30 replies to this topic

[Rural King]

A very cool thread! I have always wondered what Stuttgart looked like, and low and behold here is a thread on it! Great pics Mith242! Thanks a lot for taking the time to share the pics of this great looking little city! Always a fan of pics and info on places we dont always hear or get to know a lot about.

[Mith242]

Rural King, on Jun 21 2007, 05:35 PM, said:

A very cool thread! I have always wondered what Stuttgart looked like, and low and behold here is a thread on it! Great pics Mith242! Thanks a lot for taking the time to share the pics of this great looking little city! Always a fan of pics and info on places we dont always hear or get to know a lot about.

Thanks.      Sorry for the late response.  I've been on a bit of a hiatus.

[tombarnes]

I had heard from a friend who has a farm near there that the old Riceland Hotel in Stuttgart was being restored.  Is this true?

[Mith242]

tombarnes, on Jul 6 2007, 06:43 PM, said:

I had heard from a friend who has a farm near there that the old Riceland Hotel in Stuttgart was being restored.  Is this true?

I haven't heard.  Next time I talk to some of my relatives from there I'll ask them about it.

[alias007]

Mith242, on Mar 28 2007, 03:04 PM, said:

Thanks for the update.  I don't think we have anyone on the forum from Stuttgart.  I have some relatives there and visit occasionally.

No problem, though I'm actually from South Carolina.  I spent the first half of 2007 there for my job so I was really starting to know the place.  I'll post some more later this year as I'll probably start traveling there again starting next month.

[dunveth]

I haven't checked out the UP Arkansas forum in a while, and since the last time I posted, I have moved from Russellville to Clarendon.
So now, Stuttgart is our nearest "city".  The Main St. is attractive, but the outskirts are anything but lovely.

The Riceland Hotel looks a little bit derelict, but it looks as if it has been adequately sealed for some kind of restoration. I can't tell that any work is being done currently, but I have friends over in Stuttgart, and I'll see if I can find out anything about it.

Keep posting pictures of different Arkansas cities! As much as I love Fayetteville (my personal home is next door in Madison County) there aren't many surprises there.

Anyone have pictures of, say, Smackover?

Edited by dunveth, 29 November 2007 - 04:29 PM.

[Mith242]

dunveth, on Nov 29 2007, 04:27 PM, said:

I haven't checked out the UP Arkansas forum in a while, and since the last time I posted, I have moved from Russellville to Clarendon.
So now, Stuttgart is our nearest "city".  The Main St. is attractive, but the outskirts are anything but lovely.

The Riceland Hotel looks a little bit derelict, but it looks as if it has been adequately sealed for some kind of restoration. I can't tell that any work is being done currently, but I have friends over in Stuttgart, and I'll see if I can find out anything about it.

Keep posting pictures of different Arkansas cities! As much as I love Fayetteville (my personal home is next door in Madison County) there aren't many surprises there.

Anyone have pictures of, say, Smackover?

Thanks for the info.  I never have found out anything about the Riceland Hotel.  Can't say I've been to Smackover, so I don't have any pics.

[titanhog]

I was born in Stuttgart but grew up in DeWitt (25 miles SE of Stuttgart and the county seat of Arkansas County).

The 3 largest towns in Arkansas County (Stuttgart - 9500 pop., DeWitt - 3500 pop., and Gillett - 900 pop.) all had many German immigrants.  My grandmother was full blooded German (her last name was Wegert) and many of my relatives are of German descent.

Arkansas County is by far the oldest county in Arkansas as Arkansas Post on the Arkansas River was founded in the late 1500's by Henri De Tonti (sp), a Spanish explorer.  This settlement stood under three different flags (Spanish, French and American) over the next 200 years.  The only battle of the Revolutionary War in Arkansas was fought at Arkansas Post...and a battle of the Civil War was fought there as well.  Arkansas Post is about 7 miles from Gillett and 20 miles from DeWitt.

Arkansas grows 48% of all rice in the United States, with Arkansas County growing more than any county in Arkansas.  Thus...Arkansas County truly IS the rice capital of America.  As for rice capital of the world...I'm sure that's debatable, as China and I believe Thailand grow more rice than the U.S.   The U.S. is 3rd...but I think we may be the #1 exporter of rice?

Reportedly, rice farming was brought here by German immigrants in the late 1800's.

As for duck hunting...both my grandfather and father were guide hunters.  My grandfather is even semi-famous in south Arkansas hunting circles for his live goose decoy named Uncle Tom that he would use while hunting.  Sadly, one of his hunting clients accidentally shot Uncle Tom.

Even though ducks aren't as numerous in these parts as in the past because of new refuges along the Mississippi now in Missouri and northward, we are still considered the duck hunting capitol because more Mallards (the cream of the crop) are harvested in Arkansas County than anywhere else because of the thousands of acres of flooded rice fields, flooded timberland on Bayou Meto, and the HUGE area of flooded timber and lakes on the White River National Refuge, which is a National Waterfowl Flyway.

[Mith242]

titanhog, on Jun 29 2008, 09:50 PM, said:

I was born in Stuttgart but grew up in DeWitt (25 miles SE of Stuttgart and the county seat of Arkansas County).

The 3 largest towns in Arkansas County (Stuttgart - 9500 pop., DeWitt - 3500 pop., and Gillett - 900 pop.) all had many German immigrants.  My grandmother was full blooded German (her last name was Wegert) and many of my relatives are of German descent.

Arkansas County is by far the oldest county in Arkansas as Arkansas Post on the Arkansas River was founded in the late 1500's by Henri De Tonti (sp), a Spanish explorer.  This settlement stood under three different flags (Spanish, French and American) over the next 200 years.  The only battle of the Revolutionary War in Arkansas was fought at Arkansas Post...and a battle of the Civil War was fought there as well.  Arkansas Post is about 7 miles from Gillett and 20 miles from DeWitt.

Arkansas grows 48% of all rice in the United States, with Arkansas County growing more than any county in Arkansas.  Thus...Arkansas County truly IS the rice capital of America.  As for rice capital of the world...I'm sure that's debatable, as China and I believe Thailand grow more rice than the U.S.   The U.S. is 3rd...but I think we may be the #1 exporter of rice?

Reportedly, rice farming was brought here by German immigrants in the late 1800's.

As for duck hunting...both my grandfather and father were guide hunters.  My grandfather is even semi-famous in south Arkansas hunting circles for his live goose decoy named Uncle Tom that he would use while hunting.  Sadly, one of his hunting clients accidentally shot Uncle Tom.

Even though ducks aren't as numerous in these parts as in the past because of new refuges along the Mississippi now in Missouri and northward, we are still considered the duck hunting capitol because more Mallards (the cream of the crop) are harvested in Arkansas County than anywhere else because of the thousands of acres of flooded rice fields, flooded timberland on Bayou Meto, and the HUGE area of flooded timber and lakes on the White River National Refuge, which is a National Waterfowl Flyway.

Yeah a lot of history in Arkansas County.  But I have a correction on your rice info.  The US is the third biggest rice exporter in the world, but not in rice production.  We're pretty far behind a number of Asian countries.  I'm not sure who brought rice to Arkansas.  I do know early on South Carolina was the top state in rice production.  Then as the US grew and settlement went westward, Louisiana took the top spot.  But once Arkansas took over they've held it since then.

[titanhog]

Mith242, on Jul 1 2008, 05:08 AM, said:

Yeah a lot of history in Arkansas County.  But I have a correction on your rice info.  The US is the third biggest rice exporter in the world, but not in rice production.  We're pretty far behind a number of Asian countries.  I'm not sure who brought rice to Arkansas.  I do know early on South Carolina was the top state in rice production.  Then as the US grew and settlement went westward, Louisiana took the top spot.  But once Arkansas took over they've held it since then.

Sorry...you're right.  We're 11th in production world wide (China #1) and #4 in exports (Thailand #1).  I was going by what my father told me...he was mistaken!

[onadozer]

tombarnes, on Jul 6 2007, 05:43 PM, said:

I had heard from a friend who has a farm near there that the old Riceland Hotel in Stuttgart was being restored.  Is this true?  

This is true!
The hotel was acquired by Mickey Upton (a former resident whose family were owners of the Upton Motor Inn & --restaurant from 1964-1972)
Because of the recent financial downturn and recession, plans have been put on hold until financing becomes available but at some
point, hopefully it will be returned to it's former glory.
Current plans are to restore the old coffee shoppe, restaurant, hotel lobby, a smaller number of quest rooms as a hotel facility,
the basement, and to incorporate luxury condos on the top floor and open the roof for a happy hour and party area complete with
a piano bar, covered canopy and live bands from time to time.
It is hoped this renovation will become a mini-convention and meeting area for the surrounding towns in Arkansas County.
Some of the retail space fronting main street will be a store featuring lodge art, furnishings for duck & fishing clubs.
Discussions with corporate clients for the luxury condos include Ducks Unlimited, Riceland Foods, ESPN Sports, and other well known
entities.  Anyone with an interest may contact Mickey Upton at     mallardelkbass@yahoo.com   or call 501-744-6010