RECOLLECTIONS

PEA RIDGE — 40 Years Ago

U.S. Hwy. 62 from the Ark. Hwy. 72 intersection to Gateway received heavy damage in the subzero temperatures. Motorists were being urged to use extreme caution when traveling between Pea Ridge National Military Park entrance and Gateway. According to Jay Pratt of the Arkansas Highway Department, U.S. 62 had broken up worse than any other road in Benton County.

Pea Ridge High School freshman Jim Pierce won a trophy which for first in the Pea Ridge Youth Center boys’ pool tournament.

The first homecoming to be observed in basketball in Pea Ridge was scheduled for Friday, Feb.

6, 1970, in the local gym.

The Jr. and Sr. Blackhawks would play Decatur, then the queen would be crowned.

30 Years Ago

Due to the large number of reports of vandalism, burglary and arson from the northeast portion of Benton County, the Sheriff’s Office instituted a night patrol in this section, beginning Jan. 31.

The Garfield girls’ basketball team beat Rogers Northside II school at Rogers 10-5. Tom Warnock was the coach, and the team consisted of Wendy Bolen, Rhonda Montgomery, Rhonda Lee, Janet Floyd, Lori Renfroe, Jean Tillman, Heather Davidson, Kim Ingram, Kimberly Gauwain and Alisa Smith.

In the real estate section of that week’s edition, 26 acres four miles north and one mile north of Pea Ridge was for sale for $850 per acre.

20 Years Ago

The owner of Oak Ridge Lodge, Larry Goins, said that he planned to build three duplex units just north of the existing facility. Goins said the investment would amount to approximately $200,000.

Pea Ridge High School principal Tom Chew introduced the Pea Ridge Green Partnership Program as an effort to improve the appearance of the school campus. The initial partner was Beta Alpha Sorority, the members of which agreed to improve a section of the school ground by planting and maintaining flowers.

The 30-unit, $480,000 apartment project slated to be built in Pea Ridge still faced hurdles, experiencing problems with rezoning regulations at the site, located north of the old First Federal building off Ark. Hwy. 94 south.

10 Years Ago

The Volunteer Ambulance Service announced it would hold its 17th Annual Meeting Feb. 11.

There would be a potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m., followed by the meeting at 7 p.m. All members of the community were invited to attend. The total runs for the month of January 2000 were 28.

A poem written by fourth-grader Tyler Carney, son of Shermon Carney and Tom Carney, was chosen to appear in the upcoming anthology A Celebration of the Heartland’s Young Poets.

Carney was a student in Mrs. Ruddick’s fourth grade class at Pea Ridge Elementary School.

The Eagle Watch Cruise participants on Beaver Lake were treated to exquisite views of eagles soaring and roosting in trees along the shoreline.