Where's the Diamond?

Diamonds are forever! Where's the diamond hides? As far as I know one of the biggest Diamond Mine in USA is found in State of Arkansas. Crater Diamond Park is the only public diamond mine in the world. This is open to the public to dig holes and look for diamond. Crater of Diamonds offers you a one-of-a-kind adventure - the opportunity to hunt for real diamonds and to keep any you find.

I was looking forward to go and see this place very soon. We planned last summer to have a family trip going to this park but we didn't made it. Something happened and all our trips were cancelled. Maybe, next year we will continue to catch up all our travel plans that we missed. For a little review about the "Crater Diamond". I will tell you the legend.

The Legend of "Diamond John"

Diamond mine – where diamonds are found Howard Millar, a former operator of a tourist operation at the Crater of Diamonds and an expert on the crater's history, wrote in his book, "It Was Finders-Keepers at America's Only Diamond Mine," that two (Photo Facts )
geologists had studied the crater site several years before Huddleston found diamonds here. However, they didn't find any diamonds.

In 1906, Huddleston bought a farm on the site that the geologists had studied and on Aug. 8 of that year, he found two diamonds. According to Millar, Huddleston discovered the Arkansas diamonds while he was spreading rock salt on his hog farm. He saw some shiny specks in the dirt that he thought might be gold. But instead of gold, he found two stones.

Huddleston declined an offer from the local bank cashier, who said he would pay Huddleston 50 cents for the stones. Eventually, the stones were sent to a gem expert in New York City and it was determined that the stones were indeed Arkansas diamonds. One was a 3-carat white diamond and the other was a 1.5-carat yellow diamond.

Word soon got out about the diamonds and "Diamond John" Huddleston became famous. Thousands of people flocked to the little town of Murfreesboro, sparking a boomtown atmosphere. In one year, over 10,000 people were turned away from the Conway Hotel in Murfreesboro. Soon after his find, Huddleston sold his farm for $36,000 and this portion of the crater was closed to the public.

"Crater of Diamonds" is Born
M. M. Mauney owned another portion of the diamond mine, and he originated the idea of letting visitors pay to hunt for diamonds. Some diamond mining operations also began in the years after the discovery, but for many reasons, shrouded in mystery, lawsuits, fines, bankruptcy and other reasons, they were unsuccessful. Then, in 1952, Millar opened a tourist operation at the mine. He dubbed the site, the "Crater of Diamonds."

Millar promoted the site aggressively and received lots of national publicity. A museum, gift shop and restaurant were built and Millar, who was a geologist, gave lectures about the diamonds and also identified the visitors' finds. He received a 20 percent royalty on the value of any stone over 5 carats.

During those years, thousands of diamonds were found. The most famous find was made in 1956 by Mrs. A. L. Parker of Dallas. Millar wrote that Parker found the diamond after heavy rains had fallen on the freshly plowed field. The white diamond was 15.33 carats. It fueled "diamond fever" here again as the crater was "almost overrun with diamond hunters," Millar wrote.

In 1969, the crater was sold to a mining company and in 1972, and the state of Arkansas purchased it. The site was developed into an 888-acre park nestled in a mixed pine and hardwood forest along the banks of the Little Missouri River. There is a visitor's center, gift shop, picnic area, restaurant (summer only), a 1.3-mile trail and 60 campsites with water and electricity. Information credit to www.arkansas.com.

If you plan to travel in Arkansas never missed to come and dig for your own diamond at "Crater Diamond Park" .

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra

MUSIC THAT BECOMES YOU.

Music is not merely sound. It isn't just NOISE.
It's something more. It CONNECTS us. It becomes us.
Music makes us laugh, cry and dance. It reminds us of wonderful yesterdays, and gives us hope for better tomorrows.
We fall in love, mourn a loss, and CONQUER milestones, all with music.
Music DEFINES generations and gives meaning to a moment.

When I got here lastyear I asked my hubby what we can do together here in Little Rock. What are the attractions of the city aside from the river market during the summer. He mentioned about the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. I never been to any Symphony Orchestra in my whole life. He told me that one day he will take the there. I guess the right time come. Yesterday, he called me that our friend offer 2 Arkansas Symphony Orchestra ticket for free. Wow, I was very about it. I was looking forward to watch this kind of concert.

Are you a music lover? You'd not miss to watch the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra located at Little Rock, Arkansas. This Orchestra has been for so many years. The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 43rd season in 2008-2009, but the presence of an orchestra existed long before the Symphony's incorporation in 1966. In 1821, the first formal concert took place at Arkansas Post. Through the years, many music lovers made several attempts to form a professional orchestra. In 1927, Ms. Stella Boyle Smith opened her own home for a group of musicians to practice with the hope of creating a symphony for Arkansas.

Establishing the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra was a difficult task. Upon incorporation in 1966, one local bank held the new organization responsible for the debts of past attempts. Ten orchestra members committed to success personally assumed the $6,000 debt so that the incorporation could proceed. Many symphony supporters gave of their time, money, and effort for the incorporation of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in 1966, and more than 40 years later, many music lovers across the state continue to give of their time, money, and effort in support of the Symphony.

The first conductor of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra was Vasilios Priakos. Priakos had vast experience in conducting symphony orchestras in New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Florida. In 1968, Glen Owens was hired as conductor and business manager of the Symphony. Owens sought to establish financial security by gaining a $10,000 matching grant from the National Endowment of the Arts and the Arkansas Arts Humanities Council. The grant, along with generous contributions from symphony supporters, allowed the symphony to retire all outstanding debts and become financially stable for the first time in its existence, which was an amazing feat for such a young organization. Read more here...

Arkansas State Fair

Every year Arkansas is having a state fair. This is one of the big event in the state. This year the state fair fall on October 10-19,2008. Last week, they open the state fair to enjoy of all soceity. They have all kind of rides where little kids and adults can enjoy too.

They are plenty of street food sells inside the state fair ground. There's Rodeo show too. Tonight my whole family and I are going to the state fair to see all the amusements. My hubby and I are ready to ride with all their rides, and, I am excited about it. The said events have 2008 Amateur Digital Photo Contest. When you come to Arkansas on the state fair and you have the talent in digital photography,share your talent. If you want to know about this information visit just visit the www.Arkansasstatefair.com

Little Rock

Arkansas is one of the smallest state in the country. The main city of Arkansas called Little Rock. Little Rock is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas and the county seat of Pulaski County. The city's population was estimated at 184,422 in 2005 estimates.

I was curious about why they named the city Little Rock. I asked my husband why they called the capital city of Arkansas little rock. As I observed like other cities little has big and small rocks too. Here's the reason why they name it to Little Rock. Little Rock derives its name from a small rock formation on the south bank of the Arkansas River called la Petite Roche ("the little rock"). The "little rock" was used by early river traffic as a landmark and became a well-known river crossing. This is very interesting fact. My husband always took the Arkansas River bridge going to work and coming home. Little Rock is a small city yet a beaufiful place.

In Little Rock you can shop in biggest mall in the state. Eat in famous and fabulous restaurants too. You can find the only portable library in the country a project of the former US President George Bush. Come and see the beautiful place of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Flag of Arkansas

What's the Arkansas Flag symbolize? To find out about something we have to learn the historyof the natural state. Here are some facts about "Flag of Arkansas".

The flag of the U.S. state of Arkansas is a red field charged with a large blue-bordered white diamond. Twenty-nine five-pointed stars appear on the flag: twenty-five small white stars within the blue border, and four larger blue stars in the white diamond. The inscription "ARKANSAS" appears in blue within the white diamond, with one star above and three stars below. The star above and the two outer stars below point upwards; the inner star below points downwards.

The diamond on a red field represents the only place in North America where diamonds have been discovered and mined. Arkansas was a member of the Confederate States during the civil War that was the top of four stars in the center represents with. The other three stars represent Spain, France and the United States, countries that had earlier ruled the land that includes Arkansas. This flag was adopted since 1913 and continue to symbolize the state until present.

The Arkansas State

Arkansas state is found in south central United States; one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War. A river that rises in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and flows southeast through Kansas and Oklahoma and through Arkansas to become a tributary of the Mississippi River. Arkansas is one of the beautiful, small state of the country.

Living in Arkansas is very wonderful. I fell inlove with the beautiful environment that full of natural resources. Arkansas are full of hills, rivers, lakes around. With the friendly people around it wouldn't be difficult to adjust here. There are few public transportation that running in the main city. Public buses have their own schedule to passed by in the designated road in the morning and afternoon. Trolley is available in Central Little rock only. There are some cabs and limo for hire but it guarantee of high cost.

Join me to discover all beautiful places, people amazing destination in this state and maybe we can go beyond later.