Cabot Visits the Daisy Air Gun Museum

While exploring Rogers, Arkansas I found the Daisy Air Gun Museum. Rogers has been the manufacturing home of the Daisy BB gun since 1958!

Growing daisies?

According to the Daisy website, Daisy actually had its beginnings back in 1882 as Plymouth Iron Windmill Company, a manufacturer of windmills in Plymouth, Michigan; however, by the late 1880s the windmill business was changing and the struggling company began looking for new ways to attract customers.

In 1886, Plymouth inventor Clarence Hamilton introduced a new idea to the windmill company. It was a combination of metal and wire, vaguely resembling a gun that could fire a lead ball using compressed air. Lewis Cass Hough, then president of the firm, gave it a try and, after his first shot, enthusiastically exclaimed, "Boy, that's a daisy!"

 

The name stuck and the BB gun went into production as a premium item given to farmers when they purchased a windmill. The gun was such a huge success that Plymouth Iron Windmill soon began manufacturing the Daisy BB gun in place of windmills! On January 26, 1895 the company's board of directors officially voted to change the name to Daisy Manufacturing Company, Inc.

The sturdy little Daisy BB gun quickly became a staple with American youth and youngsters all across the land cut their shooting teeth on a Daisy. Competition was keen at the time, with guns such as Bulls Eye, Dewey, Hero, Dandy, Atlas and others appearing almost overnight and disappearing just as quickly. Over the years Daisy has continued to improve and expand our line of airguns, putting model after model within the reach of every young shooter's pocketbook and skill level.

I'm a cowboy!

You'll shoot your eye out, kid.

There is so much to see here!

Cabot Visits The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History

Springdale, Arkansas is located between Rogers and Fayetteville here in Northwest Arkansas. In 1840, a small settlement was established around a log church known as the Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church, giving the town its original name. The community grew big enough to need a post office. However, Arkansas already had a town named Shiloh. Due to the abundant local springs, “Springs in the Dale” was suggested. The town was incorporated officially as Springdale in 1878. Today Springdale is a big part of the growing and prosperous economic powerhouse that is Northwest Arkansas. The challenge for the future involves balancing rapid growth with preserving the natural resources and beauty that first drew people here.

 

The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History serves the public by providing resources for finding meaning, enjoyment, and inspiration in the exploration of the Arkansas Ozarks.

Most of what you'll see at the museum highlights the real shapers of Ozark history - the everyday men, women, and children who lived in our towns and rural communities. Along with exhibits, you can explore six historic buildings on the museum grounds. We also have a research library with a collection of over 500,000 photographs of Ozark life.

This is outside on the grounds of the Shiloh Museum.

Can I drive?

Behind me is a “spring house” – underneath it in the back is a stone basement that houses a well – this is where the early settlers could keep things cool.

This is what was once a real working outhouse!!!

Notice the large metal tub hanging on the outside of the outhouse – that was their bathtub!!!

It's a two seater!

Cabot Checks out the Crystal Bridges Museum

Surrounded by 120 acres of forests and gardens, Crystal Bridges offers a revitalizing environment for experiencing art and cultural events. The grounds are a place of natural and artistic beauty, equally suited for quiet reflection and exploring with family and friends. Six pedestrian and multi-use trails wind through the campus, connecting the surrounding neighborhoods, parks, and downtown Bentonville to the Museum.

Opening November 11, 2011, the Museum takes its name from nearby Crystal Spring and the bridge construction incorporated in the building design by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. A series of pavilions nestled around two creek-fed ponds will house galleries, meeting and classroom spaces, and a large, glass-enclosed gathering hall.

 

Visitor amenities will also include a café on a glass-enclosed bridge overlooking the ponds and a Marlon Blackwell-designed museum store. Sculpture and walking trails will link the Museum's 120-acre park and gardens to downtown Bentonville, Arkansas.

The museum is being built down in a small valley just tucked in the middle of town!

The pictures of the construction work do not do it justice as to the size of the project.

Art exists where you least expect it. Can you see what's special about this tree?

Cabot Visits Compton Gardens

The city of Bentonville, Arkansas has been doing an outstanding job over the past several years creating its residents beautiful walking trails. There is so much wooded land here that makes for create places to meander through and enjoy nature – plus get some good exercise at the same time!

 

Compton Gardens is a green oasis that serves as a public park for the residents of Bentonville and beyond.

This 6.5 acre garden has been developed into a native / woodland garden which is quickly becoming a regional destination garden and special events venue. Residents and visitors are able to take advantage of this beautiful and peaceful environment that contains a native plant collection.

 These bears are friendly...right?

Compton Gardens is named after Dr. Neil Compton, a noted Bentonville physician, writer, photographer, founder of the Ozark Society, and savior of the Buffalo River. The Conference Center is the re-modeled home of Dr. Compton and now serves as a rental facility for seminars, conferences, workshops, retreats, intimate weddings, and private events. This is the entrance to the conference center along with a humongous old White Oak tree.

 

Cabot Walks The Tanyard Creek Nature Trail

Off the beaten path in Bella Vista, Arkansas, below the Windsor Lake Dam, is a beautiful well maintained nature trail, commonly called Tanny Creek Trail. Here we are enjoying a beautiful walk through the natural world of Northwest Arkansas.

The beautiful waterfall created by run off of Windsor lake is a favorite resting place with a well placed bench and fenced concrete viewing area.  Rapids created by the falls present a wonderful recreation area for more daring adults and children alike who don't mind getting a bit wet.  

Signs of wildlife abound if you care to look for them and the deeper pockets of the creek are full of fish of all sizes.

Snakes are a common site in the creek (and sometimes sunning themselves beside the paths) but are mostly harmless and not a threat if they are left alone.  Contrary to popular belief, water moccasins are not a common snake in Northwest Arkansas and nearly all the snakes you will see in the creek is the harmless midland water snake or another harmless water snake species.

Arkansas' state motto is "The Natural State" and for good reason.  Arkansas attract many visitors to our wild places and native beauty.  People from all over drive hours, often just for a weekend, to hike the Ozark hills and mountains, enjoy the wildlife and the fresh air of Arkansas.  

Incorporating the path of a very old country road and the meanderings of Tanyard Creek, the trail loops lazily up hills and down with long stretches of straight-aways.  Most of the trail takes you through second growth Oak/Hickory forest, with some of the trails skirting meadow lands. 

They say the trail got its name because years ago there used to actually be a place where they tanned cow hides down there along the creek.  Along the trail there are signs of days gone by when a few early settlers actually lived in the area there.

 What a fun place to explore!

There’s even a suspension bridge!!

These craggy bluffs contain old caves.

 

I can hear and SEE water running down the wall of the rocks!!

Fun at the Bentonville Water Park with Cabot

It's been hot, hot, hot here in Northwest Arkansas with temperatures right before or right at 100 degrees. I'm sweltering! So my hostess took me somewhere to cool off - the Bentonville Water Park.

The park is right across the Bentonville Square. It opened last Christmas and in the winter time it becomes an ice skating rink. For the summer months it converts back to being a great place to cool off by running through multiple jets of water that dance high in the air!

Amelia tells me she's staying in where it's air conditioned as it's super hot in Western New York as well. Is it hot by you? What are you doing to stay cool?

Cabot Attends a Quinceanera

I was lucky enough to be invited to a Quinceanera. This was the 15^th birthday party for Stephanie.

 

In Spanish cultures the Quince is a very big deal!  It is supposed to signify the change to young adulthood for girls.  It is very much like a Sweet Sixteen or a Bat Mizvah.

They had a REALLY big party that was held at an event center and about 300 people were there!  Friends and family came from as far away as Texas, California, and Georgia to attend.  There was food and music, cake and even a choreographed dance routine from Steph and her friends as entertainment!  It was an amazing party!!

Here I am with a mariachi band they brought in to serenade us during the dinner hours!

Fireworks for Cabot

You know it’s a sure sign that summer is here in Northwest Arkansas when all the fireworks tents pop up around town about 2 weeks before July 4^th!

Although there are city ordinances about not shooting off fireworks in the city limits, it somehow seems odd that they are allowed to sell them!

Happy Independence Day!

Cabot Visits the Home Office of Walmart

Continuing on my journey of Bentonville Arkansas, I stopped at the Walmart Home Office – located on Walton Blvd and 8^th Street. The home office is located about a mile or less from the downtown square.

I was able to go inside the home office, but unfortunately I was not allowed to take pictures.

So I’ll just have to share what sights are around the home office area itself!

There is a giant sign on the corner of those streets that shows us 24/7 how much $$ Walmart has saved it’s customers so far this year. It has an automatic counter that continually updates this information.

Here is the very first 5 and dime store Sam Walton opened up on the Bentonville Square.  It is now a visitor’s center that just underwent the process of having its façade maintained and its museum expansion into the adjacent building. It is a very popular tourist destination here. The museum houses Wal-Mart artifacts, Sam Walton's old truck, and a tribute to his bird dog Ol' Roy. In 1886, this Bentonville building included a Post Office, drug and grocery store and insurance office. It was purchased by Walton in 1950 and became the location of Mr. Sam's original Bentonville variety store, Walton's Five and Dime. The center traces the origin and growth of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

These next pics are just to the west of the home office, right across the street from it on Walton Blvd.

Of course, there is a Walmart store just across the street from it! It’s not, however, the very first Walmart store.  That’s located just the next town over in the city of Rogers. It is no longer a Walmart store, but it’s fun to drive by and point it out to people.

At the front of the land that the Walmart store across from the home office sits on, is the Peel Mansion. 

Some facts from www.peelmansion.org:

In 1875, Colonel Samuel West Peel built a marvelous villa tower Italianate Mansion on the outskirts of Bentonville, Arkansas.

It was a working farmstead surrounded by 180 acres of apple orchards.

Colonel Peel, pioneer businessman, legal representative (appointed by the President) to the five civilized tribes in Indian Territory and Confederate soldier, was the first native born Arkansan elected to the United States Congress. He and his wife, Mary Emaline Berry Peel, raised nine children here.

The interior of the house was furnished with authentic antiquities and artifacts of the era, generously loaned by the Historic Arkansas Museum and the Old State House

Behind the Walmart home office is the city’s cemetery in which Mr. Sam Walton is buried.

I stopped to pay my respects.