People's Bank, about 1903. Corner of Central and Main

the Crosstown restaurant was at the corner of NW 2nd and Main, in the south parking lot of the Midtown Shopping Center. The Hotel Bentonville was next door.

Operating on a branch line of the Frisco, the tracks left the line at the A Street crossing and ran straight down the middle of the street. It stopped once at the Massey Hotel and then on north to Park Springs, which was a hotel and resort. The Blackjack ball park laid to the east of Park Springs. the interurban was often loaded with travellers between Bentonville and Rogers, folks looking to picnic or take in a ballgame or enjoy the shade during the hot summers. The interurban operated from 1914 to 1916 when it went bankrupt.

view of South Main Street looking to the North, about 1895-1900

post card advertising the various springs located in Bentonville

This was located next door to the Crosstown restaurant, corner of NW 2nd and Main

Bentonville square. Note the tower on the square which held the fire bell.

This Bentonville School Building was located at the intersection of SW 4th and SW E street. It was built about 1880 and burned at least once and was rebuilt. Later, the school was located on the Benton County Farigrounds property on South Main before moving into the new school building on NW 2nd in 1928.

James Henderson Berry was a native of Carroll County Arkansas who was a lawyer and ex-Confederate who lost a leg at the Battle of Corinth. He later moved to Bentonville and was elected Governor. Alex Black was the leader of the Bentonville Band and wrote this song in celebration of Bentonville's leading citizen.

The interior of the Elkhorn Barber Shop, located on the south side of the square, about 1955

The members of the Bentonville Fire Department pose in front of the station located at SE 3rd and D, about 1955

1935 model Ford Fire Engine hand built by city electrician Walter Grimes

The Bentonville Fire Department pose in front of their trucks and station, which was at this time located on South Main, about 1938

Old photo of the entrace to the Benton County Fairgrounds shown from the southwest corner looking northeast, about 1965.

the Neta Villa Restaurant, about 1955. I believe that this restaurant was in about the 2500 block of what is now South Walton. However, there was also a restaurant on Rainbow Curve and this one may have been it...I'm not sure

The Trail 71 motel was located at the intersection of Walton and Central, or at that time, hwy 71 and Hwy 72. the corner is now occupied by Coffee Corner, Subway, Bentonville Clipper and others, in the strip mall across the street from Taco Bell.

This is an Oddfellows Lodge badge from the Bentonville Lodge #33, from about 1890. From my personal collection.

An interior picture of the Bentonville School form 1914. I believe that this building was the one located at the corner of SW E and 4th.

The Oriole barbershop. Located just west of the corner of NW 2nd and Main.

$5 national bank note from the First National Bank of Bentonville, 1904

$10 national bank note, First National Bank of Bentonville, 1929

$5 bank note from the Benton County Bank of Bentonville, 1929

Boon Brothers Dry Goods on the south side of the square, Knott grocery to the right and Bohart Hardware to the left. From the Boon family website.

Aerial view of SW A where it meets Walton - at the "Y" as we used to call it. All aerials are from about 1975.

Aerial view of the old Wal Mart 100 store on North Walton, now a Logistics Building.

looking slightly to the north from the "Y" above the old Triangle Lumber at the intersection of Walton and SW A.

WalMart WH #1, now known as the Home Office. The dirt in the foreground is the construction of the Citizen's Bank, now Bank of America I think

A homecoming parade from about 1955 in front of the Massey

Homecoming parade about 1955 on Southwest A between 2nd and Central.

Homecoming parade about 1955 in front of the First Christian Church.

A little blurry, but the same parade on Central facing city hall. Many of us remember the Conoco station that used to be on the corner of Central and A.

Homecoming parade about 1955 between NW 2nd and Central

Homecoming parade about 1955, on NW 2nd in front of what is now Harp's

Phillips Food Center, east end of the building where Harp's is now. Walton's was on the west end.

North Walton in front of the old Kentucky Fried Chicken, about the 500 block of North Walton

South Walton heading north almost at Central, at that time Hwy 71

South Walton about the 1000 block. The Bentonville Livestock Auction was to the right of the photo. Now occupied by Wendy's and Raintree Office Complex

North Walton at NW 11th

South Walton looking north about where Chick-fil-A and McDonalds would later be

North Walton at the Old Kentucky Fried Chicken - about the 500 block

Intersection of Central and Walton

North Walton in front of the old Bates Hospital

North Walton in about the 400 block

I'm pretty sure this is the Ron Blackwell Ford building under construction on South Walton, now Lander's Ford, etc...

Central and Walton, then 71 and 72 intersection

north walton looking south

North Walton in front of the Church of Christ. Bates Hospital is on the right

looking north from South Walton at the intersection with Central

Bentonville Sun Newspaper letterhead, 1900

This is a picture from the newspaper of the fire that levelled the building next to the Plaza Theater March 21,1961 ...provided by Monte Harris of the Rogers Historical Museum.

South Walton aerial of Apco station and taco tico, now where Conoco and Sonic and Chic Fil A are presently

Harlan Phillips' Food 4 Less building with KFC in the foreground and the First Federal bank under construction

Old Sonic Drive In at North Walton and NW 3rd

Bentonville had it's own National Weather Service Office located at the corner of NE 2nd and A from 1906 until it closed in 1942. It sent out a post card every day in the mail with a weather prediction for those farmers who wanted it. This is one of those cards, sent in 1924.

Autograph of Franz Sigel, the most famous Union officer to be chased out of Bentonville

Autograph of A. B. Greenwood, first attorney to open a law office in Benton County, was a federal commissary agent who escorted Cherokees through this area on the "Trail of Tears" in 1837, moved to Bentonville in 1838, elected to the state legislature in 1846, circuit judge from 1848 to 1852. Commission of Indian Affairs for President Buchanan in 1856. State Tax collector in 1864. Returned to Bentonville after the war and continued to practice law until his death in 1889.

Autograph of James H. Berry, born 1841, moved to Carroll County in 1848. Enlisted in CSA, lost a leg at the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi discharged at the rank of 2nd lieutenant. Discharged and practiced law, moving to Bentonville in 1869. Elected to the state legislature in 1872, circuit judge in 1878 to 1882. Elected governor in 1883 and served until 1885. Served in the US Senate from 1885 until 1907, returning to Bentonville to practice law. He died in Bentonville in 1913.

copyright 1895, this business calculator was used by Dave Peel. 

David Peel was born in 1860 in Bentonville. He operated a “grocery house” in partnership with E.O. Lefors beginning in 1890. (Peel and Lefors) By 1903, he was the cashier at the People’s Bank.[1] In 1910, he had moved to the cashier position at the First National Bank.[2] He also was a member of the Arkansas Home Guard, Class B. Peel died in 1935 and is buried in Bentonville City Cemetery.

[1] 1904 Benton County Atlas , op. cit.

[2] 1918 Bentonville City Directory, op. cit.

Ozark Copper Mining Stock certificate, dated April 7th, 1927 owned by R. L. Smith. The company was incorporated in Benton County. J. Dickson Black in his book History of Benton county, notes that the only copper mine in Benton County was operated in the Spring of 1900 by Frank Page along the White River east of Rogers. The Page Copper Company issued stock and a railroad spur was run from the White River Bridge to LaRue. Several tunnels were dug but little copper was found. Black asserts that this was the only copper mine in the county but this stock certificate seems to refute that notion. It is signed by Charles Davis and E. C. Martin.

This roller rink is the one your parents remember, if you are a native. It was located just east of rainbow curve where the Clarion Inn is located now. This is an original sticker from the rink.

This art nouveau fan is from around the turn of the century and was distributed by F. H. Banks Produce and Grocery which was located on the corner of what is now West Central and A, across from the Massey Building. The front design is on the next photo

Three old matchbook covers from Bentonville's heyday...

Douglas Drug Store, The Do-Nut Shop, and the Plaza Grill at 126 West Central.

First National Bank Building. This bank went out of business at the height of the Great Depression and the building was purchased by the city for use as City Hall. Later, it was the library and then the municipal Court building

Another view of The First National Bank, after takeover by the City

The Benton County Courthouse as it was when constructed in 1877. It was located on the corner of Main and NW 2nd

 A view of the businesses along what was then called East 12th and now is East Central in the 100 Block

When the Benton County Fair first began as a true county fair it was known as the fruit fair, celebrating the fruit farming industry of Benton County.

A view of East Central/E. 12th in earlier days when it was named Spring Street

Celebration of the laying of the cornerstone of the Masonic Lodge on South Main.  

The Statue dedicated to the southern soldiers, erected in the center of the town square in 1908.