Beaty Reunion Held at Old School

Beaty Reunion Attendees

Beaty Reunion Attendees

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

— Many of the almost 100 persons who attended the recent Beaty school/community reunion are pictured standing in front of the Liberty Hill church which served as the oneroom Beaty school for many years. Students in grades one through eight attended classes there until the school was combined with the Gravette district in 1948.

This was the first reunion of the students in more than 10 years and the event was extended to their offspring and present residents of the Beaty area. Beaty was at one time a community which included a hotel, lodge hall, stores and post office, as well as the church and school.

Located about six miles northwest of Gravette, Beaty was also a stopping point on the Frisco Railroad, which ran from Rogers into Southwest City, Mo., and Grove, Okla. The railroad made its last run in September, 1940. The post office was closed in 1931 and the last store in the community ceased operation about 25 years ago. The church was erected in 1919, replacing the first structure which was built in 1873.

The reunion was planned by Berl Dean Harris and Dwayne Craig and was attended by people from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri and Florida, as well as Arkansas.

News, Pages 5 on 06/08/2011