October 16, 2013 Bentonville, Arkansas

We awoke to the sound of rain, but luckily the rain stopped in time for us to pack up and head to Bentonville in northwest Arkansas to visit family.  The over three hour drive took us over a mountain which included a tunnel

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and some beautiful lake views.  We stopped in Lowell, Arkansas at a Camping World to have our electric steps repaired and then headed to Bentonville, best known as the home of Sam Walton, founder of Walmart.

Our first day in Bentonville we went down on the square and toured the Sam Walton museum. This museum not only gives a biography of Sam Walton, but includes the story of the founding of Walmart.

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Outside of the museum they had a replica of one of Sam Walton’s trucks. He was known to ride around Bentonville in his pick up truck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Bill was happy to learn that Sam Walton was an Eagle Scout.

 

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Later in the day we went to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art which was founded by Alice Walton, daughter of Sam Walton.  It opened in November, 2011 and is a glass and wood design with pavilions around two creek fed ponds.  The museum features American art from the Colonial period to contemporary art.

 

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During our visit Aunt Shirley went geocaching with us for the first time.  She was quite good at it and found several geocaches.4-IMG_20131019_172252

 

 

 

 

 

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The next day we went to the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel in Bella Vista, right outside of Bentonville.  It is such a beautiful, spiritual place and weddings and funerals are held there, as well as people who come just to meditate.2-IMG_20131018_132936

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