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One Historic Bentonville Home Demolished, Another Set To Be Razed

BENTONVILLE (KFSM) — A Bentonville home that stood at 701 W. Central Ave. for a hundred years was torn down in less than an hour Thursday (May 12) and ano...

BENTONVILLE (KFSM) -- A Bentonville home that stood at 701 W. Central Ave. for a hundred years was torn down in less than an hour Thursday (May 12) and another historic home next door at 703 is scheduled for demolition next.

Benton County property records show the two homes were purchased by the son and daughter-in-law of former Walmart CEO Lee Scott.

A group of residents that says they want to preserve the city's historical charm has been protesting outside the two properties since Sunday.

"Just to make a buck that somebody's discarding history?" protester Steven Spitzer said. "It's just mind-boggling."

Local historian Randy McCrory organized the group.

"I understand that being on Central Avenue in Bentonville is kind of a status symbol," he said.

McCrory said he started protesting the demolition because famous female aviator Louise Thaden spent some of her childhood years living at 703 W. Central Ave. She became one of the most famous female aviators of the 1930s as she competed in air races against Amelia Earhart.

According to McCrory, the home that used to be 701 W. Central Ave. was once a church and then a church parsonage.

"We had people come and say they were baptized in this church," he said.

Residents were able to take bricks from 701 as keepsakes.

Both 701 and 703 W. Central Ave. are part of the Bentonville West Central Avenue Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but Troy Galloway, the community and economic development director for the city of Bentonville, said the city does not look into whether a private home is historical when the city issues demolition permits.

According to Galloway, the historic district designation is honorary and in order to keep historic properties from changes or demolition, the city council would have to vote on ordinance changes that would put protective measures in place. Galloway said that proposal was opposed by residents when it came up in the late 90s and has not been revisited since.

"Had that been accomplished then, [the demolition] could have been averted," he said.

The national register also states a historic designation cannot keep a private property owner from demolishing a structure.

Realtor Michelle Dearing, who specializes in selling homes in downtown Bentonville, said she has seen a lot of the historic homes restored, but that can sometimes cost more than tearing them down and rebuilding.

"Bentonville is transforming into a vibrant cultural mecca for the south," she said.

Dearing also said city zoning still protects the charm of Bentonville, so there is room for both history and growth.

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