Sam Walton's Story

In 1950 Sam Walton and his wife Helen took PK's $50,000 check along with all their other belongings. They drove west out of town crossing the bridge over Newport's rail yard. After 230 miles traveling through cotton fields and past oil derricks until they finally reached Bentonville, Arkansas. He had found a store for sale there right on the town square just across from a monument featuring a bearded Confederate soldier. The store needed to be renovated, but Sam liked the location for personal reasons. But Bentonville had its drawbacks too Its population of 4,000 residents was even smaller than Newport where his initial store was located. Plus Bentonville already had three other variety stores like the