****Talk to me about Harrison AR, considering it for retirement (Fayetteville: transplants, houses)

[folkguitarist555]

Hi there, anyone know much about Harrison, I like that it is close to Branson, and a smaller population, and also pretty. I think NWA might be too crowded with too much traffic for my liking. I believe it is in a lower tornado risk area as well then Fayetteville, Bella Vista and etc... Anyone been there? Anyone transplant to that area? Pros and cons? thanks

[JWG223]

I wouldn't live there because I can't retire yet. If I could, I would HEAVILY consider it. It's a very pretty area from what I was googling, and I am jealous that you can live there. I myself bought land closer to the area of Garfield.

I think you are correct about population trends. However, the downside is that I doubt Harrison is as cosmopolitan and "open" as Rogers/Fayetteville/Bella Vista. That's one thing I love about that area. Everyone seems welcome, so long as you respect others in kind.

As to tornado's, well, that's just raw data. Here it is:



Pro: Less people
Con: More small-town gossip
Pro: Less traffic
Con: Less amenities and full-service dealers for nice things in the area and smaller entertainment culture of all sorts.

Now, I want you to take a good look at the map I posted above. Notice a pattern? Me either. Tornado's are like bullets. They are small, isolated events, and going for a walk in the woods during deer-season trying to hide behind every tree, you might just hide on the wrong side of the tree, so why bother with that mess to begin with? That's kindof my point, here. The whole region is more prone than some other parts of the US, and that's just what it is.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by starrider434

Hi there, anyone know much about Harrison, I like that it is close to Branson, and a smaller population, and also pretty. I think NWA might be too crowded with too much traffic for my liking. I believe it is in a lower tornado risk area as well then Fayetteville, Bella Vista and etc... Anyone been there? Anyone transplant to that area? Pros and cons? thanks

You are going to get more feedback if you post on the AR board, but not the NWA, because most of the people in this area do not consider or know a lot about Harrison. Of course most of us have been there for something, but visiting and being able to give much feedback isn't the same. It is a friendly place and not overly crowded. You probable already know it isn't crowded, but then, that means there isn't a lot to do. It all depends on what you want and expect from your retirement years. I will add, most of the people who live there, probably have lived in that area most of their lives.

As for the tornado bit, as has been said before, 90% of the people living in NWA have never seen a tornado unless they moved here from Texas or OK. I am not quite sure where you are getting the idea we have a problem with them? This doesn't mean you would never have one, anymore than someone saying you wouldn't in Harrison. This part of the country can get hit, but it is rare. It is like saying, stay away fro the Washington DC area cause they could get hit with a hurricane. They could, they do get wind damage from them once in awhile, but it is very rare. Just look at the map JWG posted; 61 years, 43 tornados and I can just about assure you not more than a handful have really done much damage or caused many injuries or deaths. In fact in BV I am not sure there have been any that have been serious. I can't swear to that.

[Luvvarkansas]

I like Harrison....it's a neat, clean little town that is smack-dab in the middle of some of the prettiest scenery Arkansas has to offer. (I would personally be burning up the roads between Harrison and Jasper if I lived in Harrison.) It's big enough to have everything you need but not too big....I don't believe, JWG, that there would be a huge problem with small-town gossip, I think it's a little larger than that. Of course, people are always going to be talked about within their own social circle no matter the size of the city/town they live in.

[JWG223]

Originally Posted by Luvvarkansas

I like Harrison....it's a neat, clean little town that is smack-dab in the middle of some of the prettiest scenery Arkansas has to offer. (I would personally be burning up the roads between Harrison and Jasper if I lived in Harrison.) It's big enough to have everything you need but not too big....I don't believe, JWG, that there would be a huge problem with small-town gossip, I think it's a little larger than that. Of course, people are always going to be talked about within their own social circle no matter the size of the city/town they live in.

I live in a twin-city area of over 500K people. We have small town gossip. I am darn near a recluse, and I can still go to most popular places and find SOMEONE that I know, or have heard stuff about, etc.

[folkguitarist555]

Forgive me for saying so, but this gossip thing seems to be everywhere, in the USA, but especially strong in the south, from my own experience and time spent in Branson, I noticed it big time, like no where else I ever been.....though I have heard the same thing about small towns in South Dakota, Maine and etc......but folks tend to me more reserved up north then down south I think...anyway, Harrison is a bit remote...and I would need to head to Branson for activity If I were to choose that area. I agree that likely most folks, who live here, are from there.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by starrider434

Forgive me for saying so, but this gossip thing seems to be everywhere, in the USA, but especially strong in the south, from my own experience and time spent in Branson, I noticed it big time, like no where else I ever been.....though I have heard the same thing about small towns in South Dakota, Maine and etc......but folks tend to me more reserved up north then down south I think...anyway, Harrison is a bit remote...and I would need to head to Branson for activity If I were to choose that area. I agree that likely most folks, who live here, are from there.

I don't think the gossip thing is just an occurrence in the good old USA, I think any small town, anywhere in the world has the same problems. I can remember visiting my aunt in a small town in Colorado many years ago. The town have a couple thousand people: one morning an little old lady passed away, I think by10am everyone in town knew she had died, I know my aunt was on the phone all morning telling people about the death or taking phone calls when people called her. This was the story also when one of the girls in town got pregnant, not married and still in high school.

[Luvvarkansas]

Originally Posted by JWG223

I live in a twin-city area of over 500K people. We have small town gossip. I am darn near a recluse, and I can still go to most popular places and find SOMEONE that I know, or have heard stuff about, etc.

Well then, I guess the OP doesn't have to take small-town gossip into consideration for Harrison, as he/she could live in a town of 500,000 and still experience it.

Seriously, that kind of stuff just doesn't bother me or significantly affect my life. Of course, I never do anything to give anyone fuel for gossip...I'm just a boring old person. haha

[Pansori]

I lived in Harrison and Bergman, Arkansas for a while. If you are into a rural community, country living then I think Harrison is the perfect place. It is very clean, the people are nice, and it has a few big stores, as well as relatively close proximity to Springfield and Branson. The community is very church going, and the churches are in big competition with each other for your membership. It use to be a dry community, but I believe they recently did away with that.

The schools are nice, although they did recently have some bomb threats a couple of years ago. Bergman is right outside of Harrison, and is very nice as well, but a little harder to live there because of the smell (tons of chicken houses in the area).

The cons are going to be the same cons that you see with all small towns: some things are inconvenient to get to, not much variety in terms of culture, jobs are limited, major store is Wal-Mart, gossip. I do think that people are not as exclusive. FedEx and the hospital brings in enough transplants that outsiders are more welcome. Prior to Harrison we had lived in Marshall, Arkansas, and you were either one of them or you were not.

I am not much for rural living, so after my divorce I left Harrison and moved first to Springfield, and then to Columbus. That being said I can say that for a rural town Harrison is very nice, and in a good location.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by starrider434

Hi there, anyone know much about Harrison, I like that it is close to Branson, and a smaller population, and also pretty. I think NWA might be too crowded with too much traffic for my liking. I believe it is in a lower tornado risk area as well then Fayetteville, Bella Vista and etc... Anyone been there? Anyone transplant to that area? Pros and cons? thanks

As towns go, Harrison has a lot going for it. They have a great health-food store, a couple of decent thrift shops and since they fixed highway 65, close enough to Branson (and Eureka Springs), to make day trips possible and inviting.

The other posters have mentioned that it has a rural feel to it, which is true. There is certainly nothing urban about Harrison. Overall, it's a nice little town and I wouldn't mind living there, especially since they are no longer a dry county.

You are right that some of Arkansas has really gotten overpopulated lately. The last time I went to Rogers and Springdale I was shocked at how congested it was. If you really, REALLY want small town, then check out Omaha, which is between Harrison and Branson. It doesn't get any more small town than that.

20yrsinBranson