Even the remote part of Van Buren County that I moved into three weeks ago -- from Noble Oklahoma -- was inhabited by white people before Arkansas became a state. Much has changed since that long ago day and age. Now mules are raised for pleasure, not drawing wagons. Our best food nut tree back then was wiped out in the same epidemic that destroyed all our American chestnut trees.
Clinton is the county seat of Van Buren County. My next door neighbor has been there several times. He says that Clinton is five miles long. Clinton is definitely big enough to get lost in, although a sign says there are only 2,000 and some odd people living here. I've only seen one stop light in town and you sure need it with so many tourists whistling Dixie through here that every chicken in town has quit crossing the road.
I live a few miles up the mountain out of that thriving metropolis of Botkinburg, it's found North of Clinton on Highway 65, about half way to Scotland. Up here I have noticed that the earth quivers during severe thunderstorms.
It seems strange to me how quickly a new tree can dominate an already populated area. Three years ago there was only the one Red Buckeye tree on this side of the mountain. Now there are thousands. When dried these Buckeye nuts are worth a dollar each when sold to people who swear they are not superstitious, but want some extra luck in their pocket. Judging by the beautiful blossoms this year there will be many thousands more trees here next year.
Many of the back roads in this area of Arkansas are just slicked over bedrock, with a touch of dynamite set off here and there to smooth them down. Occasionally some fairly good fossils of plants are found in that bedrock when the dynamite goes off.
Don't depend on a map to warn you in advance that you may need a winch and a tow truck to get back to the highway; The only roads that get a bad reputation here are the ones where the kids can get out to walk and beat drivers home by a day or two.
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