GRAVETTE — Members of the Gravette Historical Museum Commission made a Centerton lady very happy last week when they gave her a quilt she worked on 40 years ago. Geraldine Carpenter met with museum commissioners last Wednesday at Centerton City Hall to receive the gift.
Carpenter had worked on the quilt, in a red, white, blue and brown Liberty Bell pattern, in the Bicentennial year and her name was embroidered on one of the blocks. She said her mother also worked on the quilt and, since her name was not found on the quilt, she probably signed one of the pillowcases made to go with it. The quilt was made by the Centerton Bicentennial Committee to raise money for the first Centerton Day in 1976 and was raffled off as a part of that celebration.
Joy Lynch and her husband, who operated a cafe in Centerton in those days, were winners of the quilt drawing. They used the quilt in their home in Centerton and later in Bentonville, where they operated a coffee shop. The Lynchs later moved to Missouri and, after her husband's death, Mrs. Lynch decided to donate the quilt to the local museum commission. She was the former Joy Wiggins, who formerly lived in Gravette and graduated from Gravette High School.
The Gravette Museum Commission accepted the quilt from Lynch, but their acquisition policy is to accept only donations from the local area. Since it would not be accepted for the museum's collections, they made the stipulation that they would agree to find a permanent home for the quilt.
Lavon Stark, a member of the museum commission, contacted Centerton Mayor Bill Edwards and inquired about donating it to the city for an exhibit. Since Centerton does not have a museum, she then reached out to Mrs. Carpenter, a lady she knew who lived in Centerton and whose name was on the quilt. Carpenter was thrilled at the idea of becoming its new owner.
Lynch is also pleased that the city of Gravette, the Gravette Historical Museum and the city of Centerton all worked together to find the quilt a proper home where it can be enjoyed for years to come.
The Centerton Bicentennial committee planned the annual Centerton Day for several years before it was turned over to the Centerton Fire Department. Then, when the department got a new fire chief, they decided not to continue with the project and the city of Centerton has been doing the planning the last few years. Centerton residents are busy now finalizing plans for this year's Centerton Day, which is to be held Saturday, Sept. 10.
Community on 09/07/2016