Stepping Through History: Our Day on the Bentonville

BENTONVILLE- There's something about a crisp morning in Northwest Arkansas that makes you want to get moving. Terri and I recently headed over to Bentonville to knock out an AVA (American Volkssport Association) walk, and we couldn't have picked a better starting point than the historic downtown square. Between the fresh air and the deep dive into American retail history, it was a Saturday well spent.

We started our route right at the corner of NE 2nd Street, where the town's red-brick charm is on full display. Bentonville has done a fantastic job preserving its "Small Town, USA" feel, even as it serves as the home base for the global giant Walmart.  As we made our way through the square, we found ourselves standing in front of the iconic red-and-white striped awning of Walton's 5-10. You can't come here for a walk and not step inside the place where it all began.

Inside the museum, we followed the timeline of Sam Walton's journey. It's a classic American story: by June of 1945, Sam was discharged from the Army and looking for a place to settle down with his wife, Helen, and their first child, Rob.

He started out in Newport, Arkansas, running a Ben Franklin variety store, but eventually moved to Bentonville to open the store we were standing in. One of the most interesting tidbits we picked up was how the name "Walmart" came to be. In 1962, Sam was getting ready to open the first official Walmart in Rogers. A manager named Bob Bogle suggested the name, partly because it only had seven letters. Back then, you paid for signs by the letter, so "Walmart" was a whole lot cheaper to put on a building than "Walton's 5 & 10."

As we walked through the exhibits, one thing really stood out to me: Sam's 1979 Ford F-150 Custom. It's parked right there in the museum, looking exactly like it did when he drove it. It's got about 65,000 miles on the odometer, a four-speed manual transmission, and some old dog crates in the back. There was a quote on the wall that I think says everything you need to know about the man: "I just don't believe a big showy lifestyle is appropriate. Why do I drive a pickup truck? What am I supposed to haul my dogs around in, a Rolls-Royce?"

Seeing the original papers, keys, and even his sunglasses still sitting in the truck was a powerful reminder of the humility he expected from himself and his team, even as the company went public in 1970 and eventually crossed the billion-dollar-a-year mark.

After soaking in the history, Terri and I finished up our 5k loop. Walking past the old store interiors and the massive murals of the original "5-10" days really put the distance we covered into perspective. It wasn't just a walk through a town; it was a walk through a legacy of hard work and simple living.

If you're ever in the area for a hike or a ride, I highly recommend taking an hour to slow down on the Bentonville. It's a good reminder that even the biggest things usually start with a small shop, a cheap sign, and a reliable old truck.