RECOLLECTIONS
50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 2 No. 17 Thursday, April 27, 1967
In a meeting Monday, the first step was taken to re-organize the Reserved Deputy organization of the county. Under the leadership of Benton County Sheriff Lee Owen, the Pea Ridge organization became the first in the county. Names as members of the Reserved Deputy group here were Ralph Bolain, Bill Sisco, Bob Walters and Jerry Harris.
Recently-organized Pea Ridge Boy Scout Troop 113 camped out for two days along with more than 300 other Scouts from across Northwest Arkansas. The Friday and Saturday Camporee was held at Horseshoe Bend on Beaver Lake. It was a proud troop, indeed that returned to Pea Ridge bringing with them three of the top honor ribbons — two thirds and a second, all won for cumulative points in achievement ratings. These ribbons will be displayed at City Hall where the troop meets each Monday night.
Kent Ruddick, son of Mrs. and Mrs. Harry Ruddick, Pea Ridge, is completing his National Guard training at Fort Sill, Okla. He joined the Guards, Bentonville Unit, shortly after graduating from Pea Ridge High School in 1966. His basic training was taken at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic-Scene Vol. 12 No. 17 Wednesday, April 27, 1977
All three of the Pea Ridge school bands, beginning band, junior band and senior band, will be featured in a concert at Friday, April 29. Several student musicians will be featured during the concert, including Donna Hanner, who will perform a cornet solo with the junior band, and Diana Hanner, Debbie Nichols and Liz Mendenhall, who will play a flute trio with the senior band. Dallas Lafleur serves as director.
Bank of Pea Ridge proudly salutes Hickman’s Texaco, a member of the home team working to promote our area. Hickman’s Texaco is a Pea Ridge landmark and one of the oldest businesses in town. The present building, which is owned by the Day family, was built by the famous baseball player, Clyde “Pea Ridge” Day, in 1930. Rodger Hickman has operated the business for the past 13 years; before him, Floyd Hall had it for 35 years. The station serves its customers with Texaco gas, all kinds of oil, tires and complete car service.
30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 22 No. 17 Wednesday, April 29, 1987
The Pea Ridge School Board hired a new elementary school principal, Ozy Murphey Jr., at a salary of $30,000 on a 12-month contract to begin July 1.
The Blackhawk Junior and Senior High bands completed in Region I at Rogers Friday and Saturday with their director, Dale Foster. The Jr. High band received ratings of 2, 3 and 3 from the three judges on a descending scale of 1 to 5. The Sr. High musicians rated 3, 4 and 4, which Foster says is “a significant improvement over last year.” The competition was for over-all concert quality, not for individual musician- ship, Foster says.
Melissa Gibbens, PRHS senior, last week received an athletic scholarship to John Brown University. The scholarship will provide $10,000 or more in financial aid during four years at JBU. Melissa is both an outstanding scholar and outstanding athlete. Melissa is the daughter of Carolyn and Joe Gibbens.
20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 32 No. 17 Thursday, April 24, 1997
A Pea Ridge woman and longtime bank employee, Barbara Owen, has been named president of the Bank of Pea Ridge. She replaces Jason Tennant, who was named president of Arvest’s Berryville bank. Owen has been with the Bank of Pea Ridge for 28 years. Owen is the first female president of the Bank of Pea Ridge and the first hometown president since Hugh Webb Sr. served in that capacity in the 1950s.
Lunch hour in Pea Ridge will mean a few more high school students about town now that the Pea Ridge School Board approved an open campus lunch privilege policy presented by PRHS Student Council members. A minimum 3.0 grade point average would be necessary for qualification and no more than three absences per quarter would be permitted for the privilege.
Bryant Miller, 17, son of Kinley and Jeri Miller of Pea Ridge, will graduate from PRHS this spring with a 3.367 grade point average. He plans to enter the University of Arkansas this fall and study agri-business. His favorite high school subjects are physics and mathematics. He is a member of the Spanish Club, Future Farmers of American and the National Honor Society. Miller, who works part-time on his father’s farm, enjoys playing golf.
10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 42 No. 17 Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The need for expansion is “driven by growth of the entire area,” said Stewart Noland of Christ Engineering, speaking on the need to expand the Benton/ Washington Regional Public Water Authority treatment plant. Noland joined Scott Borman, representative for Two-Ton in speaking to Pea Ridge city officials at the April City Council meeting.
Pea Ridge Bank Boosters will sponsor a monster garage sale Saturday, April 28, at the Pea Ridge Junior High Cafetoria. The proceeds of the sale will be used to offset expenses for the trip to the Magic Springs Music Festival for the Pea Ridge senior and junior bands, according to band director David Dickey.
Great-great-grandchildren of Hugh Webb Sr. were among the more than 100 people joining the festivities Saturday honoring Fred and Mabel Webb McKinney. Many of those present were not born when Webb began Webb Feed and Seed and the egg hatchery in downtown Pea Ridge 71 years ago. The business began in 1936. In 1940, McKinney sought a job there, attracted by Webb’s daughter Mabel. Later the two were married and have run the business together over the years.