Benton County History

06/19/2026

The Benton County Historical Society's birthday is this week—and we have the meeting minutes to prove it! Our story started on July 15, 1954 in a room at the Masonic Youth Center.

That was when 26 people from across Northwest Arkansas gathered to discuss forming a Benton County chapter of the Arkansas Historical Society. Among those present were Alvin Seamster, Vera Key, Irene Freeman, Louise Plank, Allan Humphries, Rev. Harris, and J. Wesley Sampier.

The meeting had been called by Mr. Rose from the Arkansas Historical Society to "discuss the possibility of organizing a Benton County Chapter of the Arkansas Historical Society." (source: Minutes from the July 15, 1954 meeting. Mr. Rose then introduced two professors from the University of Arkansas. Professor Lemke explained how a chapter worked and what its purpose was, while Professor Robert Logan encouraged the group to create a publication of historical research and essays. (They must have taken him seriously because the first issue of The Benton County Pioneer was dated September 1955. It was all of 6 pages long and contained an article by Miss Vera Key and a poem by Malbie Babcock.)

The group wasted no time. They elected temporary officers and formed a committee to draft bylaws and nominate permanent officers. Then they passed the hat to collect funds to pay for that evening's hall rental (plus a tip for the janitor).

More than 70 years later, the Benton County Historical Society is still preserving and sharing the stories of our county.

If you're interested in becoming part of our story, join us for the upcoming Ice Cream Social on June 21 to say hello and get a taste of what we're all about!

Sources:
Minutes of the organizational meeting for the Benton County Historical Society, July 1954
The Benton County Pioneer, July-September 1996

06/17/2026

J. Wesley Sampier's journey to higher education began with a bicycle, a determination to learn, and 370 miles of dirt roads.

In 1996, Benton County Pioneer editor Wayne Hoog wrote about one of the Benton County Historical Society's charter members, J. Wesley Sampier. The article was published shortly after Sampier was recognized with the American Legion State Americanism Award and honored for 50 years of continuous membership in the American Legion.

But those honors represented only a very small part of a remarkable life.

John Wesley Sampier was born in Texas on September 5, 1905. Growing up in rural Wyoming, he was determined to get an education—even though the nearest high school was 40 miles away. He earned his diploma through the American School of Correspondence in Chicago, and in 1924 won a bicycle for his academic achievements.

Then he put that bicycle to good use. To attend the University of Wyoming, Sampier rode it 370 miles (on unpaved roads!) from Lightning Flat to Laramie - and it only took him five and a half days!

After graduating from the University of Wyoming in 1930 with a degree in pre-law and a commission as a Second Lieutenant through ROTC, he moved to Rogers and began building a life in Benton County.

Over the years, Sampier wore many hats. He taught school, coached basketball, and served as superintendent in Pea Ridge, Garfield, and Rogers. At the same time, he studied law, worked in law offices, passed the Arkansas Bar in 1934, and launched a successful legal career. He would later serve as a state representative, state senator, and American Legion commander, becoming a respected figure throughout Arkansas.

And then there was his military service.

Sampier spent 37 years in uniform with the U.S. Army Reserve and Arkansas National Guard. In 1937, he helped organize Battery F, 142nd Field Artillery in Rogers and became its first commander.

When World War II came, the unit was activated and sent to Fort Sill. Before deployment overseas, Sampier was transferred to the 5th Armored Division and served through five campaigns in Europe. His time in the European theater would include service with the Fifth Armored Division which, along with the Free French forces, liberated Paris. Sampier would return home with the rank of Major.

In 1951, he was called to duty again during the Korean War, serving with the 936th Field Artillery Battalion and eventually becoming Assistant Judge Advocate of the Tenth Corps. He returned home in 1953 and continued serving in the Arkansas National Guard until retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.

When J. Wesley Sampier passed away in 1999 at the age of 93, he left behind a legacy that touched education, law, government, military service, and local history.







Sources:
Wayne Hoog, "J. Wesley Sampier: A Lifetime of Service to Nation, State, and City," The Benton County Pioneer, Vol. 41, Issue 3, July–September 1996
Pea Ridge Times, "Remember former basketball coach, J. Wesley Sampier," July 30, 2025
U.S. Militaria Forum, "Meet Lt. Col. John Wesley Sampier"

06/16/2026

Another history lesson for Bella Vista. Where could you find a 9 hole golf course AND a landing strip for local small aircraft in one location? Planes would buzz the course to get the golfers off to the side. Note the horse drawn mower!

06/16/2026

He swam a river into enemy territory, earned the Medal of Honor, and nearly 50 years later chose a quiet Benton County hilltop over Arlington National Cemetery.

On September 3, 1967, Sgt. M. Waldo Hatler was laid to rest in the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery in Sulphur Springs, overlooking the Valley of the Moon. For many, it may seem surprising that a man eligible for burial in Arlington National Cemetery would choose this quiet spot in Northwest Arkansas. But Hatler had made his wishes clear: “I prefer this quiet mountain top to any Military Cemetery.”

His story began on January 6, 1894, in Bolivar, Missouri. Hatler went on to spend most of his life in southwest Missouri and Benton County, Arkansas. In 1919 he graduated from the University of Michigan Law School, after which he followed his father into the banking and real estate business.

When the United States entered World War I, Hatler attempted to obtain a commission in the Navy but was rejected for medical reasons. Rather than remain exempt from service, he waived his exemption and entered the Army, eventually serving as a sergeant in Company B, 356th Infantry.

In November 1918, Hatler's regiment was halted near the French village of Pouilly at the Meuse River. Critical information about German positions across the river was needed, and volunteers were requested for an extremely dangerous reconnaissance mission. According to his commander’s report, Hatler was the first to volunteer.

Hatler and another soldier started to swim the river. But sadly, Hatler’s fellow soldier was overcome by cramps and drowned. Hatler continued on alone and successfully reached the German lines where he “carefully and courageously reconnoitered the enemy's positions, which were held in force, and again successfully swam the river, bringing back information of great value." -Army Division General Order No. 74 of the Year 1919

For this action, he received the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest award for military valor. He was one of only 126 individuals awarded the Medal of Honor for service during World War I. Since the creation of the award during the Civil War, only 3,533 people have received the nation's highest military decoration.

Today, his grave rests quietly above Sulphur Springs—far from the battlefields of France, but exactly where he wished to be.








Sources:
"Sergeant M. Waldo Hatler, U.S. Army: Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient," The Benton County Pioneer, Volume 41, Issue 2, April–June 1996
Wikipedia entry for M. Waldo Hatler
Congressional Medal of Honor Society's website
Arkansas Gravestone Photo Project website

06/11/2026

This Bella Vista house had three names and a few tall tales attached to it, before someone burned it down.

Located on a hill above what is now Euston Road, the large two-story frame house was built by Wilson Brown - who named it Rago. The house featured a cupola, bedrooms on the second floor, additional sleeping space in the attic, and a first floor that served triple duty: family bedrooms, a general store, and a Post Office.

Over the years, the house acquired several names. Wilson Brown named it RAGO. Neighbors referred to it as the Wilson Brown House. And then there was the “the Stage House.”

But before we get to that story, it's worth taking a moment to appreciate Wilson Brown himself.

Brown was much more than a storekeeper and postmaster. He was also an entrepreneur, horticulturalist, and experimenter. The family maintained a large vineyard and bottled their own wine. Their orchards produced pears, peaches, and apples, which were sold fresh or turned into apple butter. They dried apples in an evaporator building, bottled catsup, canned tomatoes under the "Oh Yes" brand, and harvested honey from numerous beehives.

According to family members and friends, Brown even attempted to develop a blight-resistant chestnut by crossing chestnut trees with chinquapins after disease devastated native chestnut populations. (We were unable to find out whether the experiment succeeded.)

Now, back to the story of the "Stage House", which begins on June 23, 1965 when The Benton County Democrat published a photograph of the house with banners proclaiming: "In the 1890's This Was Known as REGO, ARKANSAS, General Store, U.S. Post Office" And "STAGECOACH & PONY EXPRESS RELAY STATION."

The accompanying caption claimed the site had once been a stagecoach stop and had even been connected to a southern route of the Pony Express. It was a great story - with just one problem…

Actually, make that three problems…

The Pony Express ceased operations in 1861—more than three decades before the house was built in 1897. The post office was named RAGO, not REGO. And there was no evidence of a stagecoach road running near the Wilson Brown farm.

In short, somebody appears to have created a very good story—and then they repeated it.

Despite being historically inaccurate, the tale proved durable. It was published again in 1971 and became attached to the house's identity for some time after.

Sadly, despite all the interesting stories connected to it, the house was burned down by vandals in 1976.










Sources:
George Phillips, "Wilson Brown and the Rago Post Office," The Benton County Pioneer, Vol. 28, Issue 1, Spring 1983
Xyta Lucas, "A House Called Rago," The Weekly Vista, February 10, 2021, https://bvwv.nwaonline.com/news/2021/feb/10/rago/

06/11/2026

06/11/2026

Did you know Rogers once had its very own Harvey House—the same famous restaurant chain that fed railroad travelers across the American West?

In September 1996, Tom Duggan shared this wonderful photograph with the Benton County Historical Society. Taken around 1900, it shows not only the Frisco passenger and freight depots in Rogers, but also the impressive two-story Fred Harvey Dining Hall standing in the background.

All of these buildings once stood between Elm and Poplar Streets, near what is now Frisco Park. Sadly, the dining hall was destroyed by fire in 1910 and never rebuilt. The depots themselves would also be lost to fire in the 1920s.

After the Frisco Railroad arrived in Rogers in 1881, the town grew rapidly. And by 1883, a larger passenger depot had been built to accommodate this growing area. At the height of train travel, as many as thirteen passenger trains came through Rogers each day, all carrying hungry travelers.

To serve them, the Fred Harvey Dining Hall opened in 1898 on the south side of the depot. Trains stopped for about twenty minutes, giving passengers just enough time to eat before continuing their journey.

According to the Rogers Historical Museum, the building contained a kitchen, lunch room, and formal dining room - which was surprisingly elegant, with fine china, silverware, white tablecloths, cloth napkins, fresh greenery on the tables, elegant chandeliers, and even a pot-bellied stove. Imagine stepping off the train in Rogers and finding this experience waiting for you. It had to be a refreshing change.

By 1907, however, things were changing. The dining room was remodeled and replaced with a short-order counter. The belief was that twenty minutes simply wasn't enough time to serve full meals efficiently. Restaurant traffic peaked around 1906–1907, when six trains a day stopped in Rogers for service. By 1910, that number had dropped to just one train per day, and by 1915 the Frisco had shifted most of its food service to dining and café cars on the trains themselves.

The era of the grand railroad dining hall in Rogers was relatively brief—but for a few years, travelers passing through Benton County could enjoy an elegant meal right beside the tracks









Sources:
Tom Duggan, "Fred Harvey Dining Room in Rogers," The Benton County Pioneer, Vol. 41, Issue 3, July–September 1996
James F. Hales, "Four Depots Serve Bustling Railroad Town," Rogers Historical Museum, https://www.rogershistoricalmuseum.org/rogers-train-depots.htm

06/09/2026

It seems that calling another town "Poverty Peak" was considered fighting words in 1890s Benton County.

Before Gravette was established in August of 1893, Sulphur Springs was a thriving resort community. One of its leading citizens was Charles Hibler, described as a "portly, genial live wire" and the financial force behind much of the town's success. In fact, some people referred to Sulphur Springs simply as "Hibler's Town."

But then the railroad arrived, and once it reached Gravette a real rivalry sprang up between the two communities. Never one to miss an opportunity, Hibler (who was also an author and poet) decided to take a jab at the new town. He penned a verse calling Gravette "Poverty Peak." The nickname caught on, much to the annoyance of Gravette's residents.

Unfortunately for Gravette founder E. T. Gravett, poetry wasn’t one of his talents, and he struggled to come up with a suitable response - until help arrived from an unexpected source.

Living in a cabin near Gravette was a broad-shouldered, "Lincoln type old gentleman" named James Rhamey. Though he may not have looked like a poet, those who knew him said he possessed a wit that was "sharp as a tack."

Taking up his pencil under the pen name Ben E. Dick, Rhamey fired back with a poem titled "Down to Brimstone Town." It quickly became a local favorite.

Here are the opening stanzas for your enjoyment:

From Poverty Peak, where the hill slopes down
Four miles and a half is Brimstone Town;
With its brimstone springs stuck down in the mud,
Which “Chawley” says is good for the blood.
Down, down, down to Brimstone Town.

The hills slope down to Brimstone Town,
The sleepy old town that is seeking renown;
By claiming the water is healthy and rich,
For "Chawley" says it is good for the itch.
Down, down, down to Brimstone Town.

And our favorite stanza:
There is one more thing that town contains,
Take it away and nothing remains,
This is a fact, and I want all to know it,
I speak of the wonderful Brimstone poet;
Down, down, down to Brimstone Town.

Fortunately, time seems to have softened the rivalry. In later years, James Rhamey became Gravette's postmaster, and it is said that he and Hibler eventually patched up their feud.

Still, old-timers reportedly chuckled for decades whenever someone mentioned either "Poverty Peak" or "Brimstone Town." It just goes to show that our county's sense of humor has some deep roots.









Joseph Cowan

Sources:
“Down, Down to Brimstone Town,” The Benton County Pioneer, Volume 34, Issue 1, Spring 1989
The Gravette News Herald