Westside Community Guide

2020 West Washington County Directory – 9 "Your Hometown Drug Store" 479-736-2241 www.smithdrug.net Hwy 12 East • Open M-F 9-6 p.m. & Sat 9-1 • Since 1980 • Free Delivery in Gentry • Drive thru 479-736-2695 Unique Gifts Selected to Please Jay B. Williams Attorney & Counselor at Law D. Joel Kurtz Attorney & Counselor at Law 100 W. Main St. ~ Gentry, Arkansas 72734 479-736-8800 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM jay@williamslawfirm.net • joel@williamslawfirm.net Serving Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri Clients since 1998 Williams laW firm O f a r K a N s a s "ere are several buildings in Gentry that hold historic significance," said Janie Parks, Director of the Gentry Chamber of Commerce. "One is the Gentry Chamber of Commerce Building. e Gentry Bank Building was built in 1904 on Main Street in Gentry. It served as a bank from 1904 until about 2000 going through several name changes. Today it is the home of the Gentry Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Gentry." "Another historic building is the Gentry Public Library," Janie continued. "e Gentry Public Library is housed in what once was the Gentry Hardware Building, also known as Carl's Hardware. e 120-year-old building sits on the corner of Main Street and South Collins Avenue. e brick structure was remodeled in 2008 and became the Gentry Public Library." e pressed tin ceilings, brick walls and upstairs pine flooring were preserved along with the original carriage elevator. is elevator is said to be the oldest elevator in Benton County and was used to move the assembled carriages/buggies from the second floor assembly area to the first floor and out to the street. e Library is open to the public six days a week, Monday through Saturday. revitalization e citizens of Gentry recently voted on a tax increase that will raise over $14 million in park improvements. e voters also approved a $5 million bond issue, which will begin phase one of those improvements. Among the new amenities that will be available when the improvements are completed are a Splash Park, soccer fields, baseball and soball fields, tennis and pickle ball courts, basketball courts, Top Spin courts, walking and bike trails, gathering spaces, festival stage, parking concession areas and much more. "e Gentry Chamber of Commerce's Main Street Association is looking to create a downtown Gentry Main Street Revitalization Plan in 2020," Janie said. "rough a generous grant, the Chamber will hire Landscape Architects to develop a plan for Main Street improvements. ese professionals will work hand in hand with the downtown business owners and managers, city officials and city leaders to create a beautiful, cohesive plan for Gentry's Main Street." is plan should be finished by December 2020. education Gentry School District is home to the Pioneers and boasts an enrollment rate of more than 1,400 students among the four schools. Students from surrounding communities also attend Gentry schools, which aim to provide a high-quality education to every student. Gentry High School has an impressive graduation rate of 92 percent, which is higher than the state average, as well as a more than 90 percent daily attendance rate in every school in the district. e city of Gentry that began as an agricultural hub for locals has been steadily progressing ever since to become an integral part of the Northwest Arkansas area. e city is consistently working to provide more for its residents, and to attract visitors to their remarkable town. Gentry is deeply rooted in Arkansas history, and based on the solid dedication and fortitude of the community, it appears the town will only continue to flourish.

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