Arthur "Rabbit" Dickerson - Bentonville Businessman

My new office is a space that is just off the square on Main street. It once was the hub of law in Bentonville. The Courthouse, built in 1874 and used until the new one was completed in 1928, was the first real court house built in Bentonville following reconstruction. The original was in the center of the square, but was burned during the Civil War, after the records had been hauled away to an unspecified location.

The building was a beautiful three story brick and occupied the entire corner of Main and NW 2nd.

Opposite the building to the east was the Southern Hotel. Here is a picture of the new building under construction after the old one was torn down and replaced by the Arvest Conference Room and offices.

A bank occupied the corner of Main and Second where Eldon Cripps' Law Office is now located. It ran north and met the Southern Hotel. There were offices atop the bank and a few above the Southern Hotel; these were known as "lawyer's row" because many of the town's lawyers had offices there, opposite the courthouse.

Arthur "Rabbit" Dickerson was a graduate of the Bentonville Colored School and he ran a shoeshine shop in the space between the two buildings or at the far south end of the hotel. He was born in 1897 and married Cinco Crawley in 1922. Cinco was a teacher and was instrumental in raising the money for a school playground equipment for the colored school prior to school integration in 1957.

Rabbit, who was named because, according to residents, he was small and lively, was a gentle and good man and an excellent businessman, shining shoes for Bentonville citizens for over fifty years. He passed away in 1978. He is yet today recognized as an outstanding businessman who was known for his integrity, and each year a Bentonville business person is awarded the Arthur "Rabbit" Dickerson award for outstanding service to the community.

My office is basically the next door south of where Rabbit used to work. I think of the hotel, lawyer's row, the courthouse that would have been just outside my door, and the outstanding businessman who was just a door or two away. I bet he could teach me a thing or two about customer service.

Where Will the Bentonville Walton Arts Center Be Located?

That is the question on the lips of many of the local residents here. We know that the center is coming, but where? Rumors abound and locations all around town have be put forth and debated. One thing is for sure, it IS coming and soon. Projected construction is for 2014 and folks, that's just around the corner.

Documents found within the Arts Center website point to a 2000 seat auditorium with a main floor and one or two balconies. The main floor will have the ability to be flattened out to hold 1300 seats. It will have plenty of stage space with a fly tower. (giving the ability to use larger sets.) Also included is an orchestra pit with acoustical shell. Adjacent or included is a 200 seat educational theater and a multipurpose room for 30 people. Lobby will accomodate 100 people and there will be an art gallery too.

Projected cost will be in the neighborhood of $160 million dollars. There will be a total of 191,800 gross square footage of space, putting us on par with some great halls around the country, including the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville (197,000 gr sqft); Rensselar Polytechnic Institute of Experimental Media and PAC in Troy, NY (217,700 gr sqft); Mondavi Center at the University of California Davis in Sacremento (103,600 gr sqft) and the Aronoff Center for the Arts in Cincinnatti. (215,000 gr sqft)

This is no podunk theater. The economic impact on the area will be tremendous and the creation of jobs, both in the construciton industry and in the operation of the facility will be a boon to our unemployment, which is already fairly manageable.

Links to these sites are at http://www.waltonartscenter.org/images/cms/ExecSummary.pdf  and

http://www.waltonartscenter.org/futureplans.aspx  also http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2012/02/22/study-confirms-walton-arts-centers-plan-for-bentonville-addition

 It's all good and all good for the City of Bentonville. The downtown arts and entertainment district is booming. I haven't seen so many people on the square since the old photographs of Saturday sale day when every farmer from miles around came to town to do their shopping. The growing number of restaurants around the square are BOOMING! Looking at the 1% restaurant tax reports, although the Flying Fish didn't open until April, their tax was $2238, putting them at THIRD in the entire city. Not bad for a start-up restaurant with little dedicated parking. 45 minute wait times on the weekends are not unusual. Tusk and Trotter, Tavoli, and Table Mesa are pulling in respectable numbers too.

Count me as LOVING IT!

A Fresh Start - On the Square (Almost!)

 After 25 years as a real estate agent in Bentonville and having lived here my entire life, i have decided that the time has come to open my own office. It is at 200 North Main Street, just off the square on Main. My office is the first door around the corner. It is made up of only me. I feel that I have expertise in all forms of Bentonville properties - residential, commercial, development. I can provide a list of transactions for those who are interested.

I feel like it is a fresh start after many years with Harris McHaney. I think I was getting stale and lazy and now I feel re-energized. The Bentonville square is popping with new businesses and new restaurants and there are lots and lots of people wandering around enjoying our beautiful town.

I will still be at the fire department for those who know me from there, at least for a while. But the rest of the time I will be at the center of activity and I am excited. My business has already increased waaaayyy over last year and I think it will continue to be a banner year.

Please feel free to drop by and visit, if not about real estate, then about Bentonville history or goings on about town.

I feel strongly that you will like the personalized service you will get from a small company that can concentrate on matters at hand. Although I will still deal in property all over the area, I believe that Bentonville is going to be the hub of activity and that's where I will concentrate my efforts at listing and selling. I think the name Bentonville Real Estate reflects that interest in our area and I hope you will too.

Please call me with any of your real estate needs at 479-903-0328. I will be glad to serve you. Let's see where all of this takes us.

A New Ribbon

I acquired this new ribbon this week to go with my Odd Fellows Ribbon. The new one is from a meeting of the Knights Templar in Bentonville, May 18, 1909.

I just LOVE the apple! What an unusual piece. This was reportedly worn by Judge Mark Olney of Mena, Arkansas.

Here are the two together. I estimate the year of the IOOF ribbon to be late 1890's

 The following is a full text of the minutes of the meeting held that day:

Arkansas, 1909

The Thirty-seventh Annual Conclave, held in the Asylum of
Bethany Commandery, No. 16, in the city of Bentonville, May
18, 1909, all the Grand Officers being present with the exception
of the Senior Grand Warden. There were also present five
Past Grand Commanders, one Past Deputy Grand Commander,



6 GRAND COMMANDRY OF MASS. AND R. I.

the Representatives in person or by proxy of the eighteen
Commanderies in the Jurisdiction and seventeen Representa-
tives of sister Grand Jurisdictions, among whom we find our
own well beloved Representative, Charles E. Rosenbaum.

Grand Commandery being duly opened an Address of
Welcome was delivered by Rev. Sir. '.Knight R. E. L. Bearden,
expressing the pleasure felt by the members of his Commandery
at the presence of the Grand Commandery and 'visiting Sir
Knights, and tendering the hospitalities and welcome of the
Sir Knights and citizens of Bentonville. The Grand Repre-
sentatives present were then dulj' assembled and welcomed by
the R.".E.'. Grand Commander.

R. .E.'. Grand Commander Goss then delivered his Address,
which is a faithful report of his stewardship during the year,
and in which he pays fitting tribute to the departed Fraters
of his own and sister Grand Jurisdictions. Among other things,
he says, that no question requiring a decision as to Templar
law had been referred to him during the year, which shows a
splendid condition of affairs in that Jurisdiction.

Petition for a new Commandery, to be located at Van Buren,
was received and referred to the Committee on Charters and
Dispensations, and action on the same was postponed for
one year.

From the Grand Recorder's Report we find that the member-
ship is 1,031, a net gain for the year of 28.

The Grand Treasurer reported balance on hand of $3,438.49.

The Committee on Grievances and Appeals report that
nothing had been brought before them for consideration.

An appropriation of $1,000.00, was made for aid of the
Masonic Orphans' Home, same to be used for the furnishing
of the same.

The Report on Correspondence is by E.".Sir Fay Hempstead,
Grand Recorder. It opens with a Proemial. Frater Hemp-
stead ably reviews forty-nine Grand Jurisdictions, commencing
with Alabama and continuing alphabetically. Massachusetts
and Rhode Island receives due notice, four pages being devoted
to the same. He notes the Address of Grand Commander
Litchfield as evidence of a most active administration. Kindly



REPORT ON CORRESPONDENCE 7

remembrance is made of ourselves as Grand Recorder, in
which he says that our report is uncommonly full and specific,
with statistical tables which indicate a thoroughness and pains-
taking care, and he also has our thanks for his kind words
regarding our Report on Correspondence.

Sir Thomas H. Jackson, R/.E.-.Grand Commander.

Sir Fay Hempstead, E.'. Grand Recorder and Correspondent.

Next Annual Conclave to be held in the city of Texarkana,
the third Tuesday in May, 1910.

I'm happy to latch onto these things as they become available. I guess it's fortunate that I have the capability of purchasing these items before they are gone forever.

Bentonville Square Looking West, about 1910

This is a different view from the norm - looking at the west side of the square toward what is now the walton's 5 and 10. You can see the statue and the tower for the fire bell in the foreground...