Altus

Altus is a city along Interstate 30 known for its wineries. It is in Franklin County and has a population of 817 people. An interesting non-winery related fact is Altus was the town in which season 1 of the critically acclaimed FOX reality show The Simple Life, which starred Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie while they stayed with a local family for a month. The premiere for the show was watched by 13 million people, providing a stat for those who are ready to bemoan the loss of American taste. 97.8% of its citizens identified themselves as white in the 2000 census. The per capita income was $17,376 or in other words the average Altus citizen's per capita income was around 37% of the average Americans. The per capita income compares with the per capita income of a country such as Oman or Taiwan. Altus is served by the Ozark School District. The average ACT score in the Ozark School District is 22.3 and the district spends $7702 per student.

Wineries

The Altus area is home to four wineries: Post Familie Vineyard and Winery, Wiederkehr Wine Cellars, Mount Bethel Winery, and Chateau Aux Arc . Each of these places offer free tours and a variety of other tourist attractions. The wineries can be traced back to the 1870s when German-Swiss immigrants settled in the area and began to grow grapes. The Arkansas River Valley has great natural potential for grape growing due to its mountains, valleys, and well-draining sandy soil.