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NEW WEBSITE
Griffin Park
About Griffin Park
| THE GRIFFIN TRADITION For nearly 60 years, the Griffin family has owned property along the South Fork of the Spring River just above Hardy. Here, the family has raised children, operated businesses and hosted thousands of tourists to the Hardy area. Bernard Griffin first traveled through the Hardy area in the 1930s and was a visitor to the area until 1940 when, following purchasing land which would become his families' home, he moved to the area. Bernard left a profitable rice farm in Craighead County behind, along with the mosquitoes, and gladly traded them for the rugged beauty of the Ozarks. A major drawback to the property he purchased was that there was no bridge to cross over to nearby Hardy. Being resourceful, Bernard built his own bridge across the South Fork. Bernard worked as a land surveyor, served as the Sharp County Surveyor and later served for 14 years on the Sharp County Quorum Court. Bernard's wife, Essie, opened a Merle Norman store on Main Street in Hardy which she operated for 20 years. Bernard and Essie's oldest son Virgil coached basketball, beginning his career at Cash in 1956. He moved to Weiner the following year, where he remained eleven years until moving to Couch High School in Missouri in 1968, eventually settling his family on the Griffin property later that year. Virgil opened Lazy Acres Riding Stables along the South Fork in the summer of 1960, drawing business from the Meramichee YWCA Camp just across the river, which is now the Cherokee Village development. Lazy Acres offered trail rides and family camping to a quickly developing Hardy tourist industry. Virgil employed many locals over the years but also found a ready-made workforce among his four sons. In 1968, Virgil opened the Ozark Basketball Camp, which catered to junior high and high school students from across the south. The camp operated for two years. Virgil retired from coaching in 1972 following a nearly catastrophic accident but has continued to work in many fields. Lazy Acres offered a canoe rental beginning in 1970 which operated for fifteen years. During the past 40 years, Virgil has worked in real estate, been a commercial fisherman in the Florida Keys, opened and operated several area restaurants, and hauled farm-raised catfish. Lazy Acres Riding Stables has continued to operate in the same location since 1960, introducing thousands to their first horse experience. For a time, the river property was managed by the now defunct Spring River Beach Club, but has since returned to the families' management. In 2008, the four Griffin brothers formed Griffin Land Properties, LLC, acquiring property and contracting construction of new homes. Griffin Land Properties has various properties in the area for sale. Griffin Park has been the home of the Zippin Griffin zip line, the Spring River Rally motorcycle rally, the Hardy Spokes Chuckwagon Races, concerts, ATV rally's, and other special events. The Griffin family, through Griffin Park, continues a decades long tradition of attracting visitors and creating jobs in the Spring River area! |
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