Altus, Arkansas: A Touch of Switzerland in the Ozarks

If you think you have to dust off your passport, spend a lot of money for a plane ticket, and then sit cramped in an airplane seat for hours to experience Switzerland, think again. The Swiss Alps are majestic, but there's a little taste of Switzerland in the heart of the Ozarks. Altus, Arkansas, located between Fort Smith and Little Rock, a little town of under 1,000 people, was settled by Swiss-German immigrants in the 1800s, and it not only retains a lot of the charm associated with small villages of Switzerland and southern Germany, but the original immigrants brought their winemaking skills with them and the town is known as the "Wine Capital of Arkansas."

The town's name derives from the Latin word for 'high,' due to it being at the highest point on the railroad that runs between Fort Smith and Little Rock. Located between the Ozark Mountains to the north and the Ouachita Mountains to the south, its sandy, slightly acidic soil is similar to that of the wine growing regions of Europe, and is excellent for growing grapes.

Things to Do

Altus is home to four of Arkansas's six wineries, and a tour is obligatory, not just to sample some excellent wine, but to get a look at how wine is made. Post Winery, Wiederkehr Wine Cellars, Mount Bethel Winery, and Chateau Aux Arc all offer free tours and have tasting rooms. Many of the vineyards, in operation for more than a century, are run by the fourth and fifth generation descendants of the original immigrants.

If you've never heard of wine from Altus, you can be forgiven. The wineries are small and tend to sell most of their output within a couple hundred mile radius. But, as wines go, the Altus vintages can hold their own with Napa Valley and New York wines.

In addition to viticulture, Altus has a history of coal mining, a common occupation in the Ozarks. In the town square is a city park which contains memorials to the coal industry and some of its veteran miners. The Heritage House Museum in town has an excellent display on the history of coal mining in the region as well.

Around the city square are a number of shops offering antiques and local crafts. The town also has a number of restaurants offering a cuisine that is an interesting fusion of southern and European cooking.

Altus is also home to the Altus Grape Fest every July, featuring wine competitions and amateur grape stomping contests.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, also known as St. Mary's Catholic Church, built in 1902, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It's known throughout the state for its beautiful paintings, ornate gold leaf covered walls, and its Roman architecture.

Getting There

Located only 134 miles east of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Altus is easy to get to. The drive from the relative flatness of Oklahoma into the foothills of the Ozarks is worth it.

Where to Stay

As you might expect in a town as small as Altus, the choices of places to stay are somewhat limited, but what there is ranks as first rate and add to the fun of a visit. In addition to St. Mary's Mountain Country Inn, which is in town, there are a number of suitable accommodations in nearby towns such as Ozark.

St. Mary's might prove a bit too rustic for some, so my recommendation would be one of the better known chain motels in Ozark, which is only s short drive from Altus.

Lamplighter Bed and Breakfast

905 W. River St.

Ozark, AR 72949

(479) 667-3889

http://www.thelamplighterbb.com