30 Mar 2025 A bridge to the bounty
By Judy Riley
A remARKable judge had the foresight to develop part of 1,000 acres in an urban area into an affordable garden plot option for city dwellers.
Soon we will welcome the sights and smells of spring. Vegetable, fruit and flower gardens are being planted and tended all around the 501 area, but some gardens are like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Such is the case for the Pulaski County Garden Center plots at Two Rivers Park. Currently, 447 Central Arkansas residents have leased plots and are busily getting ready to “dig in.”
For a nominal fee of $50 per year, residents can lease a 20 x 50-foot tract, with water and soil provided. Lessees must agree to certain terms when planting and tending their spaces, but they can even install portable sheds and storage containers. “We’ve had some gardeners using these spaces for over 30 years,” said Two Rivers Park Supervisor Lynn Kelley. “Many live in town with lots that are not suitable for gardens and many just love the challenge of producing their own fruits and vegetables.”
One such enthusiast is Laura Otter, a retired physician who originally got involved because of an 82-year-old patient. “Thomas Johnson was so active, energetic, and positive, I asked about his secret to such great health. Gardening was it. With little convincing, I decided whatever he was doing to stay healthy, was what I needed to be doing. For several years, I gardened with him. Then I met Fred and Kathy Michael, and they are now my gardening partners.” Hearing about their plans is contagious!
This beautiful space was not always a garden available to the public. Originally it was identified as ‘16th section’ by the first land surveys conducted from 1830-1845 by the General Land Office for the State of Arkansas. Those lands were designated for schools unless there was an existing school close by. In 1918, Pulaski County acquired the 1000-acre property through a bank foreclosure and established a prison farm. Up to 100 inmates at a time grew vegetables and fruits and raised cattle to provide food for the county hospital. The prison was closed in 1975. After the structures were removed, the county immediately established the Garden Center.
Every worthy project needs a “visionary” and a “doer.” When one individual embodies both, the project is destined to succeed. That is what happened in 1984, when Floyd “Buddy” Villines was elected Pulaski County Judge. “When I first took office people were wanting me to sell the property for development, maybe a golf course. I got out there and drove around in a pickup from one end to the other, and I thought, here’s 1000 acres in the middle of an urbanizing area. We just cannot let that go,” speaking at the bridge and park dedication in December 2013.
Accessing the garden was difficult in the early days. Folks traveled a circuitous route via Highway 10 or Cantrell Road. More adventurous folks loaded their gardening equipment on a boat and crossed the Maumelle River. The garden and park are a short drive from Little Rock via the River Mountain Road exit off of Highway 10, or Cantrell Road. With the completion of Two Rivers Bridge, recently dedicated to the late Judge Villines, the pedestrian and bike bridge makes access easy. It connects the garden to Two Rivers Park, which includes a veritable smorgasbord of activities for the whole family.
Even if you aren’t interested in the goldmine of gardens, which has a waiting list of more than 100 people, there is much to enjoy on this “treasure island.” Interpretive signs mark access to the Little Maumelle River, 8.5 miles of which are designated as an official Arkansas River Trail. The entire area is part of the network of pedestrian and bike trails that connect Central Arkansas. There are equestrian trails, a huge sundial, picnic areas and a state-of-the-art inclusive playground, which is the largest in central Arkansas. The Big Dam Bridge, which is the longest pedestrian and bicycle bridge in North America according to littlerock.com, is a short walk from the park.
Yes, there are activities for young and old, but Villines’ big dream of making the area a place for folks to get back to nature and get to know each other has been accomplished in full. It especially plays out in the garden, with people from all walks of life getting to know each other, helping one another with ideas, and even sharing seeds, plants and equipment. Being a part of the garden reaps benefits not only of fresh produce, but also of lasting friendships like with the Otters and the Michaels.
Garden tracts can be reserved by contacting Tracey Perkins at tperkins@pulaskicounty.net or by phone at 501.340.6800. Villines made a concerted effort to use the property to enrich the lives of its citizens by improving the property to include maximum public use with minimum ecological impact. The legacy continues. Current County Judge Barry Hyde has picked up where Villines left off. Taking a walk or bike ride over the arched Buddy Villines Bridge to Two Rivers Park is akin to finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. If not gold, then certainly a gem in the 501, a place where fun, family and friendships abound.
