INSIDER HISTORY OF CHEROKEE VILLAGE ARKANSAS (Continues)

Hi Forum,

I will be traveling this week and so will have little opportunity to post. I do hope that the thread has been helpful so far. I will return to it in about a week. In the meantime, I would truly welcome someone picking up the basic issues of community and recapturing the vision. Where do we need to go from here to encourage a strong sense that there is a common vision in the Village and we are building something together that honors our heritage and the initial enthusiasm? Any thoughts?

Hi Forum,

I hope here to give everyone a good sense of community as it once was in Cherokee Village. I hope to show the difference that "catching the vision makes."

This is a story about the start of the Hospital Auxiliary as told by Joan Gardner. I am amazed at the level of community support and concern shown by these woman. It doesn't matter whether it is the Hospital Auxiliary of the Ambulance Service or Village Pride, all of these reflect the same core values. This is the Cherokee Village to which I want to belong. How about you?

Here is the next installment from the Early History of Cherokee Village:

By: Joan Gardner

In 1979, months before the hospital opened in the Cherokee Village area, a few farsighted women formed an Auxiliary that was ready to function when the hospital opened. The sole purpose of the auxiliary was to render service and to raise money for the local hospital. The first big meeting was at the Sitting Bull Restaurant and 200 attended. Many signed up as members at that time. Some very innovative women went to Batesville (Virginia Latta, Mae Richeson, Ellie Huddleston and Donna Knutson) to get information they needed. The first president was Virginia Latta. Second president was Jane McBride. In 1982-1983 it was Ellie Huddleston and in 1984-1985 the president was Donna Knutson. Betty Eason was in charge of memorials and advisor on legal things. In the early reign of these above named women they had over 400 members (Dues were $3.00 per year) and called themselves the "biggest auxiliary for the smallest hospital in Arkansas."

Can you imagine 200 women at the first organizational meeting? There is a pattern here. Community commitment and some very impressive and dedicated women and men. What would it take today to get 200 people to form an association for volunteer work or rekindle this depth of vision today? We need to ask this question. We want to have this spirit return into our hearts. It is the essence of community as I believe John Cooper saw it!

Hi Forum,

One of the most interesting parts of the Early History of Cherokee Village to me is the personal reflections that are coming up -- especially the memories of Harold Hirsch who was really there from the start and has perhaps one of the longest views of anyone to offer. I particularly like the parts that have to do with the way lots were marketed and sold.

However, we still have a couple more entries on the history of health care in the area -- including the ambulance service, Hospital Auxiliary (quite interesting to me) and life line. I am a little surprised that we have not yet had a reaction from anyone on the hospital posts and the closing of our local hospital. This subject of the hospital and our desperate need in the area has been perhaps the hottest local topic to date. It truly lies at the center of the ability of folks to make Cherokee Village their home for a lifetime.

If you are interested in the healthcare aspects of the development of the Village, please let me know. There are many dedicated locals who are named in the coming pages. If, however, the Forum wants me to move to a new section of the Early History of Cherokee Village, please let me know. I await some guidance.

Hi Forum,

As we note the sheer number of visits -- 29,500 in 1994 alone -- to this once local hospital, it is a tribute to the need for a real full-service hospital again in our area. As you read the next entry, you may well be amazed at the scope of what we once had. It is with a note of real sadness that I share the next section of the Early History of Cherokee Village, as we desperately need to reclaim a hospital of this kind. Indeed, it is obvious from the last sentence of today's post that there was a clear expectation that this hospital would reopen by now.

I am certainly impressed by the many dedicated doctors, the scope of their practice, and the obvious quality of the support services. This hospital in a very real sense completed John Cooper's vision because it made stable the community and made staying in it for lifetime a genuine possibility. There could not be a greater need to the community than the re-start or recreation of a hospital of this quality and scope.

From the "Early History of Cherokee Village":

The hospital was sold in 1995 to a family that had interests in nursing homes in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. The two and half million transacion placed ownership under the new corporation, County Medical Services of AR, Inc.

Administrators: Ted Spurlock
Jerry Lee
Norman Steining
Cindy Hall

The hospital as of today is a fully licensed 40 bed acute hospital.

The Eastern Ozarks staff consists of 3 internists: Dr. George Jackson, Dr. Surinder Sra and Dr. Tom Taylor. The staff also includes Dr. Donald Purcell, Radiology; Dr. R. Duke Jennings, Pathology; Dr. Zbigniew Beyga, General Surgery; Dr. Denise Oldenberg, General Practice; Dr. Russell Zepeda, Emergency Medicine. These physicians are assisted by many specialists that come to EORHS on a regualr basis. The specialities include: Podiatry, Cardiology, Urology, Orthopedics, General Surgery, Vascualr and Thoracic Surgery and ENT/Allergy.

All services and physicians are supported by a full service laboratory and radiology including: CT scanning, MRI, rehabilitation services, including: Physical Therapy, Cardiac Rehabilitation and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

The Cardiac and Pulmonary rehabilitation services are guided by a licensed exercise physiologist. These programs tend to the post-surgery needs of heart and lung surgery patients.

Eastern Ozarks Regional Health Systems offers two Home Health and Hospice locations, with both locations offering comprehensive Home Health, Hospice, and Physical Therapy. The Pocahontas branch also offers Speech Therapy. EORHS also offers chemotherapy, which is provided to prevent cancer patients from traveling long distances to receive treatment.

The hospital wa closed December 1, 2004, but plans are to reopen it in the near future.

To be continued...

Hi Forum,

As I read this section of the Early History of Cherokee Village about the hospital, I marvel at the growth of the facility and its obvious need to the citizen's of the Village and surrounding area. Please note at the end the number of hospital visits in a single year -- 1994. Clearly, I hospital should again be viable under the right conditions. Here is the next entry:

The financial burden of a ten bed hospital was very great and the Board of directors contacted Baptist Memorial of Memphis for help and advice. On April 2, 1983, EOCH became Baptist Memorial Eastern Ozark Hospital and a three and one-half million dollar expansion was begun in 1983 to enlarge the facility and add services not previously considered. Added 9,000 square feet, a two suite surgical unit, a lab, central sterile area, and administration wing. The radiology department was expanded and the 10 unit original beds were converted into 6 progressive care beds with 5 cardiac beds.

A Certificate of Need for Home Health services was filed December 1983 and approved. The agency was a not for profit business. The new agency opened an office and it was located in the hospital at the end of the 100 hall. Kay Plumblee was the RN director. She worked with one LPN, Bee Brown.

In January 1985 Debra (Doherty) Windham, then an LPN joined the staff with a patient load of 10 to 12 patients. A secretary and billing clerk, Donna Reeves, was also hired.

In 1986 Home Health had grown and needed to expand. The office was moved into the doctors building behind the hospital. The agency continued to grow and at this time had three directors come and go.

In 1988 the agency was moved in a small building across from the south entrance to Cherokee Village. Jane Johnson transferred from the hospital and assumed Donna Reeves position in billing. Cindy Hall, RN was now Director of the agency.

1991 it was owned by Baptist Corporation and became JCAH accredited with 31 employees.

In September 1992 the agency had grown tremendously and required much more space. A new building was rented from AZ Industries. We are now contracting Physical Therapy services. We have also added Medicaid personal care services. Our nurses have a new beeper system to better serve our patients.

In 1994 there were 29,500 visits made to the hospital.

Hi Forum,

The section on the hospital that once resided in and served Cherokee Village and surrounding communities will be broken into three sections. The first section will give basic dates of the early development and the dedicated people involved. This hospital was the logical progression of a community that had developed well.

The closing of the hospital was a sad and unfortunate turn of events from which the area is still suffering. There is a related link on the Forum dealing with the efforts now underway to meet the needs of this area with a real hospital. One can only grieve that this original hospital needed to close before a replacement was in hand. The question of what health care and economic issues have caused this outcome is a worthy discussion in its own right. There is a dedicated group of folks working on the problem and they need our support.

Here is the first installment. Please feel free to share your own memories.

From "Early History of Cherokee Village":

HOSPITAL

By: Gathered from news articles and printed
material from the 30th Anniversary.

In August, 1973, a meeting was held at the Thunderbird Recreation Center to organize a hospital board for the purpose of filling medical needs for our area.

Mrs. Henry Myer was the chairperson of this meeting and representatives of Ash Flat, Ozark Acres, Cherokee Village, Highland and Hardy were asked to serve on a committee to establish a Hospital Board. The committee met and formed a non-profit corporation for the Ozark Community Hospital. There was an eleven man board which consisted of Kenneth King -- Warren Clem -- Boyd Carpenter -- Kenneth Blackwood -- M.A. Graddy -- Don Martin -- Bill Curzon -- John Latta -- John Rowland and someone from Ozark Acres.

This Board worked for six years to bring the hospital to be constructed and ready for occupancy by May 15, 1980.

The hospital was located on 15 acres of land north of 62 & 412 between Highland and Ash Flat. The building was to be a one story building of brick and steel trusses that was 30,000 square feet and would accommodate 70 beds. The financing was by 90% guaranteed loan from Framers Home Administration. The construction loan was to be interim financing which was made by First National Bank of Ash Falt, Batesville and Hardy and the Batesville Savings and Loan. After the hospital had been completed, the permanent financing was furnished by Arkansas Financial Services Company of Little Rock.

Ground breaking ceremonies were held in March, 1978 and actual surveying and excavation began in July 1978. The long awaited grand opening did not come until June 21, 1980 with more than 2,000 people attending. The hospital consisted of 10 bed care units and 40 bed nursing home units.


To be continued...

Hi Forum,

The next section of our "Insider's History" will be of interest to many in light of all the recent concern about medical care in the area. In this section taken from the "Early History of Cherokee Village" we find a rather detailed account of the growth of medical care in the area. We notice how much of that care was in the Village itself! This is a true testament to the growing vitality of the community at this time. This section is entitled:

"MEDICAL/DENTAL
AFFILIATES HISTORY

CHEROKEE VILLAGE DENTAL HISTORY

By: Dr. William R. Curzon

In the spring of 1966 Dr. Robert Nosari, who had established a practice in Salem, Arkansas in 1963, opened a Dental Clinic in Cherokee Village. The Clinic was located in the old rock house, now where town houses on Spring River Drive are located, which was the residence of the John A. Cooper family before they moved into their new residence (now Fountain Place). Before Cherokee Village started, and in its early years, the Rock House was the farm house of the Dr. Smith family from Memphis, Tennessee.

In July 1966, Dr. Bill Curzon joined Dr. Nosari as an associate and they operated dental clinics in both Salem and Cherokee Village. In 1968 Dr. Nosari left the practice and Dr. Curzon combined both practices in Cherokee Village.

In 1972 Dr. Allan Metcalf joined Dr. Curzon as an associate. He was a native of Hardy, Arkansas. A year later Dr. Metcalf returned to the University of Tennessee to teach.

In 1979 Dr. Curzon moved his clinic to the South Entrance of Cherokee Village on Highway 62/412. Business was good and we had 3 dental assistants.

In 1997 Dr. Curzon expanded his office and Dr. Terry Watson joined him as an associate. Dr. Watson's wife, Dana, is a native of Ash Flat and graduated from Highland High School.

In 1999 Dr. Watson purchased the practice from Dr. Curzon. However, Dr. Curzon continues to practice as an associate and maintain ownership of the building.

In 2002 Dr. Matt Williams, a former resident of the Village, moved back to the area. He was a Highland High School graduate and his father, Rev. Sam Williams, was a past minister of the Cherokee Village United Methodist Church.

January, 2004 Dr. Watson built a new building and moved the practice to the new location on Highway 62-412 a little closer to Ash Flat. Dr. Curzon sold the original dental property to the First National Banking Company on which they plan to build a new branch near the South Entrance to the Village.

Dr. Curzon retired January 2004, from dental practice, after working 38 years.

38 years of dedicated service to Cherokee Village and the area. Thank you, Dr. Curzon!

Our next section will be on the Cherokee Village Hospital (that's right, we once had a hospital...).

Paul, This is a great thread. Fascinating stuff and details I've never known before. Greatr job, and from the page views, many people are reading this thread also.

Thanks for the kind words, Chuck. I agree that the work of Mildred Cooper is inspirational. She was a complex woman of principle with a heart for children and this Village. One also has to be a special sort of woman to gain the respect that she did in her times. John Cooper was clearly a powerful personalty, and Mildred had his complete respect and devotion.

This next section is a continuation of the memories of Dee Tyree. The account she offers of the sales methods and novel approach is quite impressive and creative. It gives a real insight into why Mr. Cooper was such a force. She writes:

"...About this time John and Mildred Cooper moves to the brick house about where Spring River Lane is now on the river. The original house became the sales office of Cooper Co. They had ten salesmen on duty at all times with a rotation schedule. The salesmen stayed in a house near the office with a porch on two sides of the building. They slept on cots there and waited for Glenna to call them to show land to a prospective buyer. No matter if the client looked rich or poor when your rotation came up you took that client.

With all the promotions going on at the fairs and sports events sometimes they had as many as 300 people to house overnight. Every salesman had to have a car because they had to take some people to Mammoth or Walnut Ridge to house them for the night. The sales force grew from 15 to 130 salesmen during the peak season in the 1970's. Glenna kept track of all the property that was being sold by payments also. There were many times that she worked 7 days a week. Mr. Cooper expected no errors and nothing typed that was illegal or that couldn't be livd up to. Glenna retired in 1978 from her job as Mr. Cooper's "right hand lady."

We realize that John A. Cooper was a man with a vision. He had a great personality. Today we have this heritage to build on and we need to work together to preserve this history for visitors and those interested people that care about Cherokee Village.

Maude White passed away in October 2004 at the age of 87. Glenna Garner passed away in February, 2005 at the age of 94. Both are greatly missed."

Hi Paul, Thanks Again for these history lessons. They are fascinating. I really like this last part about Mildred Cooper. I have heard so much about John Cooper, and the great vision he had for the village over the years. it is refreshing to see that it was really a vision by a remarkable couple. That without her, many of the things we enjoy here, would not have fallen into place as smoothly.
I can see that same vision today. There are many people here now that make the effort to keep that sense of community alive. Village Pride is a great example, as is the new "Committee for a better Cherokee Village". It is great to see the younger people in the village are realising this, and picking up the torch so to speak. The vision and Village Pride that the Coopers nurtured for years remains.

Hi Forum,

First a thanks to "thanks" our guest poster. Please know that your positive feedback is appreciated. In answer to your question, the book from which most of these posts comes is "The Early History of Cherokee Village." It is a book that was spiral bound and published in a limited quantity of 500. I have copy "429." I am not aware of further unsold copies at this time. The book is published by the Cherokee Village Historical Society through "Area Media News Printing" in 1995. It was sold locally in the Town Center.

It is wonderful that this important work was done of gathering up local memories. Many who contributed to this book are elderly and we are grateful for their joyful and significant work on our behalf.

The next section is written by Dee Tyree. If anyone here has their own memories, please feel free to share about this earlier time. Dee Tyree's entry will be given in two parts. What is most fascinating to me is the business model that is developing. Enjoy:

BIRTH OF A COMMUNITY

By: Dee Tyree

We have several individuals still living in the Village that remember when it first started. One of those is Harold Hirsch. Harold taught school here in the County and owned a feed store in Hardy. John Cooper spent many hours with Harold who was very instrumental in finding the land that was for sale and helping Mr. Cooper acquire it. Another individual, Maude White, sold real estate and has helped make this Village what it is today. Glenna Garner must also be mentioned in this beginning stage also as she was a school teacher in the Willford and Salem Schools.

In the Early 1950's people from Memphis were coming to Hardy by train and John Cooper, attorney, was one of them. John and Mildred Cooper bought a summer cottage called Otter Creek Ranch. His circle of friends in Memphis wanted to buy property around him and he had conceived the idea of starting a community, one with churches, grocery store, water and all the essentials to meet peoples needs. The Coopers started buying land and selling to his friends. When they couldn't keep up their payments, Mr. Cooper would buy it back and then resell it.

By 1954 they began laying out streets and buying more land and heavy equipment for development. He had conceived the idea of three nights free lodging and invitations were mailed out. When people came to the Village they were greeted by Maude White at the main office. The Village was growing and some houses were being built. By this time Mr. Cooper needed extra staff to assist him so enters Glenna Garner introduced to Mr. Cooper by Maude White, sales person. During her interview with Mr. Cooper he asked her if she could handle 15 salesmen. She responded "if I can handle Jr. High School boys I can sure handle 15 salesmen". She worked part time until 1960 when she retired from teaching and began working full time.

To be continued...

this is neat to read. where can i find that book? i'd like to send a copy to my dad. he'd love this book. thank you!

Hi Forum,

I will now be returning to the "Early History of Cherokee Village." The next section will be on the lakes. Prior to that section is another that names some important names we haven't heard yet. I will return to it soon as it is quite interesting, but it seemed to me that the section on the lakes would make sense to cover first as it speaks to physical development of the Village in the early years. Enjoy:

LAKES IN CHEROKEE VILLAGE

By: Jean PARKER

Cherokee Village has seven various sized man-made beautiful lakes. The first one being "Lake Cherokee" which was started in 1954. They called it a levy at first but then it got to be more than just a levy. Lake Cherokee is mentioned in a lot of the various articles and stories in our book "Early History of Cherokee Village.". It also had a lot of uses other than fishing and boating as you will read in the article about Sitting Bull Restaurant's air conditioning system using the lake water. This lake consists of 37 acres.

The second lake built was "Lake Sequoyah", which has its dam at the south end of Lake Cherokee. It was built high above Lake Cherokee so that the water overflow would flow into Lake Cherokee. Sequoyah's Dam is a main street where you can drive over it and look at both lakes at the same time. Both lakes have springs that help keep them supplied with water. Lake Sequoyah also has a small, but constant, stream creek that runs into it on the south end. This is over flow from a lake in Hidden Valley. Even at times when they lower the lakes, as they do from time to time, they usually fill back up with the first big rain. There is no water-skiing allowed on either of these lakes. They are both good fishing lakes. This lake consists of 75 acres.

Lake Sequoyah also has a man-made special channel that connects with the third "Lake Thunderbird", which is the largest lake out of seven. Water skiing is allowed on Thunderbird, which was started in 1957 and finished about 1958, however no jet skis are allowed. The July 4th fireworks are fired off the Lake Thunderbird Dam after a boat show of 15-20 decorated boats Touring around the lake before time for the fireworks at 9 pm.

Because of the channel between Sequoyah and Thunderbird, the various boaters can go from one lake to another. This is also possible for the Thunderbird Queen, which takes tours during the summer. They also go around Lake Thunderbird, through the channel to tour Lake Sequoyah then back to Thunderbird where the Marina and boarding dock is. This is a lovely ride for tourists and special occasions. The Thunderbird Queen holds approximately 30 people, with seats, covered top and windows that can open or close on cool days. It is very interesting for a trip around the lakes to see all the lovely homes. This is the largest lake and consists of 264 acres.

The fourth lake is "Lake Navajo" located a little further away from the first three. It is still in the heart of the Village residences. It is very small, but has a lot of lovely homes. I am not sure exactly when it was built. This lake consists of 34 acres.

The fifth lake is "Lake Chanute", which has the Dam that Cherokee Road travels over on the way to Omaha Center. It is approximately 8 miles west of Cherokee Village Town Center. It is not very large and does not allow water skiing but is very good fishing. This lake consists of 55 acres.

The sixth lake is "Lake Aztec", which is also on Cherokee Road. You drive over the Dam on the way to Omaha. This lake consists of 21 acres and is a good fishing lake.

Last, but not least, is "Lake Omaha" which is one of the larger lakes. Its Dam was finished in 1970, but it took a long time for it to fill up. In the 1970's it was a hot spot for buying lake lots. They also built "Omaha Center" in 1972, close by as a means to help sell lots for future building. Now that the lake is full, water skiing is allowed on the lake. During the last few years many lovely homes have been built around the lake, especialy since there are so few lots left on Lake Thunderbird suitable for building. This lake consists of 142 acres.

Hi Forum,

Here is the second part of the entry on Village governance and the transition to City government from the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. We will return to the Early History and the personal reflections in the next postings. Again, the basic form of running the Village and its development will help folks understand some of the posts to come.

________________________________________________________

Although largely satisfied with the operation of the improvement district [SID], by the end of the 1970s, Cherokee Village citizens contemplated broadening local government operations. In 1979, the Property Owners Association formed a committee to study the possibility of establishing a town government to augment the suburban improvement district. The following year, a poll was conducted by the League of Women Voters to discover if citizens were favorable to incorporating Cherokee Village as a town. Voters overwhelmingly rejected the idea.

By the late 1990s, however, residents had changed their minds. In 1997, Cherokee Village citizens petitioned the courts for permission to incorporate. Because Cherokee Village is within both Sharp and Fulton counties, both court systems had to rule on the petition. Despite the overwhelming support of the citizenry for incorporation, the Sharp County judge denied their petition in December 1997. The Fulton County court divided Cherokee Village when it granted the incorporation petition in January 1998. Fulton County residents incorporated as Cherokee Village West, while their Sharp County neighbors remained unincorporated.

Early in 1998, the newly elected Cherokee Village West city council passed an ordinance annexing the Sharp County section. Voters in both county sections approved the annexation in April, creating the united city of Cherokee Village. In addition to a mayor and city council, a police force was created and a district court established. Although the improvement district remained a vital entity, the city of Cherokee Village took over some of its duties. For example, in 2003, the city assumed responsibility for street maintenance.

The development of Cherokee Village in 1955 had a profound impact on Arkansas. The retirement community industry became an integral part of the state’s economy as the older Americans who flocked to Cherokee Village transformed the state into one of the most innovative and popular retirement destinations in the United States. According to the University of Arkansas (UA) in Fayetteville (Washington County), the state is the ninth most popular choice in the United States for retirees.

Hi Forum,

"A picture is worth a thousand words" they say. Well, I suspect folks may be curious about some of the "early" sights mentioned such as the "Sitting Bull Restaurant." Here are some early pictures from post cards. Each link will take you to a new picture. There are two entries for today. See also the entry posted above on the political structures of CV and how they developed. Enjoy the pictures below:

http://picasaweb.google.com/cvarblog/CherokeeVillageVintagePostcardAlbum#5232705040676850994

http://picasaweb.google.com/cvarblog/CherokeeVillageVintagePostcardAlbum#5232700757709810978

http://picasaweb.google.com/cvarblog/CherokeeVillageVintagePostcardAlbum#5232700750250280034

http://picasaweb.google.com/cvarblog/CherokeeVillageVintagePostcardAlbum#5232698949678840562

http://picasaweb.google.com/cvarblog/CherokeeVillageVintagePostcardAlbum#5232698948756715250

Hi Forum,

The hope of this thread is to unpack for you the Early History of Cherokee Village from the work of the same title, a locally produced history in limited edition. However, it is worthwhile before going further to grasp some early issues around the governance of the Village. The following entry will help from the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture:

__________________________________________________________________________________

Less than ten years after the town’s founding, Cherokee Village had grown so much that additional land was necessary to satisfy the demand for new homes. However, adjoining land was occupied by the Memphis Boy Scout Council’s summer camp, Kia Kima. In 1964, Cooper approached the Boy Scouts and offered to give them a larger tract of land on the south fork of the Spring River in exchange for their property. The Memphis youth organization relented after Cooper agreed to construct several new buildings on the Boy Scouts’ new property. The Kia Kima trade and other land purchases expanded Cherokee Village to 13,500 acres by 1980.

When Cherokee Village was established, no provision had been made for residents to share the costs of maintaining the roads and recreational facilities operated by the development corporation. Not wanting to fund these services exclusively, the corporation’s board of directors suggested the creation of a suburban improvement district in 1968. The state allowed for the creation of these districts under the Arkansas State Improvement District Act of 1941 to provide public services, such as road maintenance and recreational facilities, without the formality of incorporation. In order to create an improvement district, citizens were required to seek approval from the local circuit court. The following year, the Cherokee Village Country Club recommended the creation of an improvement district to provide a fire department and maintain recreational facilities and streets. Some 1,100 property owners petitioned circuit court for permission to establish the district, but not all Cherokee Village residents approved of the plan.

Several residents formed the Property Owners Protective Association to block the circuit court petition. In their lawsuit, the members of the Property Owners Protective Association argued that the plan was unconstitutional because it gave the government’s taxation power to a private corporation. Meanwhile, those who supported the creation of the improvement district formed the Property Owners Association. The local circuit court judge rejected the Property Owners Protective Association suit, declaring their argument invalid because the proposed suburban improvement district would levy taxes, not the development corporation. Despite the setback, disgruntled residents continued to challenge the district’s formation until 1975, when the development corporation, which had changed its name to Cooper Communities, Inc. in 1970, agreed to provide $150,000 in operating funds for the improvement district to begin its responsibilities.

In 1975, a three-person board of commissioners was chosen by property owners and confirmed by the circuit court judge to oversee the Cherokee Village Suburban Improvement District. Although local government has evolved since 1975, the improvement district remains an integral part of Cherokee Village life. In addition to setting tax rates, the board of commissioners oversees all district operations and approves policy. A director of property services oversees the operations of the district, including two eighteen-hole golf courses; seven lakes; the North, Omaha, and Thunderbird recreation centers; and four fire stations. In order to fund these facilities, taxes are levied against each lot in Cherokee Village, and user fees are charged.

Hi Forum,

Here is the next installment from the Early History of Cherokee Village. You will find a detailed account of dates for various projects such as lakes, golf courses, and population growth. If anyone reading has their own memory, please join in. It is interesting to read the developments here and compare them to 2010. Any thoughts? In any case, anyone reading will be amazed at the development of the vision! Please notice that by 1955, there were already property owners from 36 states and international owners as well! This diversity of the USA existed from the very start, not simply from ebay sales in more recent times. Enjoy...

__________________________________________________________

DATES OF CHEROKEE VILLAGE HISTORY

By: Ruth Wade

Cherokee Village was the first retirement community in the nation. It was the dream of one man, John Cooper, Sr. ... Mr Cooper fell in love with the Ozark Hills and started buying property and dreaming of what it could be. The area was mapped out and work began in 1954 putting in two streets, one lake and an air strip.

By 1955, the lake and the air strip were completed. The air strip was one of the finest in the area measuring 2700 feet long and 100 feet wide. Late in 1955 four streets had been surfaced and electricity was installed on those streets. A ditcher was purchased to help lay water lines. A park, Papoose Park, was developed as a playground for children.

The official grand opening of the Village was June 11, 1955. By the fifth anniversary in 1960, the Village covered 5,200 acres with property owners from 36 states and 4 foreign countries.

In 1962, the $100,000 telephone project was started. Everyone was on a big party line (8-16 phones) with not long distance or direct dialing service. There were 300 homes, 26 miles of the 55 miles of streets were surfaced, 17 miles of water lines were laid, 21 miles of power lines were up and there were 6,000 acres of Village property. Also, the first part of the golf course and pro shop were completed.


1963, the second nine hole golf course was finished. Several clubs were founded, including the Garden Club and Lions Club. A service station was built during this year.

By 1965, the second lake and the first church in the Village was built. A group of town houses and a recreation center were under construction and a supermarket was opened.

1n 1968, the appearance of the Village had changed considerably. There were now four lakes, a recreation center, an 18 hole golf course, a state highway through the Village and miles and miles of streets were laid out.

1n 1973, there were 757 families living in the Village. 1974 was the record year for houses being built here. By 1975, the Village was 20 years old and covered 13,000 acres and had 3,000 residents.

The next 20 year span introduced the organization of many clubs and activities. An excellent school system was established with Mr. Cooper donating land. There was an elementary school, a middle school and a high school. A hospital was built and an ambulance service established.

In 1999, voters approved incorporation and Cherokee Village became a City. In 2000, the supermarket had closed and the City bought the building, renovated it to become the City Hall. This houses the city offices, the police department and Senior Center.

By the turn of the century Cherokee Village had become a great place to live. It offers much beauty and excitement. There are seven lakes, two golf course, a mall which houses numerous businesses. There are miles of paved streets nestled with beautiful homes and you can worship at the church of your choice as there are many to choose from.

Cherokee Village is a great place to live- -so, bring your dream to the Ozarks and join us in our beautiful City. (To be continued....)

Hi Forum,

This next section is deeply moving at the end. It also speaks of Mildred Cooper's character, stamina, and love for Cherokee Village, its core vision, and particularly the children. It is an amazing tribute to what one person can do to form the spirit of a place. It is a little longer than some of my other posts, but well worth the read. Enjoy and admire this amazing woman. Again, taken from the Early History of Cherokee Village:

__________________________________________________________________________

Ruth Wade said, “[Mrs. Cooper] was the force behind all activities. She saw something that needed to be done and she did it. No articles were ever written, no thanks or awards were ever given, but everyone knew that she was the one that got things done. It really didn't make any difference what needed doing in the Village, she would do it. She had a lot of lean years and she never forgot what it was like not to have.”

Vivian Mason, one of Mrs. Cooper's sisters said, “It used to be that if you wanted to get something done around here people would say, 'call Mildred Cooper.'”

She owned and operated a gift shop in the Village. If Mrs. Cooper left a legacy to Cherokee Village, it would have to be her penchant for hard work. Mrs. Wade remembers how Mildred often washed the windows at the Sitting Bull Restaurant and the adjoining gift shop and how she made drapes and refinished furniture for the Cooper Sale Office.

Villagers were given a post office, a substation of Hardy. It was in the back of Mrs. Cooper's gift shop at the Sitting Bull Restaurant. She was the unpaid postmistress at $1 per year until the year after it was moved to the mall in the early 70s.

Mr. and Mrs. Cooper entertained Villagers with a Christmas party for many years. For Christmas in 1961, they gave an elaborate and delicious dinner, served buffet style, to all members of the CV Country Club, then presented them with the new lounge that had been built on top of the recreation room, replacing the sundeck at the Sitting Bull Restaurant. It was pure elegance in the Cherokee manner, thanks to Mrs. Cooper, who chose the furnishings and guided the decorating, which is described in the article on the Sitting Bull Restaurant.

She restored the three-room log house the engineering department had used (on the hill where the Methodist church is now) added water, lights and a bathroom on the enclosed back porch and opened a kindergarten for employee's children with a Villager for a teacher. The building was also used for a girl scout house.

Daughter Rebecca said, “Mother was big in the girl scouts. She organized a camp at Cherokee Village and would take troops to camp and cook over a camp fire...do all the stuff girl scouts do. She would get everyone involved.”

Mrs. Cooper had her Girl Scout involvement as a member of the Chickasaw Girl Scout Council of Tennessee, and girl scouting became a prominent part of her life. She organized the first troop—Girl Scout Troop 62 – in Cherokee Village in 1961.

In 1963 for the first Girl Scout camp, Mrs. Cooper prepared an area on the river below their stone house. It was an ideal setting and was used for several years (now townhouses are built there.) Then they used the area on the river below Council Lodge until the early 80s.

Mrs. Cooper worked with the Girl Scout troop here before they were included in a council. She did a lot toward developing the No-Ark Council Girl Scout Camp at Huntsville. She was on the council board for 8-10 years.

During the years, she headed a committee that added roads and water lines to another girl scout camp near Huntsville, AR; purchased tents to be used at camps; bought uniforms; and frequently sponsored scouts who would not otherwise have been able to attend scout camp.

She was always organizing, entertaining and at the same time, being a benevolent drill sergeant. In Cherokee Village, Mrs. Cooper cooked at the Sitting Bull Restaurant, which was part of the commercial development, when it was first opened in 1957. Daughter Ann baked “Mile High Pies,” so named because the taller the pies, supposedly the better. Boyce waited tables.

At one time, the board of directors decided to move the Cooper headquarters to Little Rock, closer to transportation, financial opportunities and the state government. Reluctantly, a business decision had been made but the family matriarch was yet to be heard from. Not a part of the meeting, Mildred Cooper heard of the decision to move the corporate offices to Little Rock. It was Mr. Cooper who delivered her message back to the board, “We're not going to make the move to Little Rock, the MAJOR stockholder just voted.”

It was the will of the mother, holding the families together, feeling the need to keep the families close to the earth in a mountain setting. It was the best and only place to raise the grandchildren, who by now all lived in Bella Vista, the 2nd Cooper development.

Mrs. Cooper was ill for nearly two years. She had always said she would never leave her home in the Village, but she gave in and moved to Bella Vista where she would be closer to family, doctor and hospital. Mrs. Mildred Cooper, the quintessential family person, the mediator, the woman with a backbone of steel, succumbed to cancer December 23, 1983.

(To be continued...)

Hi Forum,

As promised, here is the next installment of the Early History of Cherokee Village. This section concerns the enormous contribution of Mildred Cooper, the wife of John Cooper. Sr. to the development of the Village and in fact the Cooper business model. We might particularly note that the very start of direct mail land sales can be placed in the hands of the Coopers. The gathering of mailing lists and potential customers from State Fairs and other venues is a story which I have personally heard from an early era retiree in Cherokee Village. This use of State Fairs was very common in the Midwest if I understand things properly.

Let's keep our eyes open for things we now take for granted but were revolutionary then! Mildred Cooper clearly worked hand-in-hand with her husband in making Cherokee Village a reality with business smarts, community involvement at every level, and just plain hard work. Enjoy...

______________________________________________________________________________

MRS. MILDRED BORUM COOPER
The Woman Behind the Man


Early residents of Cherokee Village remember Mildred Borum Cooper for her tireless work at improving the everyday life of Village residents.

She was born August 29, 1906 the eldest of eight children. As was her husband, she was born in Earle, Arkansas. In 1937 John Cooper married Mildred Borum, a widow with two young daughters, Ann, age 9 (who would later marry Joe Basore) and Boyce 5, who would later become Mrs. George Billingsley. Together John and Mildred had a son John Jr. (married to Pat McInnis from Mississippi) and a daughter, Rebecca, who is married to John Whelan.

The strength of the Coopers as a family came from Mildred Cooper. She thought only in terms of black and white; there was no gray. Daughter Rebecca said, “Daddy would get a blue aura about himself when he got mad and everyone would head for the hills. Mother would just look at him and say, 'Just behave yourself' and he would settle down.”

The strength and determination in Mildred was ever-present. 'Mrs. Cooper kept Senior focused,” George Billingsley said. “If there was ever a strong-willed woman behind a strong man, it was Mildred. She was a rock, the foundation...she kept the family together.”

Widely known for her many activities and for numerous community projects during her long residency at West Memphis, Mrs. Cooper was named “The First Woman of the Year” at West Memphis in 1955.

She was quick and fast-talking, she was always a promoter. Mildred did not slow down after Cherokee Village was started. She served as the first secretary and board member of the Cherokee Village Development Company, predecessor to Cooper Communities, Inc. Representatives would attend sports shows and fairs to collect names and addresses, and she would sort them out. Then from the basement of her home, she addressed and stamped hundreds of direct mail solicitations for Cherokee Village. Thus, from the industry and enterprise of Mildred Cooper was born the concept of direct mail marketing for land sales.

Daughter Ann said, “Mother was a detail person who did a lot of leg work for the business. She was also very entrepreneurial and involved in the business.”

Mrs. Cooper was instrumental in establishing the Garden Club, the first Home Extension Club and The Hobby Club. She never expected anyone to do anything that she wouldn't, but that could range from giving a fashionable tea to helping girl scouts dig latrines. She could get twice as much done as anyone else and she saved things – everything – so she always had the necessary things for decorations, scenery, programs, etc.

The flower beds around company headquarters were hers and she planted daffodils on Cherokee Dam to spell “Cherokee Village.” They were beautiful in the spring for many years. She also planted the first daffodils that graced the area around Papoose Park. Her part in the development of the Village was tremendous....

(To be continued...)

Hi Forum,

Before going on in the Early History of Cherokee Village, I want to try to satisfy a curiosity about the transfer of John A Cooper's vision to the work of his son and others in the form of Cooper Communities -- work beyond simply Cherokee Village. It has been referenced to some extent in the Early History, so I thought the following taken from the Cooper Communities website would be helpful as an overview. I will continue with the Early History of Cherokee Village and Mildred Cooper tomorrow. Enjoy:

___________________________________________________________

"Today more than 100,000 families own property in one of the six Cooper communities located throughout the Mid-South. Why have they bought property from us? For several very important reasons. First is our outstanding reputation.

We are widely recognized as one of the most fiscally responsible developers of planned communities in the nation. That means property owners can count on very high quality amenities now - and in the future.

Next is our environmental concern. Fully 20% to 30% of the land in each Cooper community is set aside as unspoiled common property. As a result, Cooper communities feature lush, wooded landscapes and lots of strikingly beautiful scenery.

We're in all the right places!
Another reason people are so attracted to Cooper communities is because of our ideal locations.

From Arkansas and Tennessee to Missouri and South Carolina, we've chosen sites that are all just a short drive to attractions like national parks, world-class entertainment, top-flight shopping and more. And, since our villages are all in the Mid-South, the climate is usually just right - not too hot, and not too cold!

We meet your every need.
There are several companies under the Cooper Communities "umbrella." They include Cooper Land Development, Inc. (the company that actually sells the land in most of the Cooper Villages). Then there's Cooper Homes, which custom-builds homes with additional services other builders can't provide. And Escapes! Resorts, which features vacation ownership in several of our villages.

Cooper Communities... So much more than a lifestyle!
Sure, Cooper Communities villages have all the golf, tennis, boating and fishing you could ask for, but we've designed our communities to be more than that. They're places with real neighborhoods, where people raise families, and where every generation really can find a place to call... home."

Hi Forum,

I want to thank Mike and Chuck for their remarks and encouragement to keep posting these historical reports. The following wraps up basic auto-biographical material on Mr, Cooper, Sr. However, there is much more to come of stories and remembrances of him from others and accounts of the development of the Village. in the next posts, we will learn more about Cooper's family and important dates surrounding the completion of aspects of Cherokee Village's development. Enjoy the next section:

The Cooper company gave 15 acres of land for the Eastern Ozark Hospital to be built in Cherokee Village.

The Village schools were the first to consolidate under a new state law. By the time the three schools were built, Mr. Cooper's company had contributed close to $100,000, including the land. Mr. Huston , school superintendent, stated at the high school dedication, 'Each time we had our back against the wall, a man in our community came to our rescue and got us back on our feet.' In his honor we dedicate the new “John A. Cooper Gymnasium.”

Cooper, Sr. served as president and chairman of the board of Cooper Communities until 1968, when his son John A. Cooper, Jr. took over. In 1969 John Cooper, Sr. resigned as president of the company, but remained active in the company until 1989.

Cooper also founded Cooper Communities, Inc., developer of Bella Vista Village, which opened in 1965 and Hot Springs Village in 1970.

Lauded as a man of vision and a prophet of the future, John Cooper, Sr. received an honorary doctorate of letters degree from Arkansas State University in 1982, and had a chair of diplomacy named for him at the University of Arkansas' Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences in 1968. That is a testimonial to his vision.

Years after Mildred passed away, John Cooper, Sr. married a woman who lived in Dallas, Texas and that is where they made their home. During the mid-90s he had a massive stoke and was in a coma for several years. He came out of the coma shortly before he passed away at his home on January 23, 1998. he was 91.

In February, 2004, John Alfred Cooper, Sr. was honored with a place in the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame. John Cooper, Jr. accepted the award on his father's behalf. The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville founded the Hall of Fame in 1999 to showcase the Arkansas economy and contributions of Arkansas business leaders. Doyle Z. Williams, dean of Walton College at the university, said, 'This year's inductees built businesses that have made, and are continuing to make, a significant impact on the economy of Arkansas.'”

This section was complied by Barbara Massie

The next section will speak of Mildred Cooper as well as the famous architect E. Faye Jones. (See the the existing post on E. Faye Jones elsewhere on the Forum.)

Hi Paul, Thanks for the great posts. I love reading the history of the village. I think many of us in the village realise the same sense of community that John Cooper nurtured in 1954. I think that is why we post on this forum. We try to share that sense of community to everyone. Those that are looking for these qualities in a retirement location, and families that want to find a special place to work and raise their children.
I believe that John Coopers vision is alive and well. We just need to find a way to let others know what we have found living here.

Great Job Paul, keep them coming.

Paul, I love this thread. It's very interesting and I know others want to read it as well. The history of the village is an interesting read. Keep it up and thank you!