RECOLLECTIONS
50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 2 No. 48 Thursday, Nov. 30, 1967
Passers-by during the night through Pea Ridge will see on the downtown school campus a beautifully-executed illuminated painting of small shepherd boys and their sheep staring up at trumpeting, singing angels above them. The 12- by 16-foot painting was sponsored by the Pea Ridge Jaycees, with Keith Escue and John Easley carrying out the work. It stands between the Log-cabin information booth and the high school in the center of the campus, where it is in view from both highways that meet in the center of town.
Improvements were underway and work being carried out in the Hall Addition recently. The city replaced approximately 1,800 feet of plastic water line with cast iron. Despite the fact that several breaks occurred in the old line while the laying of the new pipe was underway, delaying the work, the project has now been completed and the new line is in use.
40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic-Scene Vol. 12 No. 48 Wednesday, Nov. 30, 1977
Phase Two of the Twelve Corners-Gann Ridge Road paving project was completed recently. The second phase was a bridge over a creek and the approaches to the bridge. The first phase was the paving of a three-mile stretch of Twelve Corners Road. The third and final phase will be the paving of a 4.5 mile stretch from the bridge to U.S. Hwy. 62 between Garfield and Gateway.
30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 22 No. 48 Wednesday, Dec. 2, 1987
The Benton County Sheriff’s Department was investigating a break in reported last week at a building owned by Pea Ridge Mayor Mary Rogers. Rogers reported the break in to authorities on Nov. 23. Mrs. Rogers said that there was virtually no damage in the aircraft hanger, which was forcibly entered. The damage was limited to “just the lock on the door,” she said.
A barn rented by a Simsberry farmer was struck by lightning Nov. 24 and burned to the ground, destroying an estimated $2,000 worth of hay. J.J. Gooder, who raises beef cattle and chickens on the property about three miles north of the Missouri-Arkansas line, said nobody was hurt. Gooder said, “We were standing in the carport and lightning struck… my wife saw sparks in the direction of the barn. “I could see a red glow in the barn, I ran out there and tried to put it out, but couldn’t.” Good said the barn contained about 600 bales of alfalfa and 150 bales of straw. He said that the barn, owned by Bill Sims, was “probably worth $1,000 or $1,500 at least.”
20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 32 No. 48 Thursday, Nov. 27, 1997
The Pea Ridge Car Wash on South Curtis is being rebuilt and improved to meet the needs of the area residents, according to owners, Darrell and Diana Bone. Bone said, “It will have all of the luxuries that are available to citizens of Northwest Arkansas.” The car wash was built in 1970 by Lee and Thelma Hall. The Bones purchased the car wash in 1989.
The Pea Ridge City Council voted unanimously Nov. 18 to hire a new policeman. Kevin Garrett, who has had police work experience for the City of Centerton and for Benton County, was recommended by Pea Ridge Police Chief Tim Ledbetter. Ledbetter pointed out that Garrett’s experience with the process at the Benton County Sheriff ’s Department will be an asset to his position.
10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 42 No. 48 Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007
Utility poles were systematically moved back several feet along both the east and west sides of Weston Street this past couple of weeks by employees for Hutton Contracting Company for Carroll Electric Company at a cost to the city of $49,000. The job was estimated to take a couple of weeks and there were only slight power outages as power was switched to the new poles. The city is widening Weston Street, a one-mile long north-south route connecting Arkansas Highways 94 and 72 (Pickens Street and Slack Street, respectively) to a three-lane 36foot back to back collector street with storm drains and sidewalks.