50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 4 No. 27 Thursday, July 3, 1969

Charles Phillips was sworn into office as a Pea Ridge City alderman Saturday morning, June 21, at City Hall, with Justice Judge P.R. McLaughlin administering the oath of office. It was decided at that time that the council would undertake to improve streets that have had no previous improvement work by the city. This would include a better grade of improvement on shorter distances, rather than spreading the work too thin on greater lengths of streets. The council agreed at Thursday’s meeting to do still further street work this summer, providing the money received in July allows it. Mayor Jack Musteen presented a letter from Arkansas Western Gas Co. to the council. The letter explained a proposed schedule of rate increases for which the utility is asking the Public Service Commission’s approval.

Pea Ridge Jaycees and Jaycettes announced almost completed plans for next week’s 19th annual Pea Ridge Community Fair. The carnival is expected to move into town in time to be set up and open by Wednesday, July 9. This marks the third consecutive year that the Tobe Amusement Co. of Arma, Kan., has been in charge of the midway. The fair has been held each summer since 1950 when the historic town of Pea Ridge celebrated the centennial of the establishment of its post office in 1850.

Many, even in our own community, may not realize the fantastic amount of effort that the sponsors, the local Jaycees and Jaycettes, put into the planning and presentation of each year’s Pea Ridge Community Fair. This year, particularly, seems to have brought with it any number of set-backs to discourage this dedicated group of younger adults in our midst. Let us all rally behind them in the next few days to help keep this get-together that means so much to so many from falling into discontinuance in the year ahead. Pea Ridge is known across the Ozarks as an unusually attractive and well-kept little town. So, too, it would be well for all of us to see that our lawns and property are especially well-tended next week as this community welcomes thousands of outsiders to the 19th annual Pea Ridge Community Fair.