Rose Dale Farm Bed and Breakfast Kudos

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http://rosedalefarm.net

Guest Comments

I have travelled extensively to 28 countries on four continents and have had the pleasure of staying in upscale business accommodations and 5 star hotels in some of the most spectacular locations in the world. But when it is time for family vacations, I much prefer the warmth, charm and privacy of B&B establishments like Rose Dale Farm. The historical restorations and period furniture added greatly to the ambiance and charm of our stay. Best of all, we had the entire farm house to ourselves! For family fun we enjoyed fishing in nearby rivers and state parks, antiquing, playing softball in the well-maintained community ballpark, swimming in the local community pool, and sitting on the porch watching the sunset. Our host made sure that the house was well-stocked with board games, croquet, badminton, books, and other fun activities that greatly enhanced our family time together. The warmth and hospitality of our host was wonderful and made us feel truly at home. I highly recommend Rose Dale Farm to the business traveler, those searching for a quaint weekend getaway, or families on vacation.

- Cheryl Warner Washington D.C.

Of all the Bed & Breakfast where I have stayed, Rose Dale Farm is my favorite. The house was comfortable and tastefully restored. The proprietor was very special with his kindness and taking care of our every need. I am recommending Rose Dale Farm to all my family and friends that live and travel through Arkansas.

- Dentis Crow Vancouver, Washington

Mr. Brame's Blog

Here's how we ended up in Piggott, Arkansas.

- Aaron Brame 23 March 2013

If you had asked me where Ernest Hemingway wrote A Farewell to Arms, my first guess would have been Paris. Then Key West. Then maybe Cuba, or Pamplona, or Oak Park. The last place I ever would have guessed is Piggott, Arkansas, but it tuns out that that's where he was in for part of 1928, when he was working on the novel.

Ernest Hemingway and Pauline Pfieffer

Hemingway's second wife was named Pauline Pfieffer. She was a journalist who was writing for Vogue Magazine in the mid 1920s in Paris, which is where she met Ernest Hemingway. By the time they were married in early 1926, her family was living in Piggott, Arkansas.

In the summer of 1928, Hemingway and Pfieffer, who was pregnant with their first child, visited Piggott. Hemingway had written 200 pages ofA Farewell to Arms and worked on the novel in the horse stables behind the house. The two of them traveled back and forth to Kansas City, where Pfieffer eventually gave birth after a difficult labor. The experience inspired the fictional miscarriage of Catherine at the end of the novel. (Spoiler!)

Renee and I traveled to Piggott on a dull, dark, and soundless day this weekend, to have a look at the house and spend the night at the Rose Dale Farms bed and breakfast. We had to check out Hemingway's studio from the outside, as we arrived too late to take a tour from the Hemingway-Pfieffer Museum. (Renee and I were once locked out of William Faulkner's home once, too, which you can read about here.) We then returned to the bed and breakfast, where, we learned, Hemingway used to visit after going on hunting excursions. He would drink bourbon there with the owner, and apparently displeased the lady of the house so much that she made him come in the back door and would not stay in the same room as him. (The house is pictured at the top of this post.)

It was a relaxing weekend, and I felt we were sharing a scene with one of my favorite writers and favorite books.

(Here's a picture of Renee outside of Hemingway's converted writing studio where he worked on A Farewell to Arms. She once wrote a guest blog explaining her frustration with the character Catherine Barkley in the book.)