OPINION | James Hales: How the city of Rogers pulled out all the stops for its 100th birthday

Recently I have been reviewing material given to me by Sue Fleming, the daughter of Opal Beck. Beck was a major supporter of the Rogers community from 1964 until her retirement in 2003 at the age of 90. One truly fascinating event was the grand celebration of Rogers’ centenary in 1981.

Here are some of this year’s events, compiled from information provided by Sue Fleming:

Planning for the big party began in January 1981 when the Rogers City Council appointed an eight-member commission to plan and coordinate our 1981 Centennial. The members were Opal Beck, chairwoman; Perry Butcher, Gene Ramsey, Joye Kelley, Norma Billings, Don Law, Clarice Moore and Wheeler Litterell.

Public meetings were held and enthusiastic citizens made it clear that they wanted a celebration, but also something permanent that would bring joy to all of Rogers’ citizens. It was decided that the funds raised would be used to create a quiet, passive urban park that would be easily accessible in downtown Rogers.

The first centennial was held in the fall of 1980. The cruiser-guided nuclear battleship USS Arkansas was to be commissioned and required a city to provide financial sponsorship of at least $7,000. The City of Rogers rose to the occasion and provided financial support. Rogers was represented at the commissioning ceremony in Norfolk, Virginia by Mayor Jack Cole and the official Rogers Centennial Flag was raised over the battleship.

The centenary celebrations included events for everyone.

In January, a “Snow Ball” dance for high school students was held, as was a Will Rogers film festival (Rogers married a local girl, Betty Blake, at her Walnut Street home) and a concert by the Foggy River Boys. A Victorian ball hosted by the Ladies’ Auxiliary showcased fashions from 1881 and was a great success. An “Old Timers Tea” honored residents who had lived here 40 years or more and brought together 300 residents who had contributed significantly to the development of Rogers.

On May 10, a celebration was held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first train ride to Rogers. Representatives of Burlington Northern presented the city with a red Frisco boxcar as a 100th anniversary gift. The boxcar now stands in Butterfly Park at the corner of First and Cherry Streets and is part of the Rogers Historical Museum.

The grand birthday celebration, organized by the Rogers Centennial Commission and City Council, was a grand event held on May 28th at Frisco Park. Members of the 1981 council were Sam Fleming, Jerry Hiett, Joe Mathias, Skip Gregory, Clarice Moore, Mike Jeffcoat, Norm Polk and Jack McHaney. Guests of honor were former mayors Ed. M. Bautts, Harry B. Smith and Seward Pucket.

The program began with a flyover by Tom Batie, followed by a 21-gun salute from the American Legion. The invocation was given by Msgr. John Murphy of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and everyone was greeted by Mayor Jack Cole.

Rogers City Attorney Douglas Schrantz introduced the guests and speakers. US Senator Dale Bumpers and Arkansas Governor Frank White spoke to those present and congratulated Rogers on its anniversary. Judge John Jennings paid tribute to the founding families.

The most memorable and lasting part of the event was the presentation of a debt relief deed for the new Centennial Park to the City of Rogers by Opal Beck, Chair of the Rogers Centennial Commission.

Centennial Park was built on South First Street on the site where the Sears building and the House of Fabrics burned in the great fire of 1978. The vacant lot was located between the Bible Book Store and Townzen’s Barber Shop.

Money was tight, so barber Gary Townzen volunteered to landscape the park. Opal Beck provided only $150 to purchase all the plants. Townzen and his wife Brenda were very interested in gardening and landscaping. Gary had previously attended six weeks of informal meetings at the University of Arkansas on proper planting and landscaping. He and Brenda shopped all over the area to get as many plants as they could, and planted and cared for them. They planted three white pines in the back to mark the park off from the alley. A large fountain and concrete stage were soon added.

This year the park was completely redesigned and rebuilt and is now called Centennial Pedestrian Plaza.

The birthday celebration concluded with a song by the Centennial Quartet and the Rogers Centennial Choir. Children then released balloons and Mayor Cole presented a 100-foot-long birthday cake. The blessing was given by Greer Lingle, Superintendent of Rogers Public Schools.

Numerous other festive activities were held throughout 1981, including street festivals, fireworks, a parade, a horse show, an auction, a pop concert, and a slide presentation on the town’s history. (Data from Rogers, Ark., Arkansas Community Development Program, 1981. Author unknown, presumably Opal Beck.)

So what else happened in 1981?

The First National Bank had just completed a major expansion from 10,000 to 37,000 square feet, covering almost the entire block from Walnut to Chestnut and from Second to Third Streets. Under the leadership of President Carl Baggett, it was the leading financial institution in Benton County.

The Morning News and the evening Rogers Daily News were produced in the same building for three years under the direction of business manager Oscar “Okie” Boyd. The Rogers Daily News was the leading newspaper in Rogers from 1927 until 1981, when it ceased publication. The two publications were merged into the Morning News and remained the premier newspaper in Northwest Arkansas.

Big Jim Croxdale and Jimmy Rieff, owners of the Thriftway IGA grocery store, took out a full-page ad in the centennial edition of the Morning News announcing their 59th anniversary and boasting about operating two stores, one in the Plaza Shopping Center next to Walmart No. 1 and one in the Southgate Shopping Center.

Another popular place to shop for groceries was the Phillips Food Center on the corner of N. Thirteenth and Walnut Streets. Phillips & Sons Grocery opened in 1946 on the southwest corner of First and Elm Streets and had recently moved into its new store building. A large ad in the Centennial Edition of the Morning News announced that Phillips was the first store in Rogers to implement electronic scanning. I wonder how the scanning technology of 1881 compares to our modern scanning system of today.

Vinegar production in Rogers began in 1905 when OL Gregory built the first vinegar factory in Benton County. The company went through several ownership changes and expansions over the years, but in 1980 Clarice Strode Moore and Mayor Jack Cole purchased the massive vinegar factory in Rogers from the Pillsbury Company.

At the time, Speas was in competition with the Rogers Vinegar Company, owned by Clarice’s mother, Peel Strode. Rogers Vinegar produced Rogers Brand Apple Cider Vinegar, Rogers Pure Prepared Mustard, Rogers Brand Louisiana Hot Sauce and Rogers Tomatoes. In 1981, both factories were merged to form Speaco Foods under the ownership of Clarice Moore and Jack Cole. That year, the large vinegar factory on N. Second Street was demolished and replaced with a huge apartment complex.

The year 1981 was not only the 100th anniversary of Rogers, but also the 100th anniversary of Applegate’s Drug Store. JE Applegate came to Rogers on the newly built Frisco Railroad and opened the first drug store. It featured the first electric lights and the first telephone in Rogers.

The oldest surviving store in Rogers with the same name was Stroud’s Department Store, founded by H.L. Stroud in 1884, just three years after Rogers’ birth. In 1881, Stroud’s, owned by H.K. Scott and Bill Crum, celebrated its 97th anniversary at 114-116 W. Walnut Street.

Unfortunately, the store closed in 1993, but the building was preserved and restored by architect John Mack and is as beautiful today as it was when it was built in 1898.

These are just some of the memories from Rogers’ 100th birthday. This year Rogers turns 143 years old, and people who lived here in 1981 could not have imagined the great changes and growth that have taken place since then.