playwright Showcase

2016” at Low Key Arts during the festival.

In the true spirit of Arts & the Park, we are showcasing local talent – with playwrights, actors, directors, and crew – and we have a little something for everyone (Except the kids. Leave them at home for this one).

In addition to Red Door Studios’ production, The Pocket Community Theatre is producing “Love Letters” – a Pulitzer Prize finalist written by A.R. Gurney, who is also famous for Sylvia and The Dining Room – on Sundays at 2:30 PM at 170 Ravine Street. And, the Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs is presenting “Starstuff Story Time Theater” – a family friendly interactive story experience that encourages audience participation – on Saturday, May 7 at 1:00 PM at Adair Park.

Arts & the Park is a celebration of art. It is integral to our lives. It surrounds us and affects us in ways we are not aware.

Television, architecture, social media, food, music, literature – all are products of an artist’s vision. But we don’t often see it

that way because our reaction to other’s creations feel so personal that we almost take credit for it ourselves. The next time you’re in a good mood, consider the source.

Retrace your steps. Did you wake up this way, or was it something you heard on the radio? Did you inspire yourself to take on the day, or did the book you read the night before instill that inspiration? Or was it that painting you saw someone post to your virtual “wall” or was it that inspiring monologue by the street performer on the corner? Or was it the trail you hiked last week or was it the mountain blanketed with lush hardwoods?

Cole McCaskill, Downtown Development Director of Hot Springs said, “We have a heightened consciousness about art and nature in Hot Springs. I think our proximity to Hot Springs National Park and The Ouachita National Forest are to credit for that. Arts & the Park deliberately activates all corners of Garland County terrain.

Many events are centered downtown, like the Plein Air Paint Out in the National Park

and Art Springs, the outdoor art and music festival in the heart of the city. You can also enjoy many of our scenic highways to visit artist’s personal studios, as part of the Studio Tours on April 30th and May 1st.”

Arts & the Park is also a celebration of artists – many of which have day jobs because the reality of life doesn’t stop. Many of these artists spend their hard-earned pay and precious time creating and sharing their art with the world – or whoever will take the time to be their audience -- with little chance of an actual return on investment, because they understand that making their voice heard and holding that mirror up to life is essential for our continued survival as a culture and society. At Arts & The Park, everyone has an opportunity to be center stage and everyone has an opportunity to be the audience.

Arts & the Park 2016 takes place from April 29 to May 8 at various locations throughout Hot Springs. Call 1-800-SPA-CITY or visit www.hotsprings.org for more.

Ou a c hit a H ighCo u nt ry.com

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SPRING EVENT CALENDAR

QApril 23

Dig In! Farm to Table Festival & Outdoor Expo Grove Park, Hot Springs Village

Buffalo Days Festival Hot Springs Convention Center

26 28 29

First Step’s Got Talent Hot Springs Convention Center Blue Tie Blue Jean Ball Noah’s Event Venue, LR

2nd Annual Arts & the Park Arts Festival Begins

Various Venues through June 8 hotspringsarts.org

30

QMay

1

5th Annual $86,000 Hot Springs Fishing Challenge Begins Lake’s Catherine and Hamilton Continues through July 1

Hot Springs Village Basecamp’s Wine & Cheese Weekly Paddle The Waypoint at DeSoto Marina, HSV Through October

National Public Gardens Day Garvan Woodland Gardens

Gallery Walk Downtown Hot Springs

55th Young Arkansas Artists Exhibition Arkansas Arts Center Through July 24

Ultra 4S Racing at Hot Springs ORV Park 2100 Millcreek Road

3 6

Arkansas One Acts Low Key Arts, 118 Arbor St. Through June 8

Lone Star Jeep Club Run at Hot Springs ORV Park 2100 Millcreek Road

Muses Spring Seminar Muses Cultural Arts Center, 428 Orange St

Swing Into Spring at Casa Bella 325 Broadway St

Paul McCartney “One on One” Verizon Arena

Turkish Food Festival Raindrop Turkish House, LR

2

Vision Enterprise Hot Springs Convention Center

Movies at the Market Hot Springs Historical Farmers Market

Gallery Walk Downtown Hot Springs

30-1

6-7

QJune 2-6

3

6-7

7

The Hot Springs Spectacular Shopping Event Hot Springs Convention Center Summerfest Uptown Uptown on Park Avenue

Crystal Falls Water Park Annual Reopening Magic Springs

First Saturday’s National Parks Centennial Iron Ranger Challenge Starting at Fordyce Bathhouse, 369 Central Ave.

First Saturdays at the Maurice with Cutwell 4Kids Maurice Bathhouse

Ouachita Hills Academy Mother’s Day Handbell Concert Garvan Woodland Gardens, Anthony Chapel

8 10

3-5

3-12

Tax Delinquent Land Auction Hot Springs Convention Center

Riverfest Riverfront Park, LR

The Pocket Theatre presents “Seeing Stars in Dixie” 170 Ravine St.

Gallery Walk Downtown Hot Springs

11th Annual Stueart Pennington Running of the Tubs Downtown Hot Springs

Relay for Life of Garland County Bank of the Ozarks Arena

First Saturdays at the Maurice with Cutwell 4Kids Maurice Bathhouse

First Saturday’s National Parks Centennial Iron Ranger Challenge Starting at Fordyce Bathhouse, 369 Central Ave.

The Razorback Ramble Hot Springs ORV Park, 2100 Millcreek Road

4

Magic Springs Concert

Series “Hunter Hayes”

Magic Springs Timberwood Amphitheatre

20

O u ac h i t a Hi gh C ount r y

11

Beginner Trap & Skeet Shoot

by Ouachita Rod & Gun Club Mountain Valley Sportsman Association, 320 10 Mile Road

Hot Springs Cruisers 21st Annual Car Show Hot Springs Municipal Airport

South Main Vintage Market The Bernice Garden, LR

14

Revolution Dance Talent 14-15 Competition

Hot Springs Convention Center

Cossatot River Weekend

Adventure Tours

Cossatot River State Park

Visitor’s Center

17

Free Hot Springs National Park License Plates and Installation In front of the Hot Springs Convention Center

19

Taste of the Rock River Market District, LR

5-18

Hot Springs Music Festival, Season 21 Various Venues throughout Hot Springs

Movies at the Market Hot Springs Historical Farmers Market

Flavor in the Park Exchange Street Parking Deck

9

11 Tri-the-Village Sprint Triathlon

Balboa Beach, HSV

Magic Springs Concert

Series “Rachel Platten”

Magic Springs Timberwood Amphitheatre

14-16

Memphis Flea Market Hot Springs Convention Center

Annual Auto Show & Swap Meet Petit Jean State Park

19

20

20-22

Hot Springs Village Anglers & Basecamp Military Fishing Day Lake Balboa, HSV Five Beer Five K Downtown Hot Springs

Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theatre Company presents “Peter Pan” 1343 Albert Pike Rd.

3rd Annual Hot Springs Craft Beer Festival Hot Springs Convention Center

21

22

Stardust Big Band Tea Dance Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, Crystal Ballroom

Food Truck Fridays at the Market Hot Springs Historical Farmes Market

Memorial Day Fireworks Across Highway 7 from Super Duty Docks and Lift

DU for the Parks Transportation Depot, 100 Broadway Terr.

27 29 30

Little Rock Gran Fondo

Downtown Little Rock granfondo.com

Hope Bluegrass Festival

Historic Washington

State Park

16

Pioneer Day Queen Wilhelmina State Park

Movies at the Market Hot Springs Historical Farmers Market

17

Magic Springs Concert Series “MercyMe”

Magic Springs Timberwood Amphitheatre

18

4th Annual Tinkerfest Mid-America Science Museum

6th Annual Prospector’s Jamboree Crater of Diamonds State Park

Movies at the Market Hot Springs Historical Farmers Market

23-25

AR State HOG Rally Hot Springs Convention Center

23

Magic Springs Concert

Series “Cheap Trick”

Magic Springs Timberwood Amphitheatre Ou a c hit a H ighCo u nt ry.com

21

EXPLORING

Over the Hills & Through the Woods Exploring the Ouachitas is Fun for Everyone

by Josh Williams photography by Jeremy Rodgers

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O u ac h i t a Hi gh C ount r y

“Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.”

- Hans Christian Anderson

The Ouachita Mountains are a thing of beauty. Everywhere you turn there is dense foliage and inviting waterways. Every time you wheel around some animal is keeping an eye on you--welcoming you in--but making sure you’re treating their home with respect. Every mount you climb or trail you follow leads you to a spot that would make a great picture in an outdoor magazine. Ouachita High Country is featuring three state parks in this issue: Lake Catherine State Park, Degray Lake Resort State Park and Queen Wilhelmina State Park. These parks are fun for the whole family, whether you’re a seasoned outdoors veteran or a novice just beginning, the Ouachita High Country Region offers you and your loved ones endless hours of outdoor adventure.

LAKE CATHERINE STATE PARK In Hot Spring County, nestled among the natural beauty of the Ouachita Mountains is 1,940-acre Lake Catherine, one of the five popular Diamond Lakes in west central Arkansas. Lake Catherine State Park features many Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)/Rustic-style facilities constructed of native stone and wood by the CCC in the 1930s. The park features 20 cabins and 70 campsites in all with various amenities (picnic tables, electrical hook-ups, grills, parking, showers, playgrounds). Every cabin features a fully equipped kitchenette and at least one bedroom, the cabin is a great place to unwind after hiking the 10 miles of hiking trails contained within.

And speaking of hiking...

Hikers can choose from four trails in the park: Falls Branch Trail, Horseshoe Mountain Trail, Dam Mountain Trail, and Slunger Creek Nature Trail. They range from two-and-one-half miles to four miles in length, and all three of these trails pass Falls Creek Falls, the park’s picturesque waterfall. These

mountain trails are representative of the terrain found here in the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas’ southernmost mountain range. From the Dam Mountain Trail, the longest trail in the park, you can look down on Remmel Dam built on the Ouachita River in 1924 creating 1,940-acre Lake Catherine. The trailhead for these three trails is near the campgrounds, so access is not an issue. The newest park trail, the 5/8 mile Slunger Creek Nature Trail, is at the opposite end of the park and stretches alongside the bank of Slunger Creek near the park’s entrance. This concrete, barrier-free trail, which is suitable for the whole family, includes benches where you can relax and enjoy the outdoors with the sounds of water flowing over rocks along this clean Ouachita Mountain creek. The spring and summer seasons are the perfect time for utilizing the trails at Lake Catherine State Park, as there is an abundance of wildflowers, other foliage and plenty of wildlife to enjoy.

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EXPLORING

DEGRAY LAKE RESORT STATE PARK 938-acre DeGray Lake Resort State Park is nestled among the tall pines of the Ouachita Mountains on the shore of 13,800-acre DeGray Lake, one of Arkansas’ finest water sports areas: Whether you enjoy camping, fishing, swimming (not in April, though), water skiing, picnicking, tennis, disc golf, real golf, basketball, biking, horseback riding and last but not least, hiking.

A park visitor, John Clady, said this: “We were traveling back from a visit to my parents (the kids’ grandparents) in Louisiana to our home in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, and decided to take a day or two to explore the area around Hot Springs, Arkansas. Reasons we chose to visit this area was the close proximity to our general route home and what we had read about nice hiking. The Falls Branch Trail at Lake Catherine State Park did not disappoint.

It was the perfect length, and we really appreciated how well-marked the trail

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was, allowing our older boys to go on ahead, our daughter and her friend to go in between, and my wife and I to bring up the rear. Our dog Isa happily scampered along with us and loved the chance to jump in the water several times. We especially liked the various little bridges crossing the stream, the views once we were up a little higher, and of course the waterfall at the end.”

For more on Lake Catherine State Park call 501-844-4176 or email lakecatherine@arkansas.com.

There are five trails in all that wind through DeGray: The Island Trail (1 mile) follows the western shoreline of the lodge island and provides a beautiful panoramic view of the lake, being a natural isthmus. You can see the age showing through in this trail because of the fallen trees that have grown into the neighboring trees that they fell against. Evidence of a large woodpecker population showed in the hollowed out timber that surrounds the trail, and the terrain isn’t too challenging. The Green Heron Trail (3/4 mile) offers some of the best birdwatching opportunities in the park and begins behind the visitor’s center. This low-lying trail has a changing surface (dirt, stone, grass) and provides easy views of the lake, while being engulfed by numerous species of trees. The Towering Pines Trail (1/2 mile) is near the amphitheater and provides a natural canopy for hikers to enjoy, even on the hottest days in summer. It also runs along Spring Creek, a natural inlet. The Saginaw Historic Trail (1/4 mile) follows an old narrow-gauge railroad bed used by lumberjacks around the turn of the twentieth century. It begins around the sanitary station and is a shortcut to the lake. The Chickadee Trail (1/2 mile) is the mildest of the trails and is located near the tennis courts and golf course.

DeGray Lake Resort State Park is located at 2027 State Park Entrance Rd. Bismarck, AR 71929 in Hot Springs and Clark counties. Call 501-865-5850 or visit www.degray.com for more.

QUEEN WILHELMINA STATE PARK The last stop on our spring tour of Arkansas state parks brought us to Queen Wilhelmina State Park, where the highest summit in the Ouachita Mountains is steeped in history and surrounded by some of the most striking scenery in the world, let alone the state. The park is named after Holland’s young Queen at the time because the first lodge was built 1898 by the Kansas City, Pittsburgh & Gulf Railroad as a mountain resort retreat for passengers on the line, and was largely funded by Dutch interests. The three-story lodge quickly became known as the “Castle in the Sky” for obvious reasons. Situated on the Talimena Scenic Drive in western Arkansas 13 miles from Mena, Queen Wilhelmina State Park stands out as one of the state’s most scenic mountain getaways. The park is perched high atop rugged Rich Mountain, about 2,700 feet above sea level. The natural beauty of the mountain

and the intriguing history of the area offer a vacation (or a day’s) experience that will be long remembered.

The park offers numerous facilities such as lodging, camping, dining, interactive programming at the park’s amphitheater, miniature golf, train rides, a playground, volleyball and hiking on the four trails contained within. For those with a penchant for scare tactics, Pioneer Cemetery offers a picture, and ghost stories, of the dozen or so self-reliant families that first settled on Rich Mountain. The unique history, fauna, and flora of the park offers a connection to nature that is difficult to find anywhere else.

The hiking offered the most varied range of difficulty of the parks we visited: The Spring Trail (1 mile) is the easiest of the four trails at the park. It begins behind the

Wonder House, which was built in 1931 by Carlos Hill and Phil Lance and used as a vacation cabin until 1958 when it was purchased by the state park. The trail leads you to Crystal Spring, a short 100 yards into the hike. This was a favorite gathering place for early settlers and is still a great oasis of relaxation, or even reflection, and has been said to have many curative powers. The entire family will enjoy this one.

The next trail we encountered, more moderate than the Spring Trail, was the Reservoir Trail (2/3 mile). It descends quickly and fairly ruggedly to an old stone reservoir that was part of the water system for the original 1898 hotel.

The rocky and undulating terrain make this hike fairly challenging, so the small children might be better off riding the train around the park instead of trying to navigate this one.

Ou a c hit a H ighCo u nt ry.com

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EXPLORING

Lover’s Leap Trail (1.3 miles and our favorite) offers breathtaking views of almost the entire Ouachita Mountain Range. The windblown mountaintop could easily be confused with the smoky mountains in a way, due to the heavy fog and vast collection of contorted hardwoods that populate the area. The actual overlook on Lover’s Leap Trail is perched atop a rock bluff, where legend has it that a Native American princess leapt to her death after news that her lover was killed in

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O u ac h i t a Hi gh C ount r y

battle, justifying the name. This one was pretty challenging, so be prepared to sweat a bit.

The last trail on the list, The Ouachita Trail (225 miles) has only a small section meandering through Queen Wilhelmina, and is the most difficult on the list. This east-west corridor extends from Pinnacle Mountain State Park in Little Rock to Talimena State Park in Talihina, Oklahoma. It has been called the “loneliest trail

in America” because of the varying, rugged terrain and isolation from populated areas. This challenging trail is suitable for anyone who wants to get away from it all, and experience the Ouachitas as they have been for eons.

Queen Wilhelmina State Park is located at 3877 Hwy 88 West, Mena, Arkansas 71953. Call 479-394-2863 or email queenwilhelmina@arkansas. com for more.

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O u ac h i t a Hi gh C ount r y

mon-Thurs 6:30am-10:00pm friday 6:30am-11:00pm Saturday 7:30am-11:00pm Sunday 7:30am-3:00pm

Beer-Thirty.2 Our Continued Tour of Tasty Regional Breweries Finds a Few More Places Making Beer Great Again

by Josh Williams photography by Chris Brashers

Ou a c hit a H ighCo u nt ry.com

29

BREWERIES

In case you didn’t catch the first installment of our ode to Arkansasbased breweries, you’re in luck, because the second installment features people who are just as friendly and

knowledgeable and beer that is just as tasty and effervescent as before. Now, the three establishments featured here are in Little Rock. The water comes from the Ouachitas, and the water is the

most important thing to remember. The gracious hosts at Lost Forty Brewing, Flyway Brewing, and Blue Canoe Brewing Company made Chris’ and my day all warm and fuzzy.

at heart, but I’m really just the production manager now, if that’s what you want to call me. There are no titles here. We have six dudes back there that work extremely hard and put in a lot of time every day.” Omar Castrellon is the brewmaster at Lost Forty, and we never saw him. Dylan wasn’t being untruthful about those guys working hard. I mean, they produced 4000 barrels in 2015, and they have their beer in businesses all over the state (Hot Springs, Texarkana, Memphis, Jonesboro, NW Arkansas). That’s not bad for a brewery that’s been open for all of 16 months. They have a dozen beers on tap at any time, ranging from the traditional Bare Bones Pilsner to the more extravagant Forest Queen Izard Chocolate Milk Stout. In addition to unique brews like the Rock Candy Belgian Abbey Ale and the Baltic Porter, they also experiment with sours and other barrel-aged projects.

demand has risen considerably, so we are focused on the future. We want to put out a high quality product that people in Arkansas can rely on every day.” After I asked him what his favorite brew was he laughed and said, “It changes every day. They’re all my recipes, so each one is my favorite. I love them all.”

Lost Forty Brewing (501) 319-7275 We started our day at 501 Byrd Street in downtown Little Rock. I had been here before. The large, white building on a cracked, oil-stain laden side street was strangely inviting. As I walked up to the front door, the aroma of fermented yeast, malted barley and cheese (I’ll explain) wafted into my nostrils. I opened the door and saw Chris (our photographer) with his camera, already on its tripod, near the table closest to the bar. The rustic atmosphere and the unobstructed view to the brewery was welcoming. He greeted me with a warm handshake and asked if I could smell the cheese. I confirmed his question and I ordered the legendary (to these parts) cheese dip and their signature brew, the Love Honey Bock, and asked if I could speak to the brewmaster.

A couple minutes later, Dylan Yelenich came to our table and I said, “There’s the man behind the myth!” He laughed and responded with “Yeah, I’m a brewer

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O u ac h i t a Hi gh C ount r y

“People love our beer,” Dylan said. “We’ve had a great response in the last year and the

Good beer becomes better when fun and interesting events are planned around it. Lost Forty does a Sunday brunch, they do Growler-fill Wednesdays (they fill your growler with the beer of your choice for a special price) and they also host Fresh Cut Mondays, where they introduce a fresh brew to the public. In sticking with the rhetoric of the previous brewers, Dylan said, “The water here is almost perfect, it has such a clean, neutral profile. It’s a great starting base.”

Lost Forty Brewing is open every day at 11 a.m. Call (501) 319-7275, visit Lost Forty Brewing on Facebook, or go to www.

Lost40brewing.com for more.

Fkyway Brewing (501) 350-8868 The second stop on part 2 of our hopand-barley tour was the furniture store-turned-brew-place called Flyway Brewing. We eased up to the door at 314 Maple Street and peered into the store. We saw a grey-haired, extremely affable gentleman through the windows who beckoned us inside. His name is Matt Foster, one of the owners. He was so welcoming, it felt like we were walking into our own home. It was rustic and sleek — a kind of futuristic naturality — it was like being stuck somewhere between a Henry David Thoreau and a Phillip K. Dick novel. The combination of stainless steel and hard lines, paired with the natural wooden furniture and earthy colors adorning the walls made us feel like we were putting roots down with a glimpse into our future selves.

and I had this runaway passion for brewing beer, and we just decided to go for it.” That was back at the turn of the millennium. The brewing was taking place in Matt’s garage. “I’m from Asheville, North Carolina. Craft beer capital U.S.A,” Matt beamed.

“Tim Berkley, Jess McMullen and myself brought the Asheville style to Little Rock.

We’re small, clean and efficient. It’s a model that Arkansas really hasn’t seen yet.” I asked him what he thought about Hot Springs. “When we started in my garage, he said, “we were making a few small batches at a time and taking them down to some close friends in Hot Springs, asking for their input. Superior Brewery actually picked up a little bit of our stuff years down the road. We literally got our start in the Spa City.”

“I was an English and creative writing teacher at Little Rock Central for 16 years,” Matt said. “My college buddies

While we were sampling Flyway’s offerings (they have 30 in all), including staples like the Migrate Pale Ale, Free

Range Brown Ale and Shadow Hands Stout, it became clear that Flyway was here to stay. Matt said, “We’ve worked very hard to produce beer that is an honest representative of whatever side it’s on. I dedicate a lot of this to the teachers out there. I had to learn everything about the business, and I attribute my versatility and creativity to my background in education. Being a bar tender is very much like being a teacher, you have to communicate the gamut of information-everything from directing people to the bathroom to consoling people on the death of their father.”

“But why did you set up shop in Arkansas?” I asked.

“The beer culture is so new here,” Matt replied. “For one thing, the water is phenomenal. (Big surprise) But also, there is a real spirit of camaraderie in Arkansas. The Arkansas Brewers Ou a c hit a H ighCo u nt ry.com

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BREWERIES

Guild is an amazing group. We discuss everything from legislation to techniques.

We exchange recipes, we share ideas, see who can do it better—we’re all big pals. Plus, the landscape here is just amazing. The hiking trails, the waterfalls, the wildlife, the lakes and rivers, even the wind is beautiful.”

After Matt gave us the grand tour of the facility and we were preparing for our next stop, Matt and Jess made it known that we had made some new friends. I joked that if they kept on going, they would be leaving Arkansas eventually.

“We have the space and ability to increase our reach, but we’re just gonna keep doing what we’re doing,” Matt said.

“This is the new model, man. The days of huge craft breweries are in decline. This is what the people want—local product.

We’re more concerned about the quality of our product and making great beer for the people than putting down a huge footprint. We love it here. Arkansas is the new south. We’ve had huge grassroots support from all over the state, we’ve done it from the ground up, and we want to give back to the people.”

Jess added, “Yeah, the people here are so great. I have to admit, I was nervous uprooting from North Carolina. It was a huge jump for us, but the people and the beauty of this state are really amazing.

The food scene is really becoming huge. Businesses like South on Main and Loblolly Creamery have played such a big role in helping our cause. It has been a wonderful surprise here in the natural state.”

Flyway Brewing is open 7 days a week, starting at noon Friday-Sunday, 5 p.m. on Monday and 4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday.

Give them a like on Facebook.

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Blue Canoe Brewing Co. (501) 246-5315 The last stop on our warm, intoxicating day in Little Rock brought us to a swanky, island-themed brownstone in the middle of downtown. After entering the nano brewery, I expected to see Jimmy Buffet step out from around the corner with a cheeseburger in his hand. Instead, two lovely ladies popped out from around the bend and introduced themselves as owners, Laura Berryhill and Ida Cowan.

grains act as an exfoliator and allspice is good for the skin.”

Laura, a down-home, country girl with a penchant for woodworking possessing roots in beer brewing, and Ida, an interventional anesthesiologist with a previously strong dislike for beer, didn’t seem like the prototypical beer brewers.

But, looks can be deceiving, right? They knew plenty about every aspect of their operation, from the saffron used in their Eighth Wonder Ale, to the spices that go into their meat for their upcoming restaurant Taco, Beer, Burrito. Not only do they have a brewery and a future restaurant, they also make soap. Soap? “Sure,” said Ida. “The

“This was a dream we were ‘ whatifing’ about in our backyard, and just decided to take a chance,” Ida said.

“The support from the community has been tremendous, and there are so many local business owners in Little Rock who have done the same thing as us, we are completely grateful.”

A few of those local businesses who carry Blue Canoe’s brews are South on Main, Cajun’s and Rad Uno.

Blue Canoe Brewing Co. signed with Glidewell Distributors recently, giving them the opportunity to introduce their product to the denizens of communities like Fayetteville, Fort Smith and Hot Springs. They produced 175 barrels in 2015, with a projection of 350 barrels for 2016.

“I love this city, and I love beer,” Laura said. “We source everything locally, from the grains to the honeysuckle we use in our Pinnacle Blossom and that’s

the only way we would have it. This is a lot of blood, sweat and tears. It’s so much to think about and manage, but if you do anything, you want to do it right. We have 30 original recipes, we want them to all be perfect.”

“We love Little Rock,” added Ida. “This area was not particularly viable that long ago, but now it’s flourishing.

We were down here taking notes for months and could see the potential.

We’re excited for the things to come.”

As we were concluding our day in The Rock, I asked the ladies what their plans for the future were. “Our five-year plan is a secret, but we’re going to do much more.” they laughed. Good enough for me.

Blue Canoe Brewing Company is located at 425 E. 3rd Street in downtown Little Rock. They are open Wednesday through Sunday, starting at 4 p.m. during the week and beginning at 1 p.m. on the weekends. Visit them on Facebook at Blue Canoe Brewing Co. or call 501-246-5315 for more.

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GARDENS

Backyard Inspiration Garvan Woodland Gardens Offers Ouachita Residents & Visitors a Welcome Reprieve – and You Can Even Take a Little Home With You

by Judea Robinett photography & tips by Judea Robinett

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The foothills of the Ouachita Mountains of central Arkansas can seem like an inhospitable place for the refined and subtle art of horticulture, but the green thumbs at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs prove that the wild and woodsy beauty of the Ouachita’s marries well with a variety of botanical gardening efforts. The end result is a sight to behold, full of wonderful inspiration and information that the home gardener can use to tackle their own lawns and properties.

Garvan Woodland Gardens was started as a labor of love by Verna Cook Garvan, who bequeathed the property to the Department of Landscape Architecture through the University of Arkansas Foundation. University of Arkansas’ Fay Jones School of Architecture now maintains guardianship of the Gardens and receives support through the Arkansas Legislature, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, other governmental and nonprofit entities and over 3000 members.

According to the Garden’s website, Mrs. Garvan wanted to share the wonders and joys of the Gardens with the people

and visitors of Arkansas. “It was Mrs. Garvan’s wish that the Gardens be used to educate and serve the people of Arkansas, providing them the joy and repose it had offered her. She noted the devastation of the environment that had taken place in her lifetime and wished to preserve a remnant of the twentieth century’s natural grandeur for generations to come.”

After the break of winter, visiting the 210acre garden nestled in the woods along Lake Hamilton, one will see and hear the early harbingers of spring: Bees buzz dutifully in search of tulip pollen and an early breeze slightly rustles the branches of Dogwoods, Oaks, Cypress and Pine. Children laugh as they release the butterflies they have been ardently fostering from larvae into maturity. The property is alive with color and activity.

Just behind the welcome center, a model train track is being updated and extended. A Thomas The Train engine chugs along the course, attracting little ones eagerly pulling their parents behind them like kites on strings.

There is plenty for the adults to do as well: There are several art and music

exhibits and concerts throughout the year, special guest speakers and horticulture experts, classes and DIY demonstrations. There are even classes on beer brewing and cooking with herbs from your home garden.

Garvan Gardens strives to provide quality education and experiences to help visitors and members incorporate the natural world into their daily lives.

And with almost 50 distinct sections of the gardens, there is no shortage in take-home inspiration for those who wish to find it.

Whether the home-gardener is wanting to incorporate traditional English Garden aesthetics or is seeking new sources of inspiration, Garvan Gardens has something for everyone.

Minnie Shelor, the head of horticulture at the Gardens, draws inspiration from a diverse list of ideas. For early spring, there are tulip beds planted in sharp bold lines of colors that reflect tattoo art. Some flower beds are planted to bloom in sweeping gradients of colors akin to a night sky full of wispy clouds and patterns of orange to mimic the texture of fish scales.

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GARDENS

There is a fairy garden built from the abundance of tree stumps and fallen twigs and branches. The adorned and adapted stumps are carefully laid out in the manner of a miniature town with tiny shrubs lining the dainty pebble pathways.

Even the tooth fairy has a hovel complete with a display of tiny white rocks chosen carefully to look like baby teeth.

One area in which the staff is focused on currently is the Perry Wildflower Overlook.

Nestled on the westernmost point of the gardens, where one can find daffodils in spring and wildflowers in summer popping up in happy little bunches around a falling stone water feature that runs downhill toward an idyllic scene overlooking the waters of Lake Hamilton. Shelor plans to plant native and naturalized perennials after the tulip season is over, including Rivina Grass, Maiden Grass, Bunny Grass, Echinacea, Liatris, & Delphiniums among others and to use Sumacs to create understory sheltered effect.

Pro-Tip: plant Daffodils of single varieties in clumps together then fertilize with a 3-month time-release fertilizer as soon as foliage is coming out of the ground. The trick for fertilizing perennials is to focus on setting the plants up for the next year. And, if you want huge blooms, wait until they start to brown before you cut them.

The Great Lawn Flowering Border is a marriage of English Gardening inspirations adapted for the Arkansas climate and is full of ideas for the home gardener wanting to draw inspiration from the classical styles, while being successful with the unique terrain and weather conditions of the region.

There are typically two types of English Gardens: The Formal type is noted for attention to symmetry, distinct layers of bold color and textures, defined pathways and hedges and sometimes a centralized water feature. The Cottage-style, in contrast, relies more on asymmetric drifts and bunches, with a softer more romantic approach to textures and colors.

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Shelor’s goal was to create a more formal garden effect while using the kinds of plants more akin to those typically found in cottage gardens to create a truly unique homage to English gardens. She cautions against being too strict with plant choices though, “If you stick with those traditional English plants, you aren’t going to have a lot of success in Arkansas.”

Pro-Tip: if you live in the South, avoid traditional English lavenders because they don’t do very well outside a mild/cool climate.

Horticulture of any kind is not without its challenges, even the carefully maintained beauty of Garvan Gardens is an ever-changing world of problem solving and creative thinking.

The Great Lawn Flowering Border started as a formal style English perennial garden before transitioning to annuals for years, but that transition eventually lead to an issue with disease.

So, before taking on her new approach to the English gardens, Shelor had to deal with the issues in the soil. “We found that year after year after year of planting the same species of annuals, we actually had a disease problem,” says Shelor. “This site lent itself to a passive process called solarization. We sun-heated the soil using clear plastic which is counterintuitive.”

To solarize the beds, first Shelor and her team mixed healthy compost into the soil then covered the beds with a clear plastic, which traps heat in.

“It kills the harmful pathogens... and weed seeds as well, but leaves those beneficial microorganisms...We’ve had so many fewer problems this year.”

Another issue with perennial gardening in this area, Shelor points out, is dealing with being in a mountain range and how the various elevations in the Ouachita High Country Region affect the temperatures of the ground and atmosphere. Shelor suggests the home gardener buy perennial and other permanent plants like shrubs from a local nursery or grower instead of from big box stores who sometimes stock plants grown and hardened for climates thousands of miles away. Though the big box stores usually have a significantly lower pricepoint, the extra effort put into caring for and possibly replacing plants year after year negates those savings in many cases. Local vendors usually breed and choose plants that are adapted to the area they sell in. The extremes of a central Arkansas climate can make a huge impact on the health and even bloom production of plants, so it would be wise to find suppliers familiar to your area.

As for the soil, much of which is rocky and can be intimidating to homeowners in the Ouachitas, Shelor says it just needs a little love. Removing the rocks and aerating the soil will do wonders. “The soil in most of the region is actually very nutrient rich and has a great loam/silt horizon,” says Shelor.

Pro-Tip: Don’t be worried about slightly acidic soil which is typical for the region, the ideal soil pH for most plants is 6.5.

Whatever horticulture goals one has, plenty of inspiration can be gained by a visit to Garvan Woodland Gardens.

Whether touring the botanical gardens or taking a class, there are a myriad of ways to be inspired by this natural wonderland.

Pro-Tip: if you can, use warm water to jump-start your solarization by hooking your hose up to the hot water nozzle for your washing machine. Make sure you irrigate your beds to at least a 12 inch depth before covering with one sheet of thick clear plastic and anchoring with dirt along the edges to keep the moisture and heat in the soil. Leave the site alone for 4 to 6 weeks or until the soil reaches about 140 degrees Fahrenheit, then uncover and resume gardening.

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GARDENS

Now that Garvan Woodland Gardens has provided inspiration, here are a few DIY projects for your home:

DIY: Log Fairy House & Garden Plan it: Look for inspiration online and in magazines, decide how elaborate you want to go and where you will place your fairies. You can use an old wheelbarrow, a birdbath, a flower pot, or just a blank space in your yard.

Go for a nature walk to gather your natural materials, starting with your tree stump, twigs, small round or flat stones and lots of tree bark pieces (look for tree bark on the ground or on fallen trees, never pull it directly off a live tree).

The materials you will need:

o

A large container like a metal bucket, a birdbath, or other receptacle big enough to leave 3-4 inches around your fairy house a tree stump of whatever size (smaller is easier) Measuring tape Permanent marker Scissors a few large pieces of cardboard several pieces of tree bark several small/medium twigs of varying straightness wood glue a few handfuls of pebbles or stones salt a large bag of dirt several flat pieces of tree bark Irish moss, boxwood seedlings, juniper, creeping sedum or any plant of your choosing.

Brightly colored craft paint in a few colors. small and medium paint brushes

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o

o o o o o o o o o o o o o

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Do It: Decide where you will place the front door of your fairy’s home on the stump you chose. Mark it with a small “x” with a permanent marker.

With the “x” facing directly in front of you, measure the diameter of the stump, add 2 inches to that number and write it down.

Cut two square pieces of sturdy cardboard using the number you wrote down as your length & width.

Using a hot glue gun, attach the pieces of bark to the first piece of cardboard. Start gluing and placing the bark at the bottom of the cardboard and going upward in horizontal rows. Glue each concentric row with the edges of the bark laying slightly over the one below it to create a thatched roof of bark. Repeat the process on the other piece of cardboard until you have two separate square pieces of cardboard covered in bark.

Draw a line on a piece of paper the length of your measurement from step 2. Bring the two side edges of the pieces of cardboard to meet at a pitch like an “A.” The corners of each piece should lay at the corresponding ends of the line you drew. Use your hot glue gun to glue the two pieces together where the edges meet at the top of the pitch. Adding one more line of glue at the pitch, attach a twig long enough to run the full length of the pitch line. Use clippers to cut off excess twig. Set roof aside and let dry.

On your stump, draw a door and if you want, windows, with your marker in

the area you chose. Paint the door and windows using bright happy colors.

Take a few small twigs and glue them, using wood glue to outline your painted door and any windows.

While your stump house and bark roof are drying, set up your fairy’s yard. Place the stand or bucket that will house your fairy garden space where you want it, then pour enough dirt into your receptacle (wheelbarrow, bird bath, bucket, etc.) to fill it.

Move and pat the dirt to create a hill toward one of the back corners of the receptacle, then with your finger draw a circle in the dirt where the stump will go. Flatten the area on the hill that lays inside the circle until it’s pretty firm and carefully cover the circle area with salt.

Once the salt is down, place the fairy house stump directly on top of it with the door facing down the hill of dirt toward you. Place the roof on top with the open face of the pitch facing forward. Stuff a bunch of dried Spanish moss into the “A” shaped opening under the roof, letting some of it hang down on the stump.

Take two fingers and trace a winding path down the “hill” through the dirt. Fill the trench made by your fingers with salt, being careful not to pour it anywhere else.

Now take the pebbles you gathered and place them in a path along the salt trail.

Place moss, mondo grass, juniper or even boxwood seedlings around the fairies dirt “yard” and the stone pathway. A stone toadstool or two is a cute addition and don’t forget to find a fairy to make it home.

DIY: Fix your pH naturally If you find yourself with alkaline-laden soil due to overworking or runoff, there are some natural home remedies you can use to sustainably lower or raise the pH in your soil without having to use chemicals or expensive fertilizers.

Most plants thrive in a soil that has a pH of 6.5 but if your soil has too much alkaline (higher than 6.5-7.0 pH) you can use pine bark and pine straw or even used coffee grounds to acidify the soil slowly. This is a great fix if you want to acidify an area that is already inhabited.

The slower process is both natural and less shocking to the plant life already growing, thereby minimizing chances for damage to your plants. This is also a good way to keep potted plants both warm and properly acidified in the winter. If you don’t have a composting bin set up, you can make a temporary one using just a few tools and a little time.

In the spring/summer, dig a shallow and wide hole in the ground in a sunny spot where there are few rocks. Gather dry pine straw and leaves from around your yard and fill the hole. Set dirt from the hole aside in a bag or bucket.

Wet the plant matter and cover with thick clear plastic. Anchor the plastic with stones or dirt. Let the mixture sit out until it has gotten about 14 days of sun.

After 14 days of sun exposure, remove the plastic and add in your used coffee grounds and the dirt you set aside from digging the hole. Till thoroughly.

Use this dirt/compost mix as topsoil/ fertilizer by sprinkling generously into alkaline beds or pots once every three months, measuring the pH regularly until the desired level of acidity is reached consistently.

Hopefully, you have been inspired to create your own garden this season. Find more DIY ideas at ouachitahighcountry.com! Send us pictures of your finished products and you might get your botanical creation published on our website. Happy gardening!

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GLANCE BACK

Fire and Ice

On Saturday March 30, 1917, a young impressionable 8-year-old boy left his home at the corner of Mote and Lowery Streets - just across the street from “tin can hill”- the city‘s first landfill sight - and in a hurried pace made his way to the corner of Lowery Street and the Hot Springs/Malvern road in time to see the much anticipated and highly advertised parade of carriages and barouche’s, dotted occasionally with one of Henry Ford’s Model T’s, headed east down the road for the first day of the city’s second spring horse race season. This would be the last such parade and it would prove to be the last day for Essex Park as well. [Editors Note: That boy grew up to be the authors’ paternal grandfather, Ernest Raymond Brooks.]

Hot Springs’ first race track was not located on Central Avenue where the Charles Cella family has owned and operated Oaklawn Jockey Club since its first season in 1904.

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Hot Springs’ First Horse Track Mysteriously Destroyed by Fire

by Mike Brooks photos courtesy of the Garland County Historical Society

Rather it was located on present day Malvern Avenue just across Gulpha Creek (where the current Martin Luther King Expressway crosses Highway 270), and was known as Essex Park. The first official horse race season and meet was held in 1902 at the Essex Valley facility.

In 1902 a gambling and investment conglomerate led by “Umbrella Bill” McGuigan, (so nicknamed because he constantly carried an umbrella) established the sporting facility, including the luxurious club house located at the west end of the front stretch. The track operated for two seasons, then, along with the competing Oaklawn Jockey Club track, was idle for the next 12 years.

McGuigan managed to put together some investors who built a large paddock and barn area big enough to stable close to 100

of the country’s biggest names in the sport.

In addition, a large, luxurious three story club house was built and designed to entertain the horse racing public and the local socialites, in the most elegant, lavish and upscale style available at the time. Many local social events, state wide conventions, and the like were held in the club during the off season.

Reportedly harness races, airplane shows and rides, and even motorcycle races were slated and attended by large crowds and avid fans.

A 1903 list of Arkansas State Legislators included McGuigan, a one term representative from the Garland County district. His main interest, it seemed, was to repeal the Racing Reform Bill of 1895, a legislated ban on horse racing, gambling, and pool halls. It just so happened that McGuigan owned a large tract of land at the convergence of Gulpha Creek and the

material in the corner of the building ablaze.

Mr. Belding states that if he could have had a half dozen buckets of water, he could have extinguished the fire at that time. As it was, he seized the sack that was burning most briskly and endeavored to extinguish it. Unable to do so, he carried it to a nearby window and threw it out but by that time, the flames had taken new hold and were beyond control.”

Ouachita River east of Hot Springs. Just big enough in fact, for a proposed one mile oval race track. He also owned a large house east of there in the Sulphur Springs community and adjacent to the Rock Island Railroad.

During that one term, he was able to get the Whitthome Bill passed repealing the ban on horse racing. McGuigan’s dream of establishing a horse track was materializing, and he had immediate success with Essex Park shortly thereafter.

A group of local businessmen headed by Dan Stuart and Charles Dugan, builders of the highly successful Southern Club – illegal gambling houses in downtown Hot Springs – saw the success the new track had in the short season and approached the Western Jockey Club, comprised of St. Louis natives Charles and Louis Cella and two others, with a business proposal. It just so happened that the pair owned a 140 acre tract south of town which would be ideal for the construction and development of a new racing facility in direct competition to Essex Park. A half million dollars later, Oaklawn race track was born, and Essex Park it seemed, was going to be fighting for its future.

By 1916 there were two established racing facilities and the season was split between them. The Oaklawn Jockey Club ran a three week season beginning March 1, with the competition then slated to move to Essex Park, a much more favorable date opening on March 30. Was it possible that Essex Park was being taken seriously? It seemed as if Essex Park was on the road to success.

According to the Hot Springs New Era, the city’s competition newspaper to the Sentinel Record, described the opening day as such: “Six thousand enthusiastic people greeted the re-inauguration of the racing at Essex

Park yesterday afternoon, a re-opening that was attended by the most auspicious circumstance from every conceivable view point.” The day was an ideal Arkansas spring day, sunny and warm, but not uncomfortable.

The new Essex Park shown in a real blaze of glory and nature’s coloring. The train service over the Rock Island was ideal. The splendid auto highway, safeguarded by a trio of motorcycle police, was the avenue of a constant stream of loaded automobiles and other vehicles.

The paper further reported, “The townspeople will spend an early spring outing at one of the most beautiful plants in the south. Already there have been any number of luncheons and dinner parties who have engaged tables in the club for the afternoon and evening and the social side of racing at Essex will be one of the particular features of the meeting there.

Yesterday several hundred club cards were distributed, these being passed out on the recommendation of members of the Business Men’s League. “With a card requirement, the club will be protected against the presence of any except those whom add to the social feature of the racing game.”

Essex Park was on the fast track to horse racing fame, but the next day dawned with tragedy in its plans. By the time the afternoon edition of the New Era came off the presses, the headlines told of the devastating fire that destroyed the grandstands earlier in the day.

The paper reported … “The fire originated in some rubbish which had been carelessly left in the corner of the second floor. Just how this rubbish caught fire is a mystery. Gus Belding, who was the first to discover the fire, saw smoke issuing from the grand stand windows. He rushed up stairs and stated he found two or three sacks of straw-like

The Cella family and the Oaklawn Jockey Club offered their facilities to the Essex Park investors so that they could continue their scheduled meet, and they graciously accepted. Ironically, the final season at Hot Springs first race track, was completed at the facilities of their competitor. In another twist, Essex Park was eventually purchased by the Oaklawn Jockey Club and much of the original dirt was, over the years, transferred to the present facility. So in a way, Essex Park still lives within the racing surface of Oaklawn’s track.

Today Essex Park is a privately owned nine hole public golf course. The entry to the course and the small club house is lined with the same stately oaks that Henry Ford’s Model T’s traversed 99 years ago to see the one day racing event. The railroad track, although abandoned for several years, still lies between the four lane State Highway 270 and the remnants of the club house, the paddock and the grandstands. Just east of the present day club house one can see the remaining stubble of brick work which was the outer walls of the original luxurious club house structure. The concrete steps leading to the track from the club house are still there. They originally led to the finish line and winner’s circle. They now lead to the green on the 5th hole. The fairway for the 5th is in fact the front stretch and finish line area.

If you decide to visit, take a moment to visually study the layout of the golf course in relation to the track, the landmarks easily outline the track itself, although it hasn’t been used as such for almost 100 years.

The course was purchased in 2003 by father and son Guy and George Collins, two avid golfers. Essex is a public golf course with memberships available. Greens fees are reasonable at $23 for 18 holes and a cart during the week and an additional $2 for the weekend. For $10, anybody can walk and play as many as 18 holes. Four man scrambles are also slated four days a week - Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. For more information contact them at 501-262-0050.

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IN YOUR WORDS

Humble Hope of Creeping Spring poem by Heather Clenney, Gourdneck, Ark.

Humble hope of creeping spring Horses’ muzzles sweeping Sensing the motion of field flowers The final frost in old lace tatters Thrills to lift her skirts into fog And deer move with the pregnant moon, Unthreatened, Expectant The old man rises at robin’s song And readies his canoe To make off with the productive hours Of the morning Self-appointed to sample The perfection of creation In its lustful newborn state Stealing toward lost signal In a cove where crappie flutter and shimmer Where the wing-sure eagle still exists to terrorize the river And water winds stir the stillness of the winter mind

Running his cares through The trembling hook Casting thoughts as fish food They return to him silver-quick All Fight and Will He needs only the rainbow Twirling at line’s end And to leave a wiser creature In his wake For hours A noble struggle, then stillness The warm sun-eye blesses The surface of the water And there is No-time No-place He is No-one Only a witness To those again choosing The impossible challenge of life

The Dance of Spring

by Paula Woodman, Hot Springs, Ark.

This morning falls away leaving gleaming fragments strewn upon the afternoon Spirits wander free disguised as shadows Even still the thunder rests within the Earth allowing all to walk with only the assault of an endless spectrum of color the harmony of sounds and blossoming scents that compose and conduct Spring Beside free pines to the west of the birthplace of the winter wind that drags its feet across baron fields Awaiting naked for Spring and the glorious Headress it will bring for the ceremony for the rebirth of the Earth We await the Dance of Spring

The leaves begin to fall, cheers roar through stadiums and a slight nip is in the evening air. Submit your most memorable Fall story or creative writing piece, we would love to feature it in our next issue.

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Send your writing submissions to: Render Creative Group attn: Ouachita High Country 801 Central Avenue, Suite 30 Hot Springs, AR 71901 or email info@rendercreativegroup.com

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801 Central Avenue, Suite 30 Hot Springs, AR 71901

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