Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Bluff City

The year 2000 would be a great time to place somewhere to be opened at some future date, say 50 or 75 years from now. Wouldn't be interesting to be the one to open something like that? To give you an idea of what you might find, here is an article about our community that appeared in the newspaper 87 years ago in January 1913. It makes me wish I could go back and visit for a while.

"Bluff City is situated in the southwester part of Arkansas in the northeastern part of Nevada County, about four miles southwest of Sayre, the nearest railroad point.

"The people are of a high class of citizenship. They are refined, intelligent, moral, and law abiding. They are noted for their sociability and hospitality to strangers. All who have visited our town have expressed themselves as being highly pleased with the genial treatment accorded them while here.

"The educational advantages of Bluff City are excellent. In the school at this place, scores of young people are preparing for the duties of life. Prof. Dawson, with those assisting him, is striving to prepare pupils to be good, loyal and intelligent citizens and consistent Christians. The practical and wholesome lessons in morality and in true manliness and politeness, which are instilled in the minds of the pupils of Bluff City High School, are such as will appeal to many noble instincts of boys and girls, and will inspire them to higher and more plains of living.

"With good cause, Bluff City might be called a town of homes. It contains more houses worthy to be called homes' than any town its size in the state.

"This, too, is a healthful place, and that is a fact worthy of consideration. The location of the town, where cooling breezes sweep the country throughout the summer, insures good health to the people within its limits. As a matter of fact, a glance at the mortuary report of the U.S. census will prove by figures that our death rate is as small as in any community its size anywhere. A good natural drainage adds to the sanitary and hygienic advantage that nature has bestowed upon our lucky town, while the water is of the very best  pure, sparkling, sweet, cool  something not found in every community.

"The pulpits of our churches are always filled by men of piety and talent.

"It can be said there are no very rich or very poor men here  the wealth is fairly evenly divided, and there is not that insane fight for position is social matters that makes associations unpleasant and success so uncertain, but all meet upon the broad plain of humanity.

"For a man with a family there are few places superior to this, either as a home or an investment, and the man who is looking for a favorable location will do well to come and investigate our advantages.

"There is a cordial welcome here for worthy persons and a home life above average can be enjoyed. All will find room for a home, and chance to make profitable investments with their money."