New Big Spring Park hours  
voted by City Council
     At the September 20 City Council meeting, the opening time for Big Spring Park was changed from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Closing time will remain 10:00 p.m. A new sign with the Park rules will also be posted.

Chuck Flowers goes to City Council
     Chuck Flowers has been selected by the members of the City Council to replace Philip Anglin as the representative from Ward 2 Position 2. Mr. Flowers is a 2-year resident of Cotter and a partner in White Hole Resort with his daughter and son-in-law.

Cotter Care Crew to say farewell
     At our October llth meeting at 7:00 PM, we will have a brief update on the progess of the Railroad Memorial. Also, we will say a fond farewell to three of our charter members: Bessie Daffron who has moved to Mtn. Home and Geneva Wray and Wanda Davidson who will be moving to Lead Hill. These members have given their time, money and support to Cotter Care Crews for several years and they will be sadly missed. For more info, call 430-5645 (Lynn).

Cotter festival declared great success; schools play major role
     The Cotter community hosted a wide variety of attractions and entertainment on September 21 & 22, 2001, as streets and buildings gave way to "Arts, Antiques and Architecture...A Cotter Open House" sponsored by the Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce.
     Sales were brisk in the downtown area as local merchants and exhibitors enjoyed the crowds of visitors. Attractions were varied and included boat rides on the river, a boat show at the Big Spring, an antique and classic car show by the ball field, an art show in the Spring House, exhibits of arts and crafts and antiques in the downtown and several musical events in the park and on the downtown stage.
     The participation of Cotter Schools was the highlight of Friday afternoon. Band director Tim Nelson brought the band to the downtown area for a concert on Second Street. He was joined by Kristi Nelson and members of the school choir, who performed several songs. The dance team sponsored by Lisa Coots also did a high-energy routine. The FCCLA and Beta Club set up fund raising booths in front of Cotter's old Fielding Grocery.
     Many visitors commented that the Saturday morning parade, which featured the Cotter and Norfork marching bands, was the highlight of the festival. Also among the units were three more from the Cotter High School: the dance team, the FCCLA, and a float from the Beta Club.
     Other participants included the Baxter County Sheriff, the Mayors of Cotter and Norfork and Volunteer Fire Departments from Cotter and Gassville. The Cotter VFW, Shrine clowns, the Baxter County Fair Queen (Cotter's own Jeannie Wiggens), floats by Cotter civic groups, and a dozen antique and vintage cars enroute to the car show at Big Spring Park also participated. Several folks estimated that it took twenty minutes for the entire procession to pass.

Historic district training scheduled for October 29, 2001
     Personnel from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program are scheduled to be in Cotter at the Spring House at 10 a.m. Monday, October 29, 2001, to provide training in the research required to complete Architectural Resource forms for each building located within Cotter's proposed historic district. Amy Bennett and Zack Cothran will provide comprehensive training, and the session should be completed by 3 p.m.
     Preliminary boundaries for the district are comprised of narrow strips of land in the downtown area. The proposed district begins at the old Methodist church (now Saint James Place) at 233 Combs Street and proceeds west along the north side of Combs to Second Street. The boundary then turns south along both sides of Second Street and goes two blocks to South Street. The area would include most of the dwellings between Second and Third Streets on the south. The potential district would also include some of the buildings on McLean Avenue between First and Second Streets.
     A map of the proposed district was printed in the August issue of the Trout Capital News. It can be seen on the Web at http://www.troutcapitalnews.com/11-august-2001.htm.
     Property owners within the proposed district or any other interested parties who would like to participate in this project are encouraged to attend. For more information call 435-6757 or 492-4483 (Sonny Sharp).

Sources to consult when researching historic properties
     This information is taken from lists published by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. This information will be discussed at the training session for historic district researchers on October 29, 2001.

1. Deed records (local courthouse)
2. Probate records (local courthouse)
3. Abstracts
4. Old newspaper articles (The Baxter County Library has the full run of both the Cotter Courier and the Cotter Record, as well as the Baxter Bulletin, available on microfilm for research.)
5. Historic photographs (local historians; county archives; local historic society)
6. Oral histories (local citizens)
7. County histories and historical journals
8. Tax records (local courthouse)
9. U.S. Census Records (Baxter County Library)

     Required information for each property will include but not be limited to:

1. Historic name
2. Construction date
3. Craftspersons known to have been involved with the construction
4. Alterations
5. Significant features
6. Outbuildings
7. Narrative history of the property
8. Bibliography containing the sources of information used in writing the narrative history of the property.