Mammoth Spring and more
Our latest adventure took us to Mammoth Spring State Park. Not only is it a very scenic state park, it is also special to Lyle and me because it was a place we liked to go back in our dating days oh-so-many years ago, when my family lived in West Plains, Missouri. I’m pretty sure we hadn’t been back since we’ve been married.
Mammoth Spring State Park
I mean, 1984 wasn’t really all that long ago, was it?
I’m still awfully fond of that very same man.
We had met up with some friends for the day’s adventures. They had both been to Mammoth Spring multiple times so it was interesting to exchange stories.
We crossed the bridge across the dam and then went in the power house to poke around a few minutes.
One thing we hadn’t done back in the day was visit the train depot museum there in the park.
1886 Frisco Depot Museum
I think it probably wasn’t set up as a museum at that time, or it may be that it wasn’t open when we happened to be there.
It is such a nicely done little museum with lifelike mannequins, all of whom have names. The tour guide introduced each one. This is the Washington family waiting to ship their peaches. They are in the blacks-only waiting room on one end of the depot. (Remember, this was 1886, not all that long after the Civil War.)
The middle room of the depot was the ticket office and communications center. I was fascinated with the pieces of vintage technology. (I don’t remember what the telegraph operator’s name is.)
The third section of the depot building is the whites-only waiting room. The mannequins in that room are a vacationing family returning to St. Louis from the resort town of Mammoth Spring.
Our guide then took us outside to visit the baggage room at the other end of the platform.
We learned more about train personnel and how goods were shipped. The museum guide was very knowledgeable and kindly answered all our questions.
From Mammoth Spring we headed up into Missouri just a little way.
Myrtle Church of God Campground
One of our friends lives on a church campground near the tiny town of Myrtle. He gave us a tour of the beautiful campground and introduced us to his poultry and dogs.
I was especially tickled with his turkey hen who is raising a family of ducklings. Mrs. Turkey hatched the the duck eggs and is convinced the ducklings are her children. She is very confused as to why they want to get in the pond and stands on the bank and fusses at them.
Greer Spring Mill
We headed on down the road for a picnic lunch at Greer Spring Mill. We also got a little bit lost on a hike there thinking the trail would take us to the spring. It never did. We finally came out at the trail head down the road a piece.
West Plains
Then a quick drive through West Plains to snap a quick picture of the church where we were married all those years ago…
…and the driveway leading to the house where we used to live. (I wasn’t brave enough to go up to the house. What was I gonna say? “Um. My family useta live here 40 years ago.” Yeah, I’m not that brave.)
That concluded the day’s adventures, so we parted from our friends and headed back to our campground near Mountain Home, Arkansas.
Other Adventures We’ve Had in Arkansas
- Mulberry River Road Scenic Byway
- Mountain Crest Academy
- A Visit with Lum and Abner
- Ancestral Cemeteries on Memorial Day
- Territorial Fair in Little Rock and a Visit to the State House
- Camping on Beaver Lake
- Natural Dam and Other Back Roads Adventures
- War Eagle Mill and My Great-Great-Great Grandmother
