TONTITOWN GRAPE FESTIVAL EXPEDITION!

 Tontitown is located in northwest Arkansas, in Washington County.  It has a fascinating history, and you can learn highlights of this history at their museum, located in the home of some of the original Italian settlers, located at 251 East Henry DeTonti Boulevard.

I visited Tontitown during the Grape Festival, so the museum was open!  You can check to see the hours the museum is open, or set up an appointment to visit, by phoning 479-361-9800.

 

The first time I attended the grape festival, I was in college, and I bought some of the fresh grapes they were selling, and took them back to Fayetteville, in a basket that looked like the one below:  Then, the "kitchen disaster" started!  I did not have cooking facilities in the dormitory facility, so I was using the kitchen facilities in a friend's apartment.  Although I had never made jelly in my entire life, I decided I would make grape jelly from this huge amount of grapes I had just purchased.  I cooked the grapes, then added the Sur-gel, as directed on the package. Then I poured the boiling hot grape concoction, into an empty, recycled glass mayonnaise quart jar.  As soon as I finished pouring all the hot grape mixture into the thin, recycled glass jar, sitting inside a cold porceline sink, the jar started to crack and proceed to go down the drain.  I was SOOO disappointed because I had spent considerable time prepping the grapes, washing the grapes, cooking the grapes, straining out the seeds---then seeing it all go down the drain!!  Needless to say, I have not made jelly since then! 

Even before I went to college at Fayetteville, I visited Tontitown when I was attending a plant science institute at U of A, between my junior and senior year of high school.   I roomed with Miss Jeff Taylor.  Her father had also been a U of A attendee, and while a student there, he would make the drive to Tontitown to eat at a restaurant there called "Mary Maestri's".  When he came to visit his daughter, he took her and me to that cafe one evening, and we had a delicious spaghetti meal there. 

 Notice the sculptor who made the bust of Father Pietro Bandini, is a descendant of Mary Maestri:

Father Pietro Bandini was a Roman Catholic priest remembered for founding Tontitown, in 1898.  Books like the ones below will tell the reader that the town is named after Henry DeTonti, who was the Chief Lietenant of famous explorer LaSalle, who is credited with the first European settlement in Arkansas, in 1686.  The Arkansas Post National Monument, located in area where the Arkansas River runs into the Mississippi River paid tribute to Henry DeTonti, with the information placard, pictured in this photo:

  Father Bandini's first assignment was in Montana, where he was a missionary to the Native Americans.  But he had a life-long dream of founding a colony for Italian immigrants.  He had a theory that placing Italian immigrant in interior of U.S., on land similar to their homeland.  He thought they could prosper and become useful citizens in such a location. 

This lovingly-crafted photo quilt is a wall hanging in the museum that shows glimpses of many of the original families and town structures. 

The artifacts in this room of the museum are items from the Catholic churches that have been in Tontitown.  One of these churches burned, and another was destroyed by a tornado, but these items were saved.  

When I saw this accordian, I was reminded of the accordian my sister used to own, that was destroyed in the 1961 flood that covered my parent's business, where her accordian was stored.  

Seeing this hand crocheted baby outfit, reminded me of hand crocheted baby outfits I still have, that were made by my great grandmother. 

This ornate organ must have been a luxury for the little community.

This confessional window is in the museum, and reminded me that one can listen to oral interviews from Tontitown original settler descendants.  One of the Maestri interviewees remembers that her first confessional in the little Catholic church, where she asked forigiveness for stealing one of the jacks from her friends game. 

The timeline on the wall at the museum shows how the Italian immigrants came from Italy and settled in Sunnyside, Arkansas, in Chicot County.  That is Arkansas Delta country, and at the time, there was no mosquito control, or reliably sanitary water sources, so that disease was a constant problem.  For this reason, Father Bandini led the group to northwest Arkansas, where he bought 800 acres of farmland for $15/acre. 

After the move to Tontitown, the immigrants started planting vineyards, orchards, and vegetable gardens.  This enabled them to survive.   Bandini went on to become mayor of Tontitown, and had a brochure printed up about Tontitown (which was distributed throughout the USA via train service).  The brochure encouraged other Italian immigrants to move to Tontitown, hoping to cash in on the promise on the brochure, that said Tontitown was the "World's Ideal Vineyard."

This giant green jar was used to store grape juice.  In the history of Tontitown, grape growing was very important, in part because the Welch Company ( a co-op of grape growers) had a plant in Springdale.  This was a positive economic factor for many years, but when the price of grapes declined, the vineyards were no longer profitable .  About the same time, the poultry industry was starting to take off in the area, so many of the Tontitown converted land that had been used to vineyards, to "broiler houses" that would raise about 600 chickens.  (This is tiny compared to present day broiler houses)

The orchards and vineyards also supplied the raw products needed to make wine, and local wines could be purchased at produce stands in Tontitown back in the olden days. 

This automated bottle filler must have been a wonderful improvement over handfilling each bottle individually!

These vintage farm implements on display are a reminder that the first settlers had an agriculture-based economy,

The tradition of a Grape Stomp continues, and photos on the festival website (www.tontigrapefestival.com) show barefoot contestants CRUSHING grapes in a large tub.  That provides the visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) Scripture memory verses that says, "The God of peace will soon CRUSH Satan under your feet.  May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." Romans 6:20

The Tontitown Grape Festival always has a pageant to choose a lady to reign over the festivities.  In honor of the Concord grape, she is called "Queen Condordia".  The museum has a coronation dress, that belonged to one of these members of "royalty".

A long-standing tradition for the Tontitown Grape Festival is the carnival, and on the early morning day I visited, the rides were not open yet. 

The festival is also famous for their chicken and spaghetti dinners. One year, my friend Linda and I had the good fortune to get to try one of their famous dinners, and enjoyed eating it on the church lawn.

Another time I made a point to attend the festival was when my recording artist friend, Brian McComas, was performing on the stage.  Notice the stage in the photo below is not elevated as many outdoor venues, and as such, I remember my granddaughter was so young then, she could sit on her dad's shoulders to see Brian on stage.  That granddaughter is all grown up now, and in medical school in near-by Fayetteville!  The green and yellow WM sign is a reminder to thank sponsors Waste Management, for being a major sponsor of the Grape Festival. 

There are food and craft booths at the grape festival, so one will not go hungry at this event!

The St. Joseph Catholic Church that was standing when I was in college, began to deteriorate, so it had to be replaced.  As a tribute to the intimate  history of the church  is intwined into the history of the town itself, it was decided that the bell tower of the original church would be saved and restored.  The photo below shows what the tower looked like after the sanctuary was removed. 

The historic monument now is a tribute to the people, whose faith in God, enabled them to leave their home country and start life in a new and foreign land. 

Notice the emblem of the sacred cross that is included in the design of the railing on the steps.  Notice also the design on the Gothic-style window, that originally was a stained glass window in the church.  Notice the cluster of grapes that included in the design of the window decoration. 

In 2024, the Tontitown Grape Festival is scheduled for August 6-10, and is billed as their 126th festival.  You can get updates on performers, meal tickets, vendors, etc., on their Facebook page.  The festival dates back to August, 1898, when the original settlers were so happy for their bountiful grape harvest, that they held a special Mass of thanksgiving, followed by a frolic to celebrate the blessings God had given them. 

I have shared a few of my memories of Tontitown, starting in the 1960's, but you can hear interviews of locals that were born in Tontitown, from long before the sixties.  I really enjoyed listening to them, and would encourage you to not only listen to them, but actually attend the 2024 festival.  Visiting Tontitown, and the loved ones who live there, has always given me "MILES OF SMILES"!   Tricia

The photo below shows you are always welcome in TONTITOWN, ARKANSAS!  BENVENUTO!

BAXTER COUNTY EXPEDITION!

Baxter County Arkansas is in the north central part of the state, in the Ozark Mountains, and borders Missouri to the north.  Its western boundary is mostly marked by the meanderings of the White River.  The county seat of Baxter County is Mountain Home, Arkansas, and the photo below, is a mural in the downtown historic district, and shows my son (G), and his wife (S), when they came to visit for the time of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse.  

I did not want to pass up the opportunity to have a photo with my son, so here is another photo, showing the historic Baker Building, on which the mural is painted.  The Baker Building was originally built on the square in 1892, and is part of the listings on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, originally called the Mountain Home Commercial Historic District.  As of 2023, the name was rebranded as "The Baker District" (www.bakerdistrict.org) 

The tan, three story building in this photo is the Baxter County Courthouse, and sits in the center of the town square.  That third story is significant because around 1912, Cotter was booming, while Mountain Home was in a slow down, so there was talk of moving the county seat to Cotter.  However, there was an Arkansas law that stated a county seat could not be moved from a three-story building, so a third story was quickly added to the Mountain Home structure.  The current courthouse was completed in 1943.  The giant inflatable screen on the lawn of the courthouse was being put in place by a popular restaurant on the square (Rapps Barren), for the purpose of broadcasting a sports playoff game.  

Photo shows G and S on balcony of Rapps Barren Brewing (www.RappsBarrenBrewing.com), which is on the site of the historic Baker Building, of 1892 origins. Of course, it has undergone an extensive and expensive and lengthy restoration, which is detailed on their website.  Rapps Barren was the original name of Mountain Home, Arkansas, because it was started on land owned by Simeon "Rapp" Talburt, who built the first home in the area in the early 1830's. The original cabin is on display in Cooper Park in Mountain Home.  The name of the town was changed to Mountain Home in 1856.  

 

I was thankful for the beautiful weather during their visit, that enabled us to enjoy our meal al fresco.  

The square was cordoned off to auto traffic on the Saturday before the eclipse, so we enjoyed a game of cornhole, with photo showing G and S on one end of the game.  

  I had given G a cornhole game with a Razorback on it, so he has had the opportunity to practice and should be good at this!

 In fact, he did outscore me by alot! 

My tee shirt message is "Sight for Sore Eyes" sold by the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce (www.mountainhome.com) , in reference to the Great American Solar Eclipse.  However, "A sight for sore eyes" is probably what I looked like, when I found myself squealing wih deight and jumping up and down, as I (FINALLY) landed a bag in the hole!

One of the restaurants in the downtown entertainent district has convereted an empty alleyway into a charming outdoor cafe area.

This cobblestone building has been on a corner in the commercial district for decades, so I was saddened when I saw it being town down.  But to my absolute amazement, every single stone of it was saved, and put back in place, on top of newly refurbished walls, around newly refurbished windows!!  I was AMAZED and pleased with the restoration process.  It is now a vrbo rental, and the photo shows G and S, enjoying the outdoor patio setting.  

Another old building downtown was converted to the Scoop Ice Cream shop (www.thedelscorp.com).  The photo shows my loved ones, choosing their "scoop of love".

With our delicious ice cream cones in hand, we took a stroll down the street to get a selfie photo, with a beautiful blooming pink dogwood.

Another activity during the G and S visit, was a look at the "hot rods" parked at the local Hardee's restaurant for their "Shine and Show" event.  

After getting a mother/son photo with a car that reminded me of a car that belonged to my maternal grandparents.  My memories of this car include riding in it with my grandparents (Grover and Effie), while eating a treat my grandmother made---a biscuit sandwich containing egg and sausage---McDonalds copied their idea!  Since my grandparents car was sold to someone who wanted to convert it into a street rod---maybe this used to be their car!

Another stop I wanted to show my visitors was the local hospital, and in particular, a plaque place there, in honor of my husband.

My shadow makes this hard to read; likewise, it is hard to think about how much he is missed.  But the plaque (as well as photos I have of him) are an impetus to repeat Philippians 1:3 verse that says, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."  The verse helped me change my attitude of extended grieving that he was gone, to an attitude of gratitude, for the time we had together.  

I also wanted to show G and S the beautiful campus of Arkansas State University Mountain Home, and in particular, their wonderful, new walking trail, that is paved and meanders through lovely parkland, for enough mileage to get your 10,000 steps.  

G and S told me they wanted to continue the healthy habits they have been working on in California, while they were here in Arkansas, so they continued to run or walk on the roads near my home.  The photo below shows G as he returns from a four-mile run, and I asked him to raise his hands for the photo, even though he was hot and sweaty and tired.  The image is my visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses that says "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening---it's painful!  But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way."  Hebrews 12:11 

My loved ones and I enjoyed a "peaceful harvest" of sightseeing, as we walked around popular areas in the county, giving thanks that none of us required assistive mobile equipment, because we try to stay physically active!  Showing my loved ones around Baxter County, Arkansas, gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia






 

ALPINE HELEN EXPEDITION!

Helen, Georgia is located in the northeastern area of the state.  The German flag on their sign below, reflects the fact that the city made an economic decision, several decades ago,  to brand itself like a Bavarian alpine town in the Alps Mountain Range, based on its proximity to the Appalachian Mountain Range.

The town is situated along the Chattahoochee River.

A lovely Riverside Park provides a respite for visitors to the area.

The photo below, of me with a round hay bale, painted to resemble a jack-o-lantern, should be a clue that I was visiting in October.

In keeping with Bavarian traditions, Alpine Georgia hosts an Oktoberfest that not only occurs in October, but also on the weekends of the month before and the month after!

The photo below shows one of numerous Alpine-themed murals that are located throughout the town.

The murals provide a wonderful photo opportunity to remind people they are actually in the USA, and not Bavaria!

The couple below is wearing the traditional ethnic attire of Bavaria.  The leather shorts with suspenders that the man is wearing, are called lederhosen .  The female is wearing a Dirndl, that consists of a closefitting bodice with a low neckline, a blouse worn under the bodice, a wide high-waisted skirt, and an apron.

I could not resist having my photo made with these four young fellas, sporting their lederhosen, as well as the traditional Bavarian head covering, called a Tyrolean hat (because it originated from the Tyrol area of the Alps). 

Even if you do not have the traditional attire, there is a photo opportunity where you can put your head into the opening of the sign below, and be a "Bavarian for a Day"!

Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since the year 1810.  It originally took place in the 16-day period leading up to the first Sunday in October.  The Oktoberfest in Helen lasts much longer than the original!

I read on Wikipedia that in 2014, 7.7 million litres of beer were served at the actual German event.  I have not seen any statistics for amounts served at the Helen, Georgia event, although it appeared to be substantial!

 

A 1969 zoning ordinance that was adopted in Helen, Georgia, mandated that all architecture must be a replica of that which would be seen in a Bavarian alpine town.  The street scene below illustrates this concept.

Besides the unique shops and restaurants a visitor can peruse, there is also a town plaza, where one can enjoy the tunes played by street musicians, such as the one shown in this photo. 

I did all my exploring on foot, but one can also choose a horse-drawn carriage tour around the village.

 

 

If you want a different type of "horse power", there is a miniature train to hop on!

Tourism is a key economic activity in Helen, catering mostly to weekend visitors from the Atlanta area.  Special arrangements can be made for parking motorcoaches.

The village is also very popular for motorcyclists, who enjoy the amenities of Helen, as well as the beauty of the surrounding mountain roads. 

Since I was exploring on foot, I had no trouble accessing a lovely mountainside park, that sits on a hill overlooking the town.  The picturesque gazebo provides a great meeting place!

Looking through the wreath of autumn leaves gives one a bird's eye view of the downtown happenings

The park is also a good place to enjoy the autumn colors of the many hardwood trees surrounding the park.

One can also take their picnic meal to enjoy in the park, if they prefer the woods to a restaurant!

 

The park gives a good view of a very unique building, built with a windmill!

Outdoor dining can also be enjoyed at this riverside restaurant in the downtown area. 

 

The stores stay open later during weekend Oktoberfest, as illustrated by this twilight street scene.

This bridge near downtown is a popular crossing used by pedestrians, and the lights add a festive atmosphere.

Portions of the walkway beside the river are paved, and serve as access points to those who want to enjoy a restaurant beside the river, as opposed to a restaurant that sits above the river.

 

There is also a lodging property located adjacent to the river, which would be very convenient for festival attendees coming from out of town

Another interesting feature along the riverwalk, is the section of "love locks", placed there by couples who want to "lock" this visit into their memories!

Because the main highway that goes through downtown Helen ( Georgia Highway #75) can be somewhat congested during weekend festivals, readers might be interested to know there is a bypass route, labeled Georgia 75Alt, that would enable a driver to avoid traffic jams one might encounter on autumn weekends. 

One can visit the website of www.helenga.org for information on activities available throughout the year.

I felt very blessed to be able to take a walking tour of this quaint location, and want to credit the Grace of God, and the encouragement I have received through a healthy living program, called First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) for still having the ability to walk.  One aspect of the program (besides encouraging exercise and healthy eating) is to regularly work at memorizing Scripture.  Something that helps me memorize, is to have a visual picture in my mind, of some aspect of the verse.  I found such a visual aid in the hillside park, at Helen, Georgia, when I saw this paved PATH.  The memory verse has the  word "path" in it:--Hebrews 12:12-13 says,  "So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.  Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong."  (Week 5)

I hope YOU can mark out a straight path for your feet, that will lead you to visit the Alpine Village, of Helen, Georgia.  If you are like me, it will give you "MILES OF SMILES"!!  Tricia