Relax, Refresh, Rector, AR - Weekend Retreat becomes Home

Introducing you to this tiny town that is now heralded as"home" ~
      Rector, AR is a town of about 2000 people, located in the upper and easternmost county in Arkansas, Clay County.  Adjacent to the familiar "Missouri Bootheel," Clay County / Rector is 15 miles west of Kennett, Missouri.  The St. Francis River is an eastern landmark and Crowley's Ridge is a mid-county landmark. On Hwy 49 N/ Hwy 90 N, Rector is named for one of Arkansas' first governors and was a major railroad town, a hub of cotton growing, ginning, and transporting.  One Main Street with several businesses and no traffic lights includes the Rector Flower Shop and the Rector Downtown Drug Store. The downtown area, with its Downtown Park, is on the Historic Register as is the First United Methodist Church building.  Rector Memorial Park is well kept with picnic facilities and is adjacent to the Community Center.  The Veteran's Park is newly constructed, and is on the same property as the Chamber of Commerce/Welcome Center which is housed in the revitalized/repurposed vintage City Jail Building.  The economy focuses on farming:  cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat, rice to name a few.  Employment also centers around the farming community with the school and city government being two of the other major employers.  Families in this region have lived here for a generations and the annual Labor Day Picnic brings them all home for the weekend celebrations.  Where a person lives in town is described in relationship to "the family name house."
      Being raised in a small town in south Arkansas, I am no stranger to small towns, but this community is tiny.  Nonetheless, it is a great place to live and certainly a great place to retire. 
      Watch for future articles and blog notices regarding life in this small town that carries this mantra:  Relax ~ Refresh ~ Rector. This link is to the City of Rector website:  Rector Retirement Retreat