Good things are happening in Cotter; it's a great time to be here!
Major Downtown Celebration in Cotter Arts, Antiques and Architecture....A Cotter Open House opens a two-day run in the streets of Cotter on Friday, Sept 1, 2000. The event, sponsored by the Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce, is designed to celebrate the rich history of this once railroad boom town, and promote its future for economic growth and development. Several downtown streets will be blocked off to create a pedestrian mall for the maximum enjoyment of our visitors. McLean Avenue will be closed from just east of the City Hall driveway to just east of the intersection of McLean and Second Street. Second Street will be closed at the intersection of Second and Combs, and also just north of the Post Office. The Post Office area will not be blocked. Principal parking areas will be identified by signs near the Spring House (Spring Street), the old lumber company (South Street), and near City Hall. Handicapped parking will be on Second Street, across from the Post Office. There will be a variety of attractions in and around Cotter's historic buildings, including an array of arts, crafts, antiques, collectibles and other surprises in several of Cotter's historic buildings. The White River Scenic Railroad will be running special trips from Cotter (Spring Street Crossing) to Flippin (Sodie's). The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Mobile Aquarium will be parked in front of city hall. Inside City Hall will be a seminar series with a variety of subjects of importance to Cotter and the area. There will be a gospel concert by The Spokesman Quartet outdoors Friday evening at the northwest corner of Second and Combs. Lawn chairs are recommended. A helicopter fly-in and display by the Air Evac Life Team is scheduled for Saturday at Second and Combs. The Civil War re-enactment group, Wiggins' Battery, will appear Saturday near the old post office on Second Street. The Cotter Care Crew will host their annual Pig-In-A-Poke barbeque Saturday at the Spring House. A schedule of major attractions and events is provided below. Planning for this event has enjoyed great support from the community. Everyone is invited to come to Cotter for a wonderful time. Summary of Civic and Municipal Meetings During August The Care Crew approved an initial set of bylaws and finalized plans for the Pig-In-A-Poke Barbeque on Sept. 2, 2000, at the Spring House. Work on the gazebo in the park has begun and may be finished in time for the Labor Day weekend festivities. The Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce discussed plans for conducting the street festival and open house in downtown Cotter on Sept. 1 & 2, 2000. Much work was to be done and food vendors and a variety of volunteers were still needed. The Cotter City Council approved redistribution of obsolete fire equipment, sale of a dump truck and trailer, and transfer of $2,000 from the general fund to the water line account. The council accepted the bid from Marion County Paving for resurfacing work on McLean and Second Streets. The council also approved efforts toward creating a Trail of Tears Roadside Park at the site of the current park between Cotter and Gassville. A committee will be formed chaired by council member Wanda Fielding to work with Baxter County resident Bill Woodiel. He has done considerable work at the state and national level to gain recognition of the "Benge Route," one of several used during the forced relocation of the Cherokee from their ancestral homes in northern Georgia to lands in Oklahoma. The Benge Route came across northern Arkansas and passed through the outskirts of Cotter, crossing the White River near Denton Ferry. Welcome Back, Wanda Davidson! Annual Cotter Alumni Meet Set for September 2 The 23rd Annual Homecoming Reunion will be held Saturday, Sept 2, 2000. Events include a tour of the old Rollins Hospital at Gassville at 10 a.m. The building has been renovated by the Baxter County Historical and Genealogical Society and is now a museum. Work was supervised by Cotter resident, Elvan Hudson, who will be on site to answer questions. The afternoon program will be conducted at the old Cotter Gym, now the North Arkansas Youth Center, and will begin at 1 p.m. A dinner will be at the White Sands Restaurant in the evening at 7:00 p.m. The class of '50 will be honored for their 50th anniversary. Turn back the clock and enjoy their yearbook pictures.
Top row: Jane McMillan, Anita Ortman, Joan Raymond, Dean Dilbeck, Eugene Griffith, Colleen Schultz, Joan Trimble. Second Row: Roger McDavitt, Louise Powell, Jean Williams, Bob Hopper, Darrell Anderson, Dorothy Cloven. Third Row: Keith Coplen, Hugh Sheeks, Bill Finley, Nancy Lou Griffin. Fourth Row: Cora Lee Kirkland, Ann Garner, Alfred Stone, Mrs. R. M. Ruthven, Mr. R. W. Evans, Anna Lee Beavers, Bill Hopper, Jim Miser.
|
This newsletter is published monthly
and presented as a public service by the City of Cotter. It will focus on
organized events and activities and is edited by Sonny Sharp [temporarily in
his absence by Anne Ramey]. Input on any potential articles is actively
solicited. Please e-mail material to