Bull Shoals, Arkansas
Bull Shoals is a small town in Marion County, Arkansas, nestled in the hills of the Ozarks, a mountain range located in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri, United States of America. The town was created by real estate developers and was officially established in 1954. A deep, artificial lake named Bull Shoals Lake borders the town in three directions. Bull Shoals is primarily a recreation and retirement town.
Geography Of Bull Shoals
Bull Shoals has a total area of 5.0 square miles, and the only highway and major road in and out of the town is Highway 178, the highway that enters just off the Bull Shoals dam near the Arkansas-Missouri border.
One of the major draws to Bull Shoals is the natural beauty of the Ozarks for outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, horseback riding, and caving. All of which is dependent on the geography of Bull Shoals
The Population Of Bull Shoals
The 2020 United States census reported that there were 1952 people residing in the town. This can be broken down to about 951 households and 572 families living in the town. Additionally, according to the 2020 census, the town population has risen by .1% from the 2010 United States census.
As of the 2020 census, the population of Bull Shoals is constructed as follows: 91.14% white/Caucasian, 0.26% Black or Native American (non-Hispanic), 0.46% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 2.82% Hispanic or Latino, and 2.82% Other/Mixed.
2010 showed that the population was spread out over a wide range of ages. 11.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18-24, 16% from 25 to 44, 30% from 45 to 64, and 38.3% were between 65 years of age or older. The median age was 59 years old.
Since Bull Shoals is primarily a retirement and recreation town, there are no schools in Bull Shoals. The nearest school districts are the Flippin School District (Flippin, Arkansas, United States of America) and the Mountain Home School District (Mountain Home, Arkansas, United States of America).
The Economy Of Bull Shoals
According to a report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Arkansas is among the highest states in the United States of America for income inequality, which is reflected in the income findings in Bull Shoals. According to the 2010 census, a household's median income in the town was $27,139, and that for a family was $34,219. Males made a median income of $23,125 versus the median income for females of $16,950, highlighting the income inequality in the state.
Brief History Of Bull Shoals
In the early 1940s, a gentleman named C.S Woods Sr. came to Arkansas and sold land across the northern part of the state for $1.25-$3 an acre. In 1945, Woods incorporated his efforts, raised $10,000 from investors, and bought land from 17 farmers on the Newton Flat- the area's original name- totaling about 1,200 acres. The town itself was established in 1946. He and his son, Charles Jr., did much of the work in establishing the town themselves by completing tasks such as clearing brush for future streets and sketching plans on brown paper bags. The earliest street plan was the first official document filed on August 15, 1956.
Tourist Attractions Of Bull Shoals
The main draw of Bull Shoals is nature, so it is only natural that the majority of the town's attractions are nature-based.
Bull Shoals Dam
The Bull Shoals Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the White River which forms Bull Shoals Lake. It was built between 1915 and 1927 by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to respond to severe flooding. When finished, the dam was one of the largest concrete structures in the world.
The James A. Gaston Visitor Centre
Found in the middle of the Bull Shoals White River State Park, the James A. Gaston Visitor Centre offers stunning views of the Bull Shoals Dam, Bull Shoals Lake, and White River. The center will allow you to explore several artifacts and interpretive exhibits and even offers the opportunity to watch a historical film.
The James A. Gaston Visitor Centre gives an in-depth look at the early inhabitants of the area, events that shaped the land, and the various natural life that you may come across in the park. Other aspects of the James A. Gaston Visitor Centre include an observation tower and a gift shop.
Bull Shoals White River State Park
The Bull Shoals White River State Park lies along the shores of Bull Shoals Lake and the White River and is famous for its trout fishing. It is host to the James A. Gaston Visitor Centre and home to 113 campsites, three Rent-An-RV sites, and a marina and store that offer boat rentals, bait, tackle, and other needed supplies. In addition to being the state's premier park for trout fishing, the park also offers great hiking and mountain biking and interpretive programs that include campfire-cooking demonstrations, trout fishing workshops, and guided nature walks.
Bull Shoals Caverns
The Bull Shoals Caverns is a network of caves with underground streams that flow throughout and a small waterfall at the back of the cave. It is roughly 350 million years old and has been used by prehistoric natives, civil war soldiers, and moonshiners. It is also home to many creatures such as bats, salamanders, frogs, and camel crickets. The many natural formations are easy to view, and there are guided cave tours, well-lit concrete trails, a large gift shop, and gemstone panning available to visitors.
The Bull Shoals Theatre Of The Arts
The Bull Shoals Theatre of the Arts was created as a non-profit corporation to provide professional spaces for Performing Arts and establish a live entertainment center for the education and pleasure of citizens. The mission is to build community character through the arts. The center provides education and entertainment ranging from concerts to plays to educational talks to a vast group of people.
