RECOLLECTIONS

PEA RIDGE — 40 Years Ago

The Pea Ridge Free Will Baptist Church purchased a five-acre plot of land upon which it expected to build a new church building. The land was at the southeast corner of the intersection of Lee Town Road and S. Davis Street, a block east of the Bank of Pea Ridge.

A former Pea Ridge man, Joe Weston, 18, was killed in a one-car accident in Rupert, Ida. The newly married victim was one of three passengers in the car, the other two were injured.

Two candidates filed to run for the office of mayor of Pea Ridge - incumbent Jack Musteen and Bill Denman. Four candidates filed for seat of alderman, Joe Lasater, Dean Messer, Lee Otis Hall and Jerry Wilkerson.

ties for their recovery from burns and injuries obtained in the fire.

The second annual Avoca Volunteer Fire Department BBQ and rummage sale was set to provide some of the funds towards the purchase of a new tanker. The previous year’s event provided $3,000 used to the new fire station and community building.

Mayor Lester Hall distributed a bulletin at the Pea Ridge City Council meeting from the Arkansas Department of Local Services that stated the city had a right to clean up vacant lots or other real property. The city enacted an ordinance to allow the city to order property owners within city boundariesto clean up their property.

20 Years Ago

According to figures compiled by the Benton County Quorum Court’s finance committee, the area would bring in $5,560,000 in a oneyear period as a result of the recently passed one-cent sales tax. Pea Ridge was estimated to receive $107,500 of that.

The Volunteer Ambulance Service of Northeast Benton County received very little support in its plea for volunteers to drive and act as responders. The ambulance was the only emergency ambulance care in the 25-square-miles of northeast Benton County.

The R.A. Walker and Pitts family reunions were both held at City Park June 24.

10 Years Ago

The Kite Fest, part of the Pea Ridge Sesquicentennial Celebration, featured kite flying demonstrations, 20- and 30-foot circular bol kites, hand painted kites from China for sale and kites for kids to make. The event was held at City Park.

The Pea Ridge United Fund Board of Directors met with representatives from the Benton County United Way to discuss the possibility of combining the two organizations in an effort to better serve both the residents of Pea Ridge and of Benton County.

Heather Henson of Pea Ridge was named to the 2000 spring semester Dean’s List at Crowder College in Neosho, Mo.

30 Years Ago

Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported the arrest of two Rogers men in the burning of the Corinth School May 24 and 25. They were charged with reckless burning, a class D felony, but released from Benton County Jail as the jail did not have sufficient facili-