Interesting Stuff
Enjoy The Stunning View
June 3, 2006 
While traveling around Bill Clinton’s Arkansas the GUARDIAN is amazed at how little it takes to qualify as a “stunning view,” or other tourist attraction.
If the Ozark Mountains are any indication, Boise could get rich by offering “stunning, amazing, spectacular, scenic views” from the bell tower of The Depot. It seems like every turn offers a chance to climb a tower or otherwise pay to get above treetops to see–what else?–treetops.
Near Bull Shoals it cost $5 to ride to the top of an old oil rig which is already atop a mountain. There is little difference in the view of Anderson Ranch Dam from the road. Arrow Rock Dam with its history (highest dam in USA when it was built) would make an ideal tourist attraction.
In Eureka Springs you can visit the “Christ of The Ozarks” statue at the Christian theme park where the famous Passion Play is performed. The view is of an old hotel three miles away–and tree tops. The lighted cross on Table Rock would sell well to the Ozark folks.
Spring River is an absolute Mecca for canoers. Folks pay good money for their “adventures” on the placid watters. Concessions to raft the Boise where we all tube should also sell well.
If we really want to “promote Boise” we have ample opportunity to do it without building a connvention center. Everyone would benefit from tourism because travelers leave behind their hard earned money without demanding schools, sewers, and other services.
We may not be able to match the “More than 100 live large cats including lions and tigers” offered at a hilltop location south of Eureka Springs.
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Comments & Discussion
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Jun 3, 2006, 9:18 pm
Guardian
Since I spent several years, at different times of my life in Arkansas…. you missed the two most fun things to do…. going to the baths, and horse races at Hot Springs, and going to the Diamond mine in Murfreesboro. You could have found a big one!
http://www.arkansas.com/things-to-do/diamond-hunting/
You could have come back a rich man! Well come to think about it everyone that lives in Idaho is rich!
Jun 4, 2006, 4:46 pm
People ( tourists) love history, and Boise is a living history book.The Oregon trail goes right through Boise! There’s the old vet’s cemetery behind the VA whose tombstones speak of the wild west! We have the preserved log cabin homes of our original settlers and there are brick buildings downtown that date from the late 1800’s ( they go entirely unnoticed!)The North end ( 8’th St. area north) is a living replica of early 19’th century Americana! Tourists would eat it up, all you have to do is let them know it’s there!
Jun 5, 2006, 4:08 am
Good grief, Joe, do you want Greyline Tour buses driving up 8th Street?
Seriously, it is nice you pointed these things out. Since I grew up in the North End I tend to take it for granted, and even notice the warts and wrinkles.
I do enjoy saying “hi” to the tree that I used to climb so I could read in peace and quiet. It is near the corner of 11th & Heron, where the American Legion had a housing project for returning war veterans. The tree is now part of Camel’s Back Park. Otherwise there is nothing left of the apartments or the folks who lived there.
I expect that little part of Boise’s history is lost to most people. A fellow I met from John Regan Post #2, American Legion, had never heard of it and that Post was the sponsoring organization.
Jun 5, 2006, 5:05 pm
Hey Guardian, do you think people in the Ozarks
would dig the view of BoDo from one of our many beautiful hi-rise parking lots? Sounds like those are the kind of people we need to be importing to Idaho instead of always getting Californians. They would really appreciate BoDo and all the other improvements around here. They could hike up Camels Back for free. You should call the Boise Chamber of Commerce and tell them about recruiting Ozarkians to Idaho.
Jun 5, 2006, 11:09 pm
Famous Passion Play in the Ozarks? Passion Plays have a long and honorable history in a number of venues worldwide. I was a bit taken aback when the Guardian revealed one in Arkansas hill country – just down the road from Branson, Missouri as I understand it. It’s good there’s one here in the States. It beats traveling to Europe every 10 years.
When I think of famous Passion Plays, I think of the world famous Passion Play held every 10 years (2010 is the next one) in Oberammergau, Germany – a town about 50 miles (80 Km for metric types) south of Munich. Former Cold War Warriors stationed in Europe probably remember the town better as O’gau. Rather than a view of an old hotel and tree tops, the view is a rather scenic one of the Bavarian Alps. Think of looking at the Sawtooths in springtime in Stanley and you get the idea. The wood carvings aren’t bad either!
Thanks for bringing back the memories Guardian!
Besides the views from BoDo, another incentive for Ozarkians to move here is the weather. Sure it gets hot here in the summer, but it’s a dry heat. Can’t say that about the Ozarks in summer.
JQP
Jun 6, 2006, 11:22 am
When I think of Passion Plays I think of the Passionate Conservative playing with our future in the White House. Ozarkians like their passion plays and possum too. Boise could use a good possum barbeque joint to go with the view (of BoDo).