Since former classmate Jim forced Butch into a golf game at one of the seven or eight courses around Bella Vista, AR, Pat and I did a little exploring of the Bentonville area. In case you are thinking, "Now where have I heard of Bentonville?", think Wal-Mart. This is the real Walton's Mountain, so to speak. We visited the Walton museum in what was Sam Walton's first store, a well-done depiction of the growth of Wal-Mart and its influence on American culture. The downtown has been refurbished and many interesting-looking shops ring the town square, although few were open on Sunday.
After the golfers finished we took a little drive around the area and visited an amazing building, the Mildred Cooper Memorial Chapel. We were not able to go inside, as a wedding was about to begin and we weren't invited, but from the outside, it really is spectacular. The chapel was designed by Euine Fay Jones, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright's, and appears to be made up of open arches and a freestanding door, but in reality is closed in with glass. This place was one that we would have missed if not for the Kirbys. It always pays to hire local guides.
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