by Monte Harris (Author)
The first Bentonville town map was drawn with a quill pen and ink on a sheepskin document about 1836. From the beginning, Bentonville was the center of county government, attracting an ever-increasing population of prosperous-minded merchants, attorneys, real estate speculators, and their families. They served as town and county officials and built Bentonville's first homes, offices, commercial establishments, churches, and schools. After suffering through the Civil War, several experienced merchants rebuilt, and once again, the businesses of the Bentonville Square flourished. Even though none of the early businesses came close to the success of present-day Walmart, a group of retail vendors, nicknamed "The Hungry Eight," aggressively competed at the very same site where the Walmart Visitor Center is located today. Images of America: Bentonville includes many other interesting stories and photographs of historic places in Bentonville.