October 7th, 2021

Greetings again, Friends and Family. ☺️

A period of two weeks laid in between our trip to Kentucky and our place in Arkansas, the latter being something we acquired just recently—an RV pad for Felix on Table Rock Lake in Oak Grove, Arkansas. Not something we saw coming, but something we’re happy about just the same.

You might’ve sensed by reading previous blogs that we really enjoyed being in Branson this summer. Very much so, and certainly more than we expected to. There’s so much to do there, what with the lake and the shows and attractions. Plus, we’ve already said okay to volunteering at the dam Visitors Center again next summer.

Long story short, we bought a pad in an RV community about 30 miles south of Branson, just across the Missouri/Arkansas state line. We have no idea how long we will be full-time RVers, but with SO MANY people buying campers and motorhomes within the past 18 months or so, it’s getting more and more challenging to find a place to be for more than just a couple of days. Now we have our own place.

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One of the things that sweetened the deal was that the space can be rented out when we’re not using it. Like next summer when we’re working in Branson. That’s why we’re not able to be there before the 16th…certain dates were already reserved under the previous owner.

So, beginning October 1st, we had to find someplace to be for sixteen nights. It’s frustrating enough these days trying to find campsites for a week or two, not to mention trying to reserve certain dates, especially now. Cooler temps and fall foliage make autumn a favorite time to go camping. We’re lucky to string a few days here and a few days there…So, for the 16 days we’re wandering, we’ll be in Rend Lake (IL), Greenville (MO), Memphis (TN) and Clifton (AR). With the exception of Memphis, all the campgrounds are Army Corps of Engineers. We gravitate towards them; we’ve yet to find one we don’t like.

The one we’re at now (Old Greenville, 125 miles south of St. Louis) is the most unusual one so far, with a cemetery smack in the middle of the campground. The campground was built on the site of the town that was eventually relocated two miles north after the construction on the dam was completed in 1941. It was both interesting and eerie to walk along Memory Lane, with signage denoting where this and that once stood. Because of its historical and archaeological significance, Old Greenville was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in March 1990. Along its dilapidated sidewalks that fronted cracked foundations, visitors get a peek into what Greenville must have been like in its heyday, which spanned 150 years. Information about certain buildings—such as the local school (that once housed as many as 350 students), hotel, post office, Methodist church and parsonage, jail, court house, gas stations, stores, and the home of the local doctor—made this unexpected walking tour very interesting and enjoyable.

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A driving force behind Greenville‘s prosperity and growth was Hiram Holladay. He owned a sawmill, several stores, a railroad, a huge lumber mill, vast acres of timber, and over time shrewdly built a vertically integrated business empire that employed 700 workers.

But Hiram Holladay was not a nice man to work for. He withheld the pay of new employees for 60 days, and when payday finally came, the workers were not paid entirely in cash, but mostly with coupons that could be used to buy goods and food from one of Holladay’s many businesses. Most workers could not save up enough cash to look for work elsewhere, so they were virtually stuck. The lyrics to a 1946 Merle Travis song sums up the harsh reality of life for unskilled workers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, “I owe my soul to the company store.” Hiram Holladay was so disliked that when he was murdered on May 13, 1899, the accused murderer (the husband of the woman Holladay was having an affair with) was simply fined $500 for the offense.

Finally, after years of flooding, the St. Francis River was dammed, creating Wappapello Lake and all the recreational opportunities that go along with it. I’m glad we came here, even if it was only for a couple of nights. You never know what you’re going to find!

We’ve had our share of snafus on this excursion— nothing critical, thank goodness. The most annoying thing is that the spring that holds the port slide cover taut broke, so the slide cover sags when the slide is out. We’ll get it fixed when we’re in Arkansas but, meanwhile, bringing that slide in will be a 2-person job. Not a big deal.

Out of sight, out of mind. Until the slide cover somehow works its way out from underneath while Felix is flying down the highway…no doubt billowed out like a sail on a windy day. The very ominous slapping sound coming from the roof signaled that we had to find a place to pull over ASAP. Thank goodness we didn’t have to go far before a truck stop came into view. Once Felix was safely parked, out came the ladder and the duct tape. It’s always something.

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Until next time…peace, much love and long hugs—Maria

PS I almost forgot…I received messages that a couple of places we’ve previously workamped are looking for volunteers for next year: Land Between the Lakes (Kentucky) and Sherando Lake (Virginia). All the details for these and many more opportunities can be found at www.volunteer.gov. 🍁🍃🍂