Finding Direction: The Wind Vane Chronicles

The most recent post on the Memories Tour was on Dec. 15th, about the hospital in Gassville, AR, if you missed it.  I said in that post I was going to be posting more regularly about the “tour,” and haven’t done one since.  That’s Christmas for you.  (That’s my story, and I”m stickin’ to it.)

The nine of us (4 Andrews, 4 spouses & 1 cousin) loaded back in the 15 passenger van across from the old Gassville hospital and headed west for about 8 miles to Cotter – the main focus of the entire trip.

All the guys (Tom, his two brothers, Dick & Jim, and their cousin, Oliver) were astonished at how much the “old roads” had changed between all of the little towns we visited.  They were once two lane, rather derelict roads that weaved and curved now straightened out into four lanes with shoulders.  Thus, the guys could not and did not recognize any thing or any place at all from their growing up years.

Then, when we arrived close to where Cotter was “supposed” to be on the road, there was a sign to turn off the main road to go way down the old two lane/no shoulder road into the valley where the “village” of Cotter, population 921 souls,  still is – just off the “beaten path.”

We stopped on the way down to see the “Rainbow” car bridge (in the background) and the train bridge over the White River.  You will also notice by the road the famous “low Arkansas red bushes” that the women had been gushing over . . . all of us had been admiring along the roads for the past two days:

There was a historical plaque near where this photo was taken that is of great significance to the entire Andrews Arkansas Memories Tour of 2009 (hereafter referred to as AAMT of 09) because of some of the detailed information it gives, so I post it below.  But, out of curiosity – AND to see how closely you’ve been paying attention throughout this AAMT of 09 – when you read the plaque below, can you figure out what the most significant part of it is for the Andrews brothers and cousin?  Comment after the post and let’s see well you really know the Andrews clan!  The winner(s) might even get a prize!

We drove on down into the edge of town, where one of us took a photo of cousin Oliver by the town’s neat display sign:

Then we began rambling the roads to get the layout of all of the significant places we wanted to go . . . as well as the “boys” could remember.  Which was a ton better than I could have probably remembered, but I’m not sure.  I haven’t been back to where I lived from 2 years old until 10 years old – in St. Louis, Missouri – ever.  Just like the Andrews boys had not been back.  Maybe I should get Tom to take me on a childhood memories tour this year, you think?

Here’s a view of the town.  It was lovely:

What surprised me the very most was that it was so hilly!  Whenever Tom had talked about living in Cotter and where things were “down the street” or in relation to his house, etc, I always envisioned flat streets.  I suppose in thinking about it, I saw a “West Texas plains” or South Mississippi kind of town, with nary a hill anywhere.

I was amazed at how they had to walk up and down hills everywhere to “go to school,” “go downtown,” or even “go to church” down the street and around the corner.

We spent several hours in Cotter on a gorgeous fall afternoon and I can’t wait to show you more pictures and tell you the tales and shared memories that with each.  The very next post will be all about what I’m having you guess about for today.  S0 . . . whether you get the answer correct, or not, you’ll want to come back because you will be in for some big surprises, I guarantee.

Cheers & Many blessings to each of you today!  Dee