Description

Location:  This is a very unique property that is nestled in the heart of the Ouachita National Forest in a beautiful valley setting on the southern slopes of the Winding Stair Mountain Range.  The property adjoins the 1.5 million acre Ouachita National Forest on the North property line, which provides excellent hunting opportunities for whitetail deer, eastern wild turkey, black bear, wild hog and other small game as well as access to an impressive network of ATV, hiking and horseback riding trails that are operated and maintained by the US Forest Service.  This property is located 2.5 miles from the West entrance to the Talihina Scenic Drive, which is a National Scenic By-way in south-eastern Oklahoma and extreme western Arkansas spanning a 54 mile stretch of road traveling down the top of several mountain ranges.  Near-by towns include Talihina, Hochatown, Broken Bow and Poteau.  This property is about a 3.5 hour drive from Dallas, Texas. 

Physical Address:  51511 Old US Highway 271; Talihina, Oklahoma 74571

Services to Property:  This home and shop have the following systems in place.

• Solar Panel & Battery System:  The solar system consists of an array of 6 solar panels (75 Watts each), 4 Trojan deep cycle golf cart batteries and a 1000 Watt Inverter.  This system has adequate capacity to power all the essential survival functions of the home in the event that grid power is lost.
• Passive Solar System:  The home was designed using the concept of the passive solar rammed earth tire design.  The home was designed with an array of 8 south facing windows oriented so that solar gain is trapped for use via thermal mass represented in the tire walls of the home and the rock flooring.
• Rain Water Catchment System:  There is a rain guttering system on the South side of the home that collects rainwater that is stored in 3 above grade tanks that are plumbed in parallel having a total storage capacity of 4500 gallons. The surface area of the homes roof is approximately 1900 square feet and this part of south-eastern Oklahoma receives 50 inches of rainfall per year on average.  The exterior of the storage tanks are wrapped in foil backed Low E foam insulation.  The water collection system is designed with a multi-stage water purification and filtration system, 12 VDC water pump, 80 gallon pressurized water tank and Hi/Lo pressure switches set at 30 and 50 psig to automatically turn on the water pump.
• Propane Gas:  There is a single 150 gallon propane storage tank that is piped into both the home and the shop building.  Propane gas is used for the homes on-demand tank less hot water heater, kitchen stove, clothes dryer and a radiant wall heater in the work shop.
• Grid Electric Power:  The home and shop are also connected to the local electrical grid system.  The grid electricity powers the shop, the guest room in the shop and the HVAC system at the home.
• Wood Heater:  The home has a Vermont Castings catalytic wood stove that heats the home during the winter months.  It takes about 1 rick of wood to heat the home and there is an endless supply of firewood that can be harvested off the property.  The current homeowner only uses this ancillary wood heat source during periods of cloudy weather.
• Composting Toilet:  The home and guest room in the shop have composting toilets. 
• Gray Water Discharge System:  Gray water from the home is discharged to an 8 ft x 8 ft mulch pit.
• Drilled Water Well & Hand Dug Well:  There is a drilled and two hand dug water well on the property.  Additionally, there is a low flow natural spring located on the property.

Property Access:  The property is accessed by an all-weather county-maintained gravel road.  There is a private gravel drive off the county road that leads to the home and shop.

Land:  The home and shop sit on 45 acres of land that is level to gently sloping.  The land is mainly covered with a mature stand of timber that is native to south-eastern Oklahoma including a diverse variety of oaks, sweet gum, eastern red cedar, redbud and a nice scattering of mature saw log size native shortleaf pine.  A seasonal mountain stream flows through the property in front of the home.  The property fronts the 1.5 million acre Ouachita National forest along the north property line for approximately ¼ mile.  Wildlife are frequently seen in this area.

Pond:  There is a large pond on the property that serves as a year round source of water for local wildlife.  This pond provides great fishing for crappie, largemouth bass and perch. 

Earthship Home:  There is a Passive Solar Rammed Earth Tire Home located on this property containing approximately 1575 square feet of heated and cooled surface area with 2 Bedrooms/1 Bath.  The home was constructed in 2000 and is designed and oriented with a south facing window wall that allows solar energy to be trapped via thermal mass expansion represented in the homes tire walls and flagstone rock flooring.  This home was constructed and designed with the intention of being totally self-sufficient and non-reliant on any local grid systems for essential survival items.  The homes energy efficient design minimizes the external energy required to heat and cool the home.  The homes floor is covered with flagstone rock that was quarried from the local area.  There is a window wall on the south side of the home with 8 picture windows that provide a great view of the wooded area surrounding the home.  The exterior of the home requires very little maintenance.  Approximate room dimensions are given below:

• Kitchen/Dining Area:  18 feet x 35 feet
• Living Room Area:  22 feet x 25 feet
• Bedroom #1:  10 feet x 11 feet
• Bedroom #2:  10 feet x 11 feet
• Bathroom:  10 feet x 10 feet

Metal Shop Building:  There is a very nice 30 ft x 40 ft shop building on the property.  This building is an engineered all metal building with bolted red iron trusses and beams, concrete flooring, insulation, sky light, roof ventilation, grid powered lights and electrical outlets.  The shop has two 10 ft wide x 7 ft tall roll up doors and one 3 ft walk through door. The shop building features an 8 ft x 16 ft Guest Room with shower, sink, composting toilet, window AC and electric hot water heater.

Garden/Tool Shed:  There is a 12 ft x 24 ft metal building that is currently used to store small hand tools, firewood and a utility vehicle.

Chemical Building:  There is a 5 ft x 7 ft insulated metal building that is currently used to store gasoline, oil and miscellaneous chemicals.

Storage Building:  There is an 8.5 ft x 14.5 ft insulated storage building

Agent’s Comments:  This is a very well thought out and designed alternative energy home located in the mountains of southeastern Oklahoma.  This unique property has frontage to the  1.5 million acre Ouachita National Forest area providing great recreational opportunities for hunting, fishing, horseback riding and ATV riding.

Price:  $299,000

Property Taxes:  $543 paid in 2021.