Altus
Altus is an Arkansas town known best for its wineries. The town is in Franklin County and has a population of 817 people. Altus served as home base for the first season of the FOX television reality show The Simple Life, starring Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie. Hilton and Ritchie lived with a local family for one month. The show garnered as many as 13 million viewers.
Wineries
The Altus area is home to four wineries: Post Familie Vineyards & Winery, Wiederkehr Wine Cellars and Vineyard, Mount Bethel Winery, and Chateau Aux Arc Vineyards & Winery.
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.
Education
Altus is served by the Ozark School District.
