Eureka Springs Mamas?

[AndVeeGeeMakes3]

DH and I are just about ready to make the move to the Eureka Springs (maybe Berryville?) area within the next year. We've been there a gazillion times and have just always loved the place. I'm not naive about the fact that it's a tourist town and that it is sometimes difficult to make a living in a tourist town, but I'm a professor/writer and he's currently a V.P. of operations for a large landscape company, so I'm hoping that we might be able to make it. We're interested in some land on which we can do small organic farming, yada yada yada (insert fairy tale).

All that to say, does anyone here live in the area and would you recommend it to a couple of crunchy/arty people with a kiddo who has special needs?

Please say yes!

[antibelle]

Eureka!

I love Eureka... though I live in LR. Honeymooned there in March, and it was fun just getting to know friendly locals like the guys at the general store at the bottom of the hill from our cottage (by the Grand Hotel). Dh would go in there in the morning and chat em up about politics. They were gay as 3 dollar bills and Dh is so oblivious, which is part of why I love him - he takes everyone at face value and if you don't ask you don't know. But hey, I work in theatre, I have the right to make assumptions, right?

I digress, I meant to say, do you know about Cresent Dragonwagon's writer's colony there? Might be a good thing. I think she's just on the board now, living in Vermont. If you don't know her, she's a children's book writer and cookbook author. Her story is inspiring for wanting to move to Eureka, especially for a writer. Hope it works out.

I'm from Hot Springs, so I know intimately some of the economic issues of making it in a tourist town and a service economy. And H.S. has more variety, but, less funkiness. Or at least it has a worse kind of skeezy funkiness. Which I say with love and affection for my home town.

[AndVeeGeeMakes3]

LOL, yes we love Hot Springs as well. We've spent lots and lots of time there as the "last stop" on camping trips before heading back to Memphis.

We've done the "move to tourist town, almost starve to death, have nervous breakdown, hightail it back to home" before. But that was Jackson Hole, WY and we were kids, so maybe, just maybe, we won't be as dumb and unprepared this time.

We're looking at a year-long prep plan, although it's so tempting to just chuck it all and go. But, we're getting really excited! :

[ColoradoMama]

Originally Posted by antibelle

I love Eureka... though I live in LR. Honeymooned there in March,

Me, too - 12 years ago!

I love Eureka Springs. I have never lived there though. Honestly, it sounds like you guys would fit right in there. It's a very eclectic town, and it is gorgeous!

[Happywillow]

I live in Fayetteville, and I think you could make it work, though if Eureka Proper didn't work out, I KNOW you would find someplace you'd love within 30 miles of there. Eureka is a very small tight-knit community, and it can be hard to make a living there. Though if it didn't work, Fayetteville and the surrounding areas are very close, and with the University town atmosphere you have a larger pool of resources for your child and for work. Feel free to pm me if you have any other questions. I'd love to help. There is a great community of crunchy families here, so I know you'd fit in.
--Megan

[AndVeeGeeMakes3]

Originally Posted by Happywillow

I live in Fayetteville, and I think you could make it work, though if Eureka Proper didn't work out, I KNOW you would find someplace you'd love within 30 miles of there. Eureka is a very small tight-knit community, and it can be hard to make a living there. Though if it didn't work, Fayetteville and the surrounding areas are very close, and with the University town atmosphere you have a larger pool of resources for your child and for work. Feel free to pm me if you have any other questions. I'd love to help. There is a great community of crunchy families here, so I know you'd fit in.
--Megan

Thanks so much!! We're trying to take it slow and not get our hopes set on moving yesterday or anything. It's hard, because we are SO READY to get the heck out of dodge. Yeah, I've been looking pretty hard in Fayetteville - I'm haunting the UofA employment postings for adjunct teaching. I know there are a few colleges and whatnot around the area, but most of them require a statement of faith on the part of the faculty and, well, I've got it, but I'm not sure I'd fit somewhere like that.

So, how's the housing market in Fayetteville? And, this is silly, it's a dry county, right? We'd have factor in extra gas for that issue.

[Happywillow]

The housing market here isn't bad if you are a buyer, it really depends on what you are looking for and what you can afford. It is harder to find newer construction in Fayetteville that is affordable, and historic homes are pricey as well, but middle of the road ones are great. Here is a great website to find houses you might like. (This realtor is great, too. He is SUPER knowledgable about the area.) http://dalecarlton.com/cgi-bin/view_page.cgi

And Fayetteville is NOT a dry county. Yipee! We are in Washington County, and you can buy alcohol, but not on Sundays. And Eureka Springs is in a wet county as well, though there are several dry counties around us.