Arkansas

Lots of pictures with this, please let me know if I over did it.

My drive from Tulsa was uneventful. In Oklahoma some of the interstate highways are actually toll-roads, the income gives the State of Oklahoma the funds to ensure that the roads stay in good condition. My trip from Tulsa south was on one of the toll-ways, and thank-goodness, because I had been driving for about 20 minutes when I suddenly thought “oh, what did I do with my tea-pot.” There it sat on the counter, with at least one cup of tea left in it! Needless to say when I pulled up to pay my toll I secured it.
Wally and I had driven through Arkansas on our way home from picking up the Freightliner in Michigan so I knew that Arkansas was very scenic. The scenery changes remarkably from the southern half of Oklahoma, the landscape becomes hilly and there are almost as many trees here as I saw in Montana. I couldn’t take any pictures because the drive was hilly and the road twisted this way and that and required my concentration.
I am staying on the shores of Lake Hamilton on the outskirts of Hot Springs. Lake Ouachita which is reported to be the cleanest lake in the U.S. and was created by the Corp of Engineers is just up the road so I am planning to take a trip to see it while I am here.

HOT SPRINGS:
Bill Clinton was born and raised in Hot Springs, but its name suggests the biggest draw. Scientists have determined that the waters emerging from the numerous hot springs in Hot Springs, Arkansas are more than 4000 years old. American Indians called the springs “holy water.” They came here to bathe in the waters to heal their wounds or ailments. A spa town grew around the springs in the late 1800s and the town became known as America’s Spa. The government even operated its own bathhouse and public health facility for those unable to pay for baths recommended by their physicians. Travelling here wasn’t easy, it took a day and a half to travel the 55 miles from Little Rock to Hot Springs. By the 1920s the railway had arrived and the resort became a popular destination for many more vacationers and health remedy seekers. What I found amusing was what they thought could be cured by the therapeutic water!
Many years ago we visited Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia, Canada and I expected that this would be close to the same. You can definitely get a spa treatment in Radium, but the majority of folks go to swim in the huge natural hot spring swimming pools found there. Here it is quite different. There is literally hundreds of hot springs throughout the town, so bath houses were developed over the springs utilizing the water and steam so that folks could go and take a private bath or, as we know it today, a spa treatment. There are three bath houses still in operation and a fourth is being restored to its original condition and will be opened later this year. It all sounds very luxurious, and really for around $55 you can get the full treatments, which certainly is not exorbitant. Each person is assigned an attendant who stays with you throughout your “experience,” he/she draws your bath, actually bathes you with special soaps and one of those mitts that looks like a shredded wheat biscuit, then you get a whirlpool treatment, then a steam cabinet sauna session then lastly a massage using special emollients. I guess I am too conservative—it’s just not for me!
One of the experiences I did want to have was a duck ride! There are several amphibious vehicles that have been converted into open-air buses. The tour guide drives through the town pointing out anything of interest, and then proceeds to Lake Hamilton where the bus becomes a boat! We were out on the lake for about 30 minutes; it was a lot of fun.
CLINTON LIBRARY:
The William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library is located in Little Rock, Arkansas which is just 55 miles up the road from Hot Springs. As I have previously said, I intend to visit as many presidential libraries as I can so off I went. I had decided to go on Sunday because there is a huge event planned for Tuesday, September 25th, 2007, the 50th anniversary of the Little Rock Nine. I vaguely remember this event; the government had ordered racial integration of all schools, but it was passionately protested by white Arkansans. When the new school year started in 1957 nine black students had enrolled to attend the all white Central High School, thousands came out to protest and the Arkansas National Guard was called in to protect the students from the protesters but also to stop the students entering the school. President Eisenhower ordered an army unit from Kentucky to come to Little Rock to escort the nine young people into the school. They stayed in the school under protection of the military for the entire school year. They (and their families) were very brave and dedicated to their education all nine are college graduates.
With all this going on it was more than appropriate that an original copy of the Emancipation Proclamation was on exhibition at the Clinton Library. The document was on display in an exhibit called “The Long Struggle,” which of course is referencing the struggle of black Americans over the last two centuries and was excellent. The Proclamation is only released from the National Archives in Washington, DC for 48 hours, once per year, under guard and protected from direct light, there is no flash photography allowed and although I couldn’t actually read any of it, I can say that Abraham Lincoln had a beautiful handwriting. Unfortunately, because I couldn’t use flash my pictures are all too dark.
The permanent part of the Library was a disappointment. I had enjoyed both the Bush and Truman libraries so much, both were done respectfully, I felt that the Clinton Library was too glitzy—maybe I’m just too old fashioned. I have included some pictures.

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