"An Exile in Nearly Heaven" Greers Ferry by hquittner

Actually we were in Fairfield Bay 7 miles up the road (State 16). But this "town", a grouping of commercial structures of various types, is a focal point for various retirement and summer homes, banks, police station, churches,etc. Fairfield Bay has a name on the map because it is a large real estate development and boasts a significant Time-Share facility as well. It was there that we resided for 1 month after fleeing the Hurricane Katrina from our New Orleans home. We are not strangers to the area.We married, worked and raised our 5 boys in Arkansas some 40 years ago. Before 1970 we decided to retire in the area around Greers Ferry Lake ( a Corps of Engineers water impoundment occupying over 40,000 acres, the 6th largest in the state). We purchase property off Rt 16 ,N. of the lake near the city of Clinton and also in the exclusive retirement community of Eden Isle at the edge of Heber Springs location of the dam that gave rise to the lake.

Lake in mist from Fairfield Bay Resort

Greers Ferry Lake is the result of damming the Little Red River 3 miles E. of Heber Springs. The backup occupies a length of over 30 miles W. almost to Clinton. It covers over half the widths of Cleburne and Van Buren counties. The Little Red runs into the Red River further south and it runs into the Mississippi only a few miles above the Arkansas River in the SE corner of the state.These 2 rivers are the last major tributaries feeding the M. from the west.

The localities of Fairfield Bay, Edgemont and Greers Ferry provide the necessities of life. There is no hospital. The city of Clinton is a real civic entity with schools, a hospital, Wal-Mart and thriving(?) commerce. Far off at the E. end of the lake is Heber Springs which is a going town with an Arts Center, a hospital , and a spectrum of enterprises. In between there is the lake, the scenery and abodes for permanent living and vacation. I am sure there is hunting in the fall and water activities all year. It is quiet and civilized noises are uncommon (except for construction of new homes).After 1 month of quiet we decided to return and risk our developing senility in the "enlightened squalor" of post-hurricane New Orleans and to sell our holdings in this beautiful and heavenly abode.

• Pros:No hurricanes
• Cons:No escape from ennui
• In a nutshell:A nice place to visit but not stay