Blog

Cross Over the Bridge

by: Jeanne Arthur    
 The first question a visitor to downtown Memphis invariably asks--pointing westward across the Mississippi--- is "why aren't there any buildings over there?" This is a good point because it is rare for a major city our size to have no visible neighbors on "the other side of the river". Of course we know this is because the river floods every year to the West Memphis levee (three miles past the bridge), and only shacks on stilts can withstand these raging waters.

There is, however, far more in Crittenden County, Arkansas than what first meets the eye from the Chickasaw Bluffs. Lying in the famed Mississippi Flyway, this county and others in the State are well-known for superb duck hunting, not to mention deer hunting and dove shooting. The first Europeans to see this land were most likely Hernando de Soto and his men in 1541. They found a vast wilderness full of all sorts of creatures from ivory-billed woodpeckers to panthers to bears, living amongst some of the largest trees anyone had ever seen.

The land across the river was added as a territory when President Thomas Jefferson made the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, doubling the size of the United States. In 1836 Arkansas became the twenty-fifth state.

Crittenden County, named for Secretary of the Arkansas Territory, Robert Crittenden, was established in 1825. Today, there are many small towns that you have likely heard of: Turrell and Twist, Earle and Crawfordsville, Edmondson and Jericho to name only a few. West Memphis and Marion, the county seat, are larger and considered part of the Memphis Metropolitan Area. It is said that the traffic on I-40 and I-55 between Marion and West Memphis is some of the heaviest and most concentrated in the country.
West Memphis, the 12th largest city in Arkansas, was originally sited on land from a Spanish Land Grant. The first census of 1830 reported about 1,200 inhabitants. There was one log cabin owned by the Vance brothers and the railroad station, and both were built on stilts because of floodwaters. The town was mapped out in 1884 by the brothers, and Robert became the postmaster. By 1888 there were three stores on the river site: Winchester Brothers, Richard Brothers, and C.B. Gwin. Lumber was a major early industry as the huge logs could be milled and shipped out on the new railroads. Levees were built in the early 1900s, and the town was incorporated in 1923.

Marion is said to be named for Revolutionary War hero, General Francis Marion, and was founded in 1836, the year Arkansas became a State. The small, pretty county seat building and original downtown are charming.

Horseshoe Lake, our closest resort, lies just west and south of Memphis--- only 30 minutes from the bridge---and a number of Memphians have second homes here. The lake itself is about 9 miles long, about 2500 acres and was once part of the Mississippi River; when the meander was cut off, it became an oxbow lake inside the levee. There are boat repair places, a grocery and a restaurant or two, and a town called Horseshoe Lake. The lake is ringed with private homes, farms and of course, those iconic cypress trees. Some of the homes are renovated cabins, while others are first class year-round homes loaded with every amenity. The Horseshoe Lake Recreation Club is a well-known historic property. The road around the lake is about 14 miles long and is a great place to ride a bicycle, especially for the race on the Fourth of July. For some reason, the wind seems to be always in your face, so it is a good workout.

 As you can see, I recommend that everyone "go West" to explore Crittenden County. Cross over the bridge, and visit our neighbors in West Memphis, Marion, Horseshoe Lake and beyond.

If you are searching for that perfect spot on the "other side of the bridge", contact us and we'll help you find your dream home or cabin!