Bentonville, Arkansas
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Bentonville is the tenth-largest city in
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
, United States and the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of Benton County. The city is centrally located in the county with
Rogers Rogers may refer to: Places Canada *Rogers Pass (British Columbia) * Rogers Island (Nunavut) United States * Rogers, Arkansas, a city * Rogers, alternate name of Muroc, California, a former settlement * Rogers, Indiana, an unincorporated communit ...
adjacent to the east. The city is the birthplace of and world headquarters location of
Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
, the world's largest retailer. It is one of the four main cities in the three-county Northwest Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is ranked 105th in terms of population in the United States with 546,725 residents in 2020, according to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
. The city itself had a population of 54,164 at the 2020 Census, an increase of 53% from the 2010 Census. Bentonville is considered to be one of the fastest growing cities in the state and consistently ranks amongst the safest cities in Arkansas.


History


Early history

The area now known as Bentonville's first known use by humans was as hunting grounds by the
Osage Nation The Osage Nation ( ) ( Osage: 𐓁𐒻 𐓂𐒼𐒰𐓇𐒼𐒰͘ ('), "People of the Middle Waters") is a Midwestern Native American tribe of the Great Plains. The tribe developed in the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys around 700 BC along ...
who lived in
Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
. The Osage would leave their settlements to hunt in present-day Benton County for months at a time before returning to their families. White settlers first inhabited the area around 1837 and named their settlement "Osage". By this time, the Osage had ceased using the area for hunting, and the white settlers began to establish farms. Upon establishment of Benton County on September 30, 1836, Osage was deemed a suitable site for the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
, and the town square was established as the home of county government the following year. Osage was renamed Bentonville in honor of Thomas Hart Benton, a senator from
Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
who strongly supported Arkansas statehood.


Early statehood and Civil War

Two years after Arkansas received statehood in 1836, thousands of
Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...
people from
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
passed through Benton County as part of the
Trail of Tears The Trail of Tears was an ethnic cleansing and forced displacement of approximately 60,000 people of the "Five Civilized Tribes" between 1830 and 1850 by the United States government. As part of the Indian removal, members of the Cherokee, ...
route to the
Indian Territory The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United St ...
in what is now
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. Although no
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
battles were fought inside Bentonville, the city was occupied by both armies and saw almost all of its buildings burned. Bentonville was a staging point for the
Confederate army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
prior to the
Battle of Pea Ridge The Battle of Pea Ridge (March 7–8, 1862), also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, took place in the American Civil War near Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Federal forces, led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, moved south ...
, fought about northeast of town, and the town saw a brief skirmish just prior to the battle. The city began to rebuild about a decade after incorporation on April 3, 1873, with many of these
Reconstruction Era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...
buildings today serving as the oldest structures in Bentonville. After the war, the area established a vibrant apple industry, with Benton County becoming the leading apple producing county in the nation in 1901.


Twentieth Century

In the 1920s and 1930s the county developed a reputation as a leader in poultry production that continued into the
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
years, and which the area still maintains today. The post war economy helped Bentonville grow, with many new businesses starting. In 1950,
Sam Walton Samuel Moore Walton (March 29, 1918 – April 5, 1992) was an American business magnate best known for founding the retailers Walmart and Sam's Club, which he started in 1962 and 1983 respectively. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. grew to be the world's l ...
bought the Harrison Variety Store on the
Bentonville town square Downtown Bentonville is the historic business district of Bentonville, Arkansas. The region is the location of Walmart Home Office; city and county government facilities; and most of Bentonville's tourist attractions for the city and contains ma ...
. He fully remodeled the building and opened "Walton’s 5 and 10 Variety Store" on March 18, 1951. This single store eventually led to the creation of
Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
, the world's largest retailer, which still strongly influences the community today. The late twentieth and early twenty-first century has seen a dramatic reduction in the manufacturing sector in Bentonville, corresponding with an increase in tourism and entertainment focused on the natural setting and outdoor opportunities of the area as well as the
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is a museum of American art in Bentonville, Arkansas. The museum, founded by Alice Walton and designed by Moshe Safdie, officially opened on 11 November 2011. It offers free public admission. Overview ...
, which opened in 2011. This has resulted in Bentonville being the fastest growing city in Arkansas, and the larger
Northwest Arkansas Northwest Arkansas (NWA) is a metropolitan area and region in Arkansas within the Ozark Mountains. It includes four of the ten largest cities in the state: Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville, the surrounding towns of Benton an ...
area one of the fastest growing in the United States.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.67%, is water.


Metropolitan area

The
Northwest Arkansas Northwest Arkansas (NWA) is a metropolitan area and region in Arkansas within the Ozark Mountains. It includes four of the ten largest cities in the state: Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville, the surrounding towns of Benton an ...
region consists of three
Arkansas counties There are 75 counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Arkansas is tied with Mississippi for the most counties with two county seats, at 10. __TOC__ Counties Former cou ...
: Benton,
Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
, and
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
. The area had a population of 347,045 at the 2000 census which had increased to 463,204 by the 2010 Census (an increase of 33.47 percent). The Metropolitan Statistical Area does not consist of the usual principal-city-with-
suburbs A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
morphology; instead Bentonville is bordered to the east by
Rogers Rogers may refer to: Places Canada *Rogers Pass (British Columbia) * Rogers Island (Nunavut) United States * Rogers, Arkansas, a city * Rogers, alternate name of Muroc, California, a former settlement * Rogers, Indiana, an unincorporated communit ...
, the north by Bella Vista, and the west by Centerton. The
Northwest Arkansas National Airport Northwest Arkansas National Airport is in Northwest Arkansas in Highfill, Arkansas, United States, northwest of Fayetteville and northwest of Springdale. It is often referred to by its IATA code, which is incorporated in the airport's logo a ...
is located to the southwest of Bentonville and is used to connect all of the northwest Arkansas region to the rest of the nation. For more than the last decade, Northwest Arkansas has been one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States.


Climate

Bentonville lies in the
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
zone (
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Cfa'') with influence from the humid continental climate type. Bentonville experiences all four seasons and does receive cold air masses from the north, however some of the Arctic masses are blocked by the higher elevations of the Ozarks. July is the hottest month of the year, with an average high of and an average low of . Temperatures above are common, with a high of occurring about once per year on average. January is the coldest month with an average high of and an average low of . The city's highest temperature was , recorded in 1954. The lowest temperature recorded was , in 1996.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 54,164 people, 18,223 households, and 12,212 families residing in the city.


2017

As of 2017 Bentonville had a population of 49,298. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 77.0% non-Hispanic white, 2.4% non-Hispanic black, 1.2% Native American, 5.8% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 3.9% from some other race and 2.5% from two or more races. 8.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.


2000 census

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 19,730 people, 7,458 households, and 5,265 families residing in the city. The city grew substantially in the 1990s; the 1990 population was 11,257 and the city is expected to reach 50,000 people by the year 2030. According to the US Census, Bentonville and surrounding communities in Benton County is second in growth for Arkansas and among the 100 fastest-growing counties in the United States. The population density was . There were 7,924 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.92%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.88% Black or African American, 1.33% Native American, 2.40% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.68% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races. 6.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The 2005 Special Census reported 24,837 Whites/non-Hispanic whites (86.8%), 2,428 Hispanics of any race (8.5%), 1,135 Asians (4.0%), and 510 Blacks/African Americans (1.8%). There were 7,458 households, out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% are classified as non-families by the United States Census Bureau. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.11. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.5% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $39,936, and the median income for a family was $46,558. Males had a median income of $31,816 versus $23,761 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the city was $20,831. 10.3% of the population and 7.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 13.7% are under the age of 18 and 10.9% are 65 or older.


Economy


Region

The Northwest Arkansas economy was historically based upon agriculture and poultry. In recent decades, NWA has seen rapid growth and diversification of its economy based upon the three Fortune 500 companies based there, Walmart,
Tyson Foods Tyson Foods, Inc. is an American multinational corporation, based in Springdale, Arkansas, that operates in the food industry. The company is the world's second-largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork after JBS S.A. It annually ...
, and
J.B. Hunt J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. is an American transportation and logistics company based in Lowell, Arkansas. It was founded by Johnnie Bryan Hunt and  Johnelle Hunt in Arkansas on August 10, 1961. By 1983, J.B. Hunt had grown into the 80 ...
, while also seeing a growing
University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...
and cultural amenities sector. Although impacted by the
Great Recession The Great Recession was a period of marked general decline, i.e. a recession, observed in national economies globally that occurred from late 2007 into 2009. The scale and timing of the recession varied from country to country (see map). At ...
, NWA's economy fared better than most peer metropolitan areas, the state of Arkansas and the United States overall. Between 2007 and 2013, the region saw unemployment rates significantly below those of peer regions and the national average; while also seeing a 1% net growth of jobs. The NWA
gross domestic product Gross domestic product (GDP) is a money, monetary Measurement in economics, measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjec ...
grew 7.0% over the aforementioned time period, and bankruptcies, building permits and per capita incomes are returning to pre-Recession rates. The professional, education and health care sectors of the Northwest Arkansas economy have been growing steadily since 2007. Between 2007 and 2013, the region has seen a growth of 8,300 jobs in the region, with 6,100 added in education and health professions and 4,300 jobs added in the leisure and hospitality jobs related to the region's cultural amenities. The government and transportation sectors have remained relatively constant between 2007 and 2013, however the manufacturing sector has seen steady decline, mirroring national averages. The construction and real estate sectors saw large declines attributable to the poor housing market during the economic downturn.


City

Bentonville has been home to Walmart since
Sam Walton Samuel Moore Walton (March 29, 1918 – April 5, 1992) was an American business magnate best known for founding the retailers Walmart and Sam's Club, which he started in 1962 and 1983 respectively. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. grew to be the world's l ...
purchased a store on the town square in 1950 and renamed it Walton's 5 & 10. The retailer continued a rapid growth, but
Helen Walton Helen Robson Walton (December 3, 1919 – April 19, 2007) was an American philanthropist and prominent arts advocate, dedicated to her community in Bentonville, Arkansas where she instituted a committee for a national museum of arts. After 31 yea ...
wished to remain in Bentonville to raise the family, and thus by the time Walmart became the #1 ''
Fortune 500 The ''Fortune'' 500 is an annual list compiled and published by ''Fortune'' magazine that ranks 500 of the largest United States corporations by total revenue for their respective fiscal years. The list includes publicly held companies, along ...
'' in 2002, it was still based in Bentonville. The Walmart "Home Office" now includes more than 20 buildings throughout Bentonville, specifically along Walton Boulevard ( US 71B) in the western part of the city. In 2017 Walmart announced their intention to construct a new central headquarters in Bentonville, consolidating many of their employees to a more centralized campus. The impact from the Walmart Home Office is multiplied by the over 1100 prospective Walmart vendors who have established sales offices in the region. The large number of satellite offices for companies of almost every industry means a large number of transplants from around the United States live in or near Bentonville. This phenomenon impacts the culture of Bentonville in addition to the city's economy. Bentonville is home to a growing entrepreneurial scene, with co-working spaces and startup incubators being added quickly over the last 5 years.


Culture, contemporary life, and points of interest

Bentonville's culture is a combination of a southern city, small town, global business hub, and the surrounding Northwest Arkansas metro. Bentonville shares many of the characteristics commonly given to Arkansas as a Southern state, yet it has also absorbed minor cultural influence from the
Midwest The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four Census Bureau Region, census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of ...
and
West West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
. Located firmly in the
Mid-South Mid-South may refer to: * Mid-South (region), a region of the United States including portions of Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Missouri * East South Central States, a region of the United States * Memphis metropolitan area, Tennessee, U ...
, Bentonville's culture is distinct and differs from the Delta portion of the state. Many of the city's first settlers came from
North Georgia North Georgia is the northern hilly/mountainous region in the U.S. state of Georgia. At the time of the arrival of settlers from Europe, it was inhabited largely by the Cherokee. The counties of north Georgia were often scenes of important eve ...
,
North Alabama North Alabama is a region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Several geographic definitions for the area exist, with all descriptions including the nine counties of Alabama's Tennessee Valley region. The North Alabama Industrial Development Associ ...
,
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
,
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
and
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, because they found the Ozarks familiar, similar to the
Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
back home. The uplands of Arkansas, including Northwest Arkansas, did not participate in large-scale plantation farming with slaves like the
Arkansas delta The Arkansas Delta is one of the six natural regions of the state of Arkansas. Willard B. Gatewood Jr., author of ''The Arkansas Delta: Land of Paradox'', says that rich cotton lands of the Arkansas Delta make that area "The Deepest of the Deep ...
, instead electing to settle in small clusters, relying largely on
subsistence agriculture Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow food crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families on smallholdings. Subsistence agriculturalists target farm output for survival and for mostly local requirements, with little or no su ...
and hunting rather than the settlement patterns common in the Midwest and
Deep South The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion in the Southern United States. The term was first used to describe the states most dependent on plantations and slavery prior to the American Civil War. Following the war ...
. The "hillbilly" stereotype given to the Ozarks and Appalachians is largely a derivative of the difficult topography, tendency to settle in clusters, and mostly cashless self-sustaining economy found in those regions. Bentonville's large proportion of
Southern Baptist The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The word ...
and
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
adherents does, however, reflect a trend often associated with the Deep South. Due to Walmart's prominence in the city, Bentonville is also an international focal point for retail suppliers and other supporting businesses. According to the Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce, over 1,250 suppliers have offices in Northwest Arkansas in an attempt to secure or retain Walmart's business. Symbolic of Bentonville's complex culture was a
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
game played between
PepsiCo PepsiCo, Inc. is an American multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation headquartered in Harrison, New York, in the hamlet of Purchase. PepsiCo's business encompasses all aspects of the food and beverage market. It oversees the manuf ...
and Walmart, spectated by their respective chief executives
Indra Nooyi Indra Nooyi (née Krishnamurthy; born October 28, 1955) is an Indian-American business executive and former chief executive officer and chairperson of PepsiCo. She has consistently ranked among the world's 100 most powerful women. In 2014, sh ...
and
Doug McMillon Carl Douglas McMillon (born October 17, 1966) is an American businessman, and the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Walmart Inc. He sits on the retailer's board of directors. Having first joined the company as a summer associate i ...
, chronicled in an article in ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' describing the complex Bentonville culture. The game was played on a baseball field in Bentonville not well suited for typical cricket, so the players adopted new rules. The city has a league with 18 teams and a host of fans, mostly derived from the thousands of
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n natives drawn to Bentonville by Walmart software and IT jobs. In late 2018 plans for a public cricket pitch were approved for a new park in the southwest of the city. From the Walmart Museum on the downtown square to the over 20 buildings spread throughout the city, Walmart's Home Office has a presence throughout Bentonville. The
Northwest Arkansas National Airport Northwest Arkansas National Airport is in Northwest Arkansas in Highfill, Arkansas, United States, northwest of Fayetteville and northwest of Springdale. It is often referred to by its IATA code, which is incorporated in the airport's logo a ...
has direct commercial flights from many large destination cities not typical of airports its size due to the supplier community. Bentonville, and the recently opened Bentonville West (located in Centerton) High Schools, have programs to assist the sizable transient student population, including international students, for those who have recently relocated to the area.


Arts and culture

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is a museum of American art in Bentonville, Arkansas. The museum, founded by Alice Walton and designed by Moshe Safdie, officially opened on 11 November 2011. It offers free public admission. Overview ...
is a $450,000,000 museum of American Art designed by architect
Moshe Safdie Moshe Safdie ( he, משה ספדיה; born July 14, 1938) is an architect, urban planner, educator, theorist, and author, with Israeli, Canadian, and American citizenship. He is known for incorporating principles of socially responsible desi ...
located within walking distance of downtown Bentonville. The museum was founded by
Alice Walton Alice Louise Walton (born October 7, 1949) is an American heiress to the fortune of Walmart. In September 2016, she owned over in Walmart shares. As of October 2022, Walton has a net worth of $59 billion, making her the 19th-richest person, and ...
in 2011 and contains many masterpieces from all eras of American art, including many works from Walton's private collection. Other points of interest include: * Walmart Museum: Located adjacent to
Sam Walton Samuel Moore Walton (March 29, 1918 – April 5, 1992) was an American business magnate best known for founding the retailers Walmart and Sam's Club, which he started in 1962 and 1983 respectively. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. grew to be the world's l ...
's original Walton's Five and Dime which serves as a visitor's center. *
Museum of Native American History The Museum of Native American History is a non-profit, handicapped-accessible museum of Native Americans in the United States, Native American history, art, and culture located in Bentonville, Arkansas. The museum was founded in 2006 by David Bogl ...
: Museum showcasing Native American history, art, and culture. *
21C Museum Hotel 21c Museum Hotels is a contemporary art museum and boutique hotel chain based in Louisville, Kentucky. The chain also has locations in Lexington, Kentucky; Cincinnati, Ohio; Chicago, Illinois; Bentonville, Arkansas; Durham, North Carolina; Ok ...
: Public museum and hotel featuring works of the 21st Century. * Scott Family Amazeum: An interactive children's museum * The Momentary: A contemporary art museum and performance venue *Bentonville Public Library Beginning in 2015, the
Bentonville Film Festival The Bentonville Film Festival (BFF) is an American film festival held annually in Bentonville, Arkansas that focuses on diversity. Foundation Bentonville Film Festival was founded by actress Geena Davis and ARC Entertainment executive Trevor Dr ...
has been held annually the first week of May in Downtown Bentonville. Over 85,000 attendees take part in this week-long event.


Historic districts and properties

Bentonville contains over 30 listings on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
(NRHP), the official
federal Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation. The city contains two residential historic districts, the Third Street Historic District and West Central Avenue Historic District. Both districts contain historic residences notable for their architectural styles and contributions to the city's early history. Together, over 40 houses are listed as contributing properties. Preeminent individual residential listings within the historic districts include the
Craig-Bryan House The Craig-Bryan House is a historic house at 307 West Central Avenue in Bentonville, Arkansas. It is an eclectic two-story brick house, with several gabled wings, and projecting bay window sections. Its front-facing gable ends are decorated wit ...
, Elliott House,
James A. Rice House The James A. Rice House is a historic house at 204 Southeast Third Street in Bentonville, Arkansas. It is a -story brick structure, with tall arched windows and a bracketed cornice typical of the Italianate style. It has a two-story porch, asy ...
and the Rice House on "A" Street. Residential listing elsewhere in the city include the Peel Mansion Museum, Stroud House and Col. Young House. Also included in the NRHP are historic public structures, such as the Benton County Courthouse, Benton County Jail,
Bentonville High School Bentonville High School (BHS) is a public high school in Bentonville, Arkansas, United States. Founded in 1910, the school provides education for students in grades nine through twelve. It is one of two high schools of the Bentonville School Dis ...
, commercial structures such as the Benton County National Bank, Massey Hotel,
Roy's Office Supply Building Downtown Bentonville is the historic business district of Bentonville, Arkansas. The region is the location of Walmart Home Office; city and county government facilities; and most of Bentonville's tourist attractions for the city and contains ma ...
, and the
Terry Block Building Downtown Bentonville is the historic business district of Bentonville, Arkansas. The region is the location of Walmart Home Office; city and county government facilities; and most of Bentonville's tourist attractions for the city and contains ma ...
, and two cemeteries. Additionally, a
confederate monument In the United States, the public display of Confederate monuments, memorials and symbols has been and continues to be controversial. The following is a list of Confederate monuments and memorials that were established as public displays and symb ...
installed in 1908 by a local
United Daughters of the Confederacy The United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) is an American neo-Confederate hereditary association for female descendants of Confederate Civil War soldiers engaging in the commemoration of these ancestors, the funding of monuments to them, ...
chapter. On June 1, 2020, local residents held a non-violent demonstration at the statue in solidarity with the
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...
movement, until later that night, when the Benton County Sheriff's "mobile field force" ended the demonstration by deploying tear-gas on the assembled crowd and arresting several people. The statue was later removed in September 2020.


Parks and trail system

The Bentonville Parks and Recreation Department maintains twenty-two parks and over of trails. Over of city parks throughout the city offer educational, recreational and outdoors opportunities to park visitors. The largest park surrounds Lake Bella Vista and includes a popular perimeter fitness trail and disc golf course. Memorial park features the Melvin Ford Aquatic Center as well as baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, skateboard, softball and soccer facilities. The four baseball fields at Merchants Baseball Park have hosted the Bentonville Youth Baseball League since its inception in 1954. Park Springs Park was created in the 1890s following the discovery of two springs with purported healing powers. The Burns Arboretum/Nature Trail was added in 1996 and includes a State Champion tree. Trails in Bentonville vary from small fitness trails to long mountain bike trails to the regional Razorback Greenway depending upon topography, intended use and city planning. The Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway, a primarily off-road mixed use trail connecting the Northwest Arkansas region, runs through Bentonville near Bentonville High School, the Walmart Home Office, and Crystal Bridges on its way to Lake Bella Vista to the north. The Crystal Bridges Trail is a trail between downtown Bentonville and the museum, built by the museum and donated to the city. Public art and sculptures line the trail, which passes through Compton Gardens on its way to the museum's southeast entrance. After passing by an overlook where trail users can view the museum from a bluff, the Crystal Bridges Trail connects to the museum's trail system. The city also has several trails connecting main streets, parks and neighborhoods throughout the city. Bentonville is well regarded as a mountain biking destination providing more than 28 miles of award-winning mountain bike trails, earning a Silver Ride Center designation from the
International Mountain Bicycling Association The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) is a non-profit educational association whose mission is to create, enhance and preserve trail opportunities for mountain bikers worldwide. IMBA was formed in 1988, when five California-based ...
and hosting multiple cycling events throughout the year. ''Outside Magazine'' listed Bentonville as one of its best towns of 2017, especially noting the city's bicycle trails and art scene. Bentonville has been recognized as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the
League of American Bicyclists The League of American Bicyclists (LAB), officially the League of American Wheelmen, is a membership organization that promotes cycling for fun, fitness and transportation through advocacy and education. A Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization ...
since 2012.


Government and politics


Mayor–city council

Bentonville operates within the mayor-city council form of government. The mayor is elected by a citywide election to serve as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the city by presiding over all city council meetings, laws are enforced and taxpayer funds are spent prudently. Once elected, the mayor also allocates duties to city employees. Mayors serve four-year terms and can serve unlimited terms. The city council is the
unicameral Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature, which consists of one house or assembly, that legislates and votes as one. Unicameral legislatures exist when there is no widely perceived need for multic ...
legislative body of the city, consisting of eight members. The council's duties include balancing the city's budget and passing ordinances. The body also controls the representatives of specialized city commissions underneath their jurisdiction. Members are elected at-large with no term limits and represent individual wards. Council members must live in the ward they represent.


Citizen boards, commissions, and committees

Citizen input is welcomed through the use of various specialized groups. Although some positions are appointed by the mayor, many consist of volunteers. Requirements include the applicant is a resident of Bentonville and submission of an application in order to gain access to any of Bentonville's 8 city boards. These range from appointed positions at the Planning Commission to the Bentonville Public Art Advisory Committee to the Bentonville Library Advisory Board.


Judicial system

The Bentonville District Court handles criminal, civil, small claims, and traffic matters within the city limits. In addition, the Court handles Civil and Small Claims cases when there is proper jurisdiction. The current elected District Judge presides over all cases. Ray Bunch is the current Bentonville District Court Judge. The 19th Judicial Circuit Court covers Benton County as a whole and operates out of the Benton County Courthouse in Downtown Bentonville with Bentonville serving as the
County Seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
.


Politics

The current mayor is Stephanie Orman, first elected in 2018. Prior to becoming mayor, Orman served as a member of the City Council as well as serving in and leading several non-profit organizations. Voters in Bentonville tend to lean conservative. The current state representatives that serve districts containing portions of Bentonville are Republican Rep.
Jim Dotson Jim Dotson (born 1977/1978) is an American politician. He has represented part of Benton County, Arkansas in the Arkansas Senate since 2023. Previously, he represented a similar constituency in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2013 to ...
, Republican Rep. Rebecca Petty, Republican Rep Kim Hendren, and Republican Rep. Dan Douglas. The current state senator that serves the district containing Bentonville is Republican Sen.
Bart Hester Bart Franklin Hester (born December 9, 1977) is an American politician serving as a member of the Arkansas Senate from the 1st district. Elected in November 2012, he assumed office on January 14, 2013. Early life and education A native of Conwa ...
.


Education

Public elementary and secondary education in the majority of the city limits is provided by
Bentonville Public Schools Bentonville Schools is a comprehensive community State school, school district serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade from Bentonville, Arkansas, in Benton County, Arkansas, Benton County. Bentonville Schools encompasses of land, i ...
, leading to graduation at
Bentonville High School Bentonville High School (BHS) is a public high school in Bentonville, Arkansas, United States. Founded in 1910, the school provides education for students in grades nine through twelve. It is one of two high schools of the Bentonville School Dis ...
or
Bentonville West High School Bentonville West High School is a public high school for students in grades nine through twelve located in Centerton, Arkansas Centerton is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. Located west of Bentonville on Highway 102, Centerton ...
. Small portions of the city to the east are zoned to
Rogers Public Schools Rogers Public Schools (formally Rogers Public School District #30) is a public school district based in Rogers, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2012-2013 school year, the district encompasses of land and serves early childhood, elementary an ...
.
Haas Hall Academy Haas Hall Academy is a charter school in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It was established in 2004. Academics Haas Hall Academy's curriculum is an accelerated college preparatory academic program. Accredited by AdvancED and the Arka ...
and Northwest Arkansas Classical Academy are the two public
charter schools A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...
. The Thaden School opened in 2017 and is the first independent high school in the city. Bentonville Adventist School, associated with the
Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
, provides education services for kindergarten through eighth grade. The nearest Catholic high school is
Ozark Catholic Academy Ozark Catholic Academy is a Roman Catholic high school on the property of St. Joseph Catholic Church (Tontitown, Arkansas), St. Joseph Catholic Church in Tontitown, Arkansas. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock. The sc ...
in Tontitown. Bentonville is home to the
Northwest Arkansas Community College NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) is a public community college with its main campus in Bentonville, Arkansas. Total enrollment for the fall semester of 2018 was 8,308. History NWACC was founded by voters in the Bentonville and Roge ...
(NWACC), a public two-year college that provides students undergraduate, vocational, career and technical education courses. The Bentonville Public Library System consists of one central library, located at 405 S. Main Street, which provides residents with access to print books, publications and multimedia content, as well as a satellite location at the Bentonville Community Center in the southwestern section of the city.


Infrastructure


Transportation


Major highways

*
Interstate 49 Interstate 49 (I-49) is a north–south Interstate Highway that exists in multiple segments: the original portion entirely within the state of Louisiana with an additional signed portion extending from I-220 in Shreveport to the Arkansas s ...
*
US Route 71 U.S. Route 71 or U.S. Highway 71 (US 71) is a major north–south United States highway that extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in the central United States. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstat ...
* US Route 71 Business * Highway 12 * Highway 72 *
Highway 102 Route 102 or Highway 102 can refer to multiple roads: China * China National Highway 102 Canada * New Brunswick Route 102 * Newfoundland and Labrador Route 102 * Nova Scotia Highway 102 * Ontario Highway 102 * Prince Edward Island Route 1 ...
* Highway 112 The major through route in Bentonville is
Interstate 49 Interstate 49 (I-49) is a north–south Interstate Highway that exists in multiple segments: the original portion entirely within the state of Louisiana with an additional signed portion extending from I-220 in Shreveport to the Arkansas s ...
/
US 71 U.S. Route 71 or U.S. Highway 71 (US 71) is a major north–south United States highway that extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in the central United States. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstat ...
. This fully controlled access, four-lane expressway is a discontinuous piece of a route ultimately planned to connect
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
to
New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
. Formerly designated as Interstate 540 with the re-designation as Interstate 49 being granted by the U S Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration on March 28, 2014, the highway became the first freeway in the area when it was completed in the 1990s to relieve the former US 71 (now US 71B) of a much-increased demand of through travelers following the unanticipated and rapid growth of the Northwest Arkansas metro. Future plans for the I-49 corridor include completion of a freeway segment through between Fort Smith and Texarkana. The Bella Vista Bypass to the north was completed and opened in late 2021.


Public transit

Bentonville has one major provider of public transportation,
Ozark Regional Transit Ozark Regional Transit is the provider of mass transportation in the Northwest Arkansas region, including Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville. History The roots of the organization are in a 1974 project by the Economic Opportunity ...
, which operates in Benton/Washington Counties and is a broad bus-based fixed-route regional transit system.


Aviation

The Bentonville Municipal Airport and Louise M. Thaden Field is owned by the city and serves
general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
. The nearest airport for commercial flights is
Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Northwest Arkansas National Airport is in Northwest Arkansas in Highfill, Arkansas, United States, northwest of Fayetteville and northwest of Springdale. It is often referred to by its IATA code, which is incorporated in the airport's logo a ...
(XNA), located approximately 12 miles southwest of the city center, which opened in 1998.


Utilities


Water

The City of Bentonville owns and operates a municipal water system that provides services to industrial, commercial and residential customers. Drinking water is purchased and pumped from the
Beaver Water District Beaver Water District (BWD) is a water district created in 1957 as a quasi-governmental agency to provide treated drinking water to the communities of Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers metropolitan area, Northwest Arkansas. The district's source i ...
treatment plant in Lowell. The city uses approximately of water per day on average.


Notable people

*
James Henderson Berry James Henderson Berry (May 15, 1841 – January 30, 1913) was a United States Senate, United States Senator and served as the 14th List of Governors of Arkansas, governor of Arkansas. Early life James Henderson Berry was born in Jackson County ...
, U.S. senator and 14th governor of Arkansas *
Asa Hutchinson William Asa Hutchinson II (, '' AY-sə''; born December 3, 1950) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who is the 46th and current governor of Arkansas. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U.S. attorney for the Fort Smit ...
, 46th and current Governor of Arkansas *
Tim Hutchinson Young Timothy Hutchinson (born August 11, 1949) is an American Republican politician, lobbyist, and former United States senator from the state of Arkansas. Personal life Hutchinson was born in Bentonville in northwestern Arkansas, the son of ...
, former U.S. Senator *
Malik Monk Malik Ahmad Monk (born February 4, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats, earning consensus ...
, professional
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player for the
Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...
*
Doug McMillon Carl Douglas McMillon (born October 17, 1966) is an American businessman, and the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Walmart Inc. He sits on the retailer's board of directors. Having first joined the company as a summer associate i ...
, CEO of Walmart *
Lee Seamster Lee A. Seamster (born September 14, 1888 – July 25, 1960) was a lawyer and politician from Northwest Arkansas. Passing the bar in 1913, Seamster practiced law in Bentonville, and represented the area in the Arkansas House of Representatives fr ...
, Chief Justice of the
Arkansas Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Arkansas is the highest court in the state judiciary of Arkansas. It has ultimate and largely discretionary appellate jurisdiction over all state court cases that involve a point of state law, and original jurisdiction o ...
; mayor of Bentonville, 1921–1922 *
Louise Thaden Iris Louise McPhetridge Thaden (born Louise McPhetridge; November 12, 1905 – November 9, 1979) was an American aviation pioneer, holder of numerous aviation records, and the first woman to win the Bendix trophy, alongside Blanche Noyes. She was ...
, aviation pioneer, holder of numerous aviation records, and the first woman to win the
Bendix Trophy The Bendix Trophy is a U.S. air racing, aeronautical racing trophy. The transcontinental, point-to-point race, sponsored by industrialist Vincent Hugo Bendix, Vincent Bendix founder of Bendix Corporation, began in 1931 as part of the National Ai ...
*
Dwight Tosh Dwight Crandall Tosh (born November 12, 1948) is a retired trooper of the Arkansas State Police from Jonesboro, Arkansas, who is a Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for District 52 in Craighead Poinsett, Jackson, and ...
, Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives *
Karri Turner Karri Kathleen Turner (born December 21, 1966) is an American television actress who is best known for playing Lieutenant Harriet Sims in the television series '' JAG'' (1997–2005). Biography Turner was born in Fort Worth, Texas and raised i ...
, actress on the adventure/drama television show '' JAG'' *
Jim Walton James Carr Walton (born June 7, 1948) is an American businessman, currently the heir to the fortune of Walmart, the world's largest retailer. As of October 2022, Walton was the seventeenth-richest person in the world, with a net worth of US$61 b ...
, 17th richest person in the world, youngest son of
Sam Walton Samuel Moore Walton (March 29, 1918 – April 5, 1992) was an American business magnate best known for founding the retailers Walmart and Sam's Club, which he started in 1962 and 1983 respectively. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. grew to be the world's l ...


References


External links

* * Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry
Bentonville (Benton County)
{{authority control Cities in Arkansas Populated places established in 1873 Cities in Benton County, Arkansas County seats in Arkansas Northwest Arkansas 1836 establishments in Arkansas