Mountain Home is a city in Arkansas, United States. It is the main city of Baxter County. The city is located in the southern Ozark Mountains, close to the border with Missouri. In 2010, about 12,448 people lived in Mountain Home. If you include the surrounding area, the population was around 41,307 people.

History of Mountain Home

How the City Started

Mountain Home was first called Rapp's Barren. This land belonged to Simeon "Rapp" Talburt. He built the first house in the area in the early 1830s. Rapp and his family are buried in a small cemetery nearby. His original cabin was found in 1990. You can see it today in Cooper Park in Mountain Home. The town's name changed to Mountain Home in 1856. A post office opened there in 1857.

In 1853, the Mountain Home Male and Female Academy opened. This school was very important. It provided education when there were no public schools nearby.

The Courthouse Story

When Baxter County was officially formed in 1873, Mountain Home became its county seat. This means it was the main town for county government. At first, court meetings were held in a local store. Prisoners stayed in the homes of respected citizens.

Later, a building was bought to be the courthouse. But it wasn't good enough. So, a new wooden building was built in the town square. This building burned down in the 1890s. People thought someone set the fire on purpose. A new stone courthouse was then built.

In 1912, a nearby town, Cotter, was growing fast. Mountain Home's growth had slowed. There was talk of moving the county seat to Cotter. To stop this, Mountain Home added a third floor to its courthouse. An Arkansas law said county seats couldn't be moved from a three-story building. The current courthouse was finished in 1943. It is still used today.

Mountain Home During the Civil War

Men from Mountain Home fought for the Confederate side in the American Civil War. No big battles happened right in Mountain Home. But because it was close to Missouri, Union soldiers often raided the area for supplies. Both sides also used guerilla warfare, which means small groups fighting by surprise.

In October 1862, Union soldiers came to the area. They planned to attack Confederate troops nearby. But they heard a larger Confederate force was coming. They also faced rising river waters. So, they decided to steal about 50 horses and other supplies from local settlers. Then they left. A small fight happened when Confederate soldiers caught up to their rear guard. The Union Army lost no soldiers, but the Confederate Army lost about 10.

In April 1864, Mountain Home was attacked again. A group of jayhawkers (fighters who raided towns) damaged or destroyed much of the town. The Mountain Home Male and Female Academy was also destroyed.

After the Civil War: Growth and Changes

In 1893, the Mountain Home Baptist College opened. It was known as "The Gem of the Ozarks." It taught subjects like French, Greek, and typing. It also trained teachers. The college operated for 40 years. Most of the money to open it came from local people. It sometimes closed due to lack of money.

In 1901, it became part of the Ouachita Baptist University system. By 1927, it had 265 students and a large library. But in 1927, funding was stopped to support a different school. By 1933, the college closed. Its library books went to local public libraries and schools. The dorms became housing for people building dams.

In 1901, the local newspaper, The Baxter Bulletin, started. It is still published today.

The Great Depression and New Deal

The Great Depression was a very hard time for the area. Many local farmers lost their land and had to leave. Natural disasters also caused problems. These included a big flood in 1927 and a drought from 1930 to 1931. Cotton used to be a main crop, but the drought ended its production in Baxter County.

People got some help from New Deal programs. These were government programs started to help during the Depression. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) improved transportation in the area.

The New Deal programs also helped Mountain Home modernize its courthouse. This decision caused a lot of debate. But in a vote, more people voted for the new courthouse. The current courthouse was finished in 1943. The old building had been destroyed two years earlier.

The WPA also built two dams nearby. The Norfork Dam was built near the town of Norfork. It was finished by 1944. Many people worked on the dam, which helped the local economy. This dam also brought more tourists to Baxter County. Mountain Home became a more popular place than Cotter.

A second dam was built near Bull Shoals. This meant Mountain Home was located between two large lakes. It was also an easy drive to famous fishing spots. Tourism became very important for Mountain Home's economy. President Harry Truman spoke at the dedication of the dams in 1952.

Building these dams brought huge growth to Mountain Home. Streets were paved, and electricity became common in homes. A trout fishery was built below the Norfork Dam, attracting even more tourists.

Geography and Climate

Mountain Home is in northern Arkansas. It is the center of the Twin Lakes area. Norfork Lake is 15 minutes to the east. Bull Shoals Lake is 20 minutes to the northwest. The city is part of the Ozarks.

Three rivers are also close by: the Buffalo National River, the White River, and the North Fork River. The North Fork River is famous for its fishing. These rivers make Mountain Home a top spot for freshwater fishing.

The city covers about 30.4 square kilometers (11.7 square miles) of land.

Climate

Mountain Home has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has cool to mild winters. Summers are warm and humid.

Climate data for Mountain Home, Arkansas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1902–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	83 (28)	87 (31)	94 (34)	95 (35)	101 (38)	110 (43)	112 (44)	114 (46)	107 (42)	97 (36)	87 (31)	82 (28)	114 (46)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	69.2 (20.7)	73.6 (23.1)	80.5 (26.9)	84.8 (29.3)	88.7 (31.5)	93.2 (34.0)	97.0 (36.1)	98.1 (36.7)	93.2 (34.0)	86.6 (30.3)	76.6 (24.8)	69.2 (20.7)	99.5 (37.5)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	45.8 (7.7)	50.8 (10.4)	59.8 (15.4)	69.7 (20.9)	76.9 (24.9)	85.0 (29.4)	89.4 (31.9)	89.1 (31.7)	82.0 (27.8)	71.3 (21.8)	58.9 (14.9)	48.5 (9.2)	68.9 (20.5)
Daily mean °F (°C)	36.0 (2.2)	40.0 (4.4)	48.6 (9.2)	58.1 (14.5)	66.3 (19.1)	74.9 (23.8)	79.1 (26.2)	78.3 (25.7)	70.9 (21.6)	59.7 (15.4)	48.2 (9.0)	38.9 (3.8)	58.3 (14.6)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	26.1 (−3.3)	29.3 (−1.5)	37.3 (2.9)	46.4 (8.0)	55.6 (13.1)	64.7 (18.2)	68.8 (20.4)	67.5 (19.7)	59.7 (15.4)	48.0 (8.9)	37.4 (3.0)	29.3 (−1.5)	47.5 (8.6)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	9.1 (−12.7)	13.0 (−10.6)	20.5 (−6.4)	32.4 (0.2)	41.4 (5.2)	55.1 (12.8)	61.2 (16.2)	58.6 (14.8)	45.9 (7.7)	32.5 (0.3)	22.2 (−5.4)	14.0 (−10.0)	5.7 (−14.6)
Record low °F (°C)	−15 (−26)	−14 (−26)	−2 (−19)	21 (−6)	29 (−2)	42 (6)	46 (8)	47 (8)	32 (0)	18 (−8)	9 (−13)	−16 (−27)	−16 (−27)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	3.30 (84)	3.26 (83)	5.03 (128)	5.60 (142)	5.68 (144)	3.88 (99)	4.15 (105)	3.74 (95)	3.66 (93)	3.99 (101)	4.80 (122)	3.77 (96)	50.86 (1,292)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	1.9 (4.8)	2.6 (6.6)	2.0 (5.1)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.1 (0.25)	0.0 (0.0)	1.2 (3.0)	7.8 (19.75)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	8.3	8.2	10.8	10.2	11.5	9.3	9.1	8.8	7.6	8.9	8.8	8.7	110.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	1.0	1.2	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.7	3.8
Source 1: NOAA
Source 2: National Weather Service

Transportation in Mountain Home

Here are the main highways that pass through Mountain Home:

US 62/US 412
U.S. Route 62 Business
Highway 5
Highway 101
Highway 178
Highway 201
Highway 201 Spur

The city has its own airport, Ozark Regional Airport. It is owned by the county and has some commercial flights.

No trains go through Mountain Home directly. But the Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad passes through Cotter, which is about 10 miles away. This train line is 506 miles long. It carries freight and coal trains.

Media and Entertainment

Print Media

The local newspaper is The Baxter Bulletin. It has been published since 1901. It also publishes "Living Well Magazine."

Radio Stations

KTLO AM 1240 started in 1953. Other radio stations include:

KTLO Radio (99.7 FM The Boot, KCTT Classic Hits 101.7 FM, and KTLO 1240 AM Real Country)
Twin Lakes Radio (which includes KOMT The Eagle 93.5 FM, KPFM Country 105.5 FM, and KKTZ Hit 107.5 FM)
KCMH 91.5 FM (a Christian radio station)

Many other stations from nearby towns also serve Baxter County.

Television

K26GS-D operates KL7 in Mountain Home. It is a public access channel that shows local news and interesting pieces. Mountain Home is part of the Springfield television market.

Live Theater

Mountain Home has a live theater called the Twin Lakes Playhouse. It opened in 1971 and has been putting on shows ever since.

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	137	—
1890	242	76.6%
1900	363	50.0%
1910	446	22.9%
1920	492	10.3%
1930	585	18.9%
1940	927	58.5%
1950	2,217	139.2%
1960	2,105	−5.1%
1970	3,936	87.0%
1980	8,066	104.9%
1990	9,027	11.9%
2000	11,012	22.0%
2010	12,448	13.0%
2020	12,825	3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 Census Data

Mountain Home racial composition
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	11,610	90.53%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	49	0.38%
Native American	58	0.45%
Asian	130	1.01%
Pacific Islander	1	0.01%
Other/Mixed	543	4.23%
Hispanic or Latino	434	3.38%

In 2020, there were 12,825 people living in Mountain Home. There were 5,851 households and 3,225 families.

2010 Census Data

In 2010, the population of Mountain Home was 12,448 people.

Education in Mountain Home

Arkansas State University – Mountain Home

Arkansas State University-Mountain Home is a public two-year college. It is located on the west side of the city. The campus became part of the ASU system in 1995. The buildings on campus look like those at the University of Virginia.

Mountain Home School District

Mountain Home Public Schools has seven campuses. It covers a large area of about 330 square miles. More than 4,000 students attend these schools, from kindergarten through 12th grade.

The school's sports teams play in the 6A/7A East Athletic Conference. They compete in basketball, football, baseball, softball, track and field, soccer, wrestling, cross country, volleyball, and swimming. The cross country teams have won many state championships. The swim and volleyball teams have also competed for state championships.

The school band has marched in famous parades. These include the 2006 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the 2010 Citrus Bowl Parade. They also competed at Disney World in 2019. The Jazz Band performs shows in Branson, Missouri.

The robotics program has done very well. It placed in the top three of the FIRST Championship (FRC) many times. In 2012, the robotics team won the FRC world championship!

Senior Project Scientist of the Hubble Space Telescope, Jennifer Wiseman

Notable People from Mountain Home

Many interesting people have connections to Mountain Home:

Richard Antrim: A rear admiral in the U.S. Navy and a World War II veteran.
Charles L. Gilliland: A recipient of the Medal of Honor during the Korean War.
Mike Koch: A professional racing driver.
William U. McCabe: He represented Baxter County in the Arkansas Senate and Arkansas House of Representatives.
Stetson Painter: A member of the Arkansas House of Representatives.
Gaylen Pitts: A Major League baseball player, manager, and coach.
Jennifer Wiseman: A Senior Project Scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope. She is an astronomer who discovered Comet Wiseman-Skiff.
C. D. Wright: A well-known poet.
Ron "Wolverine" Bata: The Light heavyweight champion in Power Slap.

Mountain Home, Arkansas facts for kids

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