Marilyn Harris Collins

Rogers Marilyn Harris Collins

Early Rogers settlers witnessed the Butterfield Overland Stage moving West, the agony of the Trail of Tears, Civil War soldiers heading for battle at nearby Pea Ridge, and later greeted the arrival of the railroad just 28 days before the town incorporated on June 6, 1881. Readers will encounter Capt. C. W. Rogers, the town's namesake; "Coin" Harvey's dream of a pyramid; Betty Blake, who married world-renowned Will Rogers; and William Henry Kruse's vision of gold under an old apple tree. More importantly, this book is full of everyday people who built a town, erected churches and schools, and provided a livelihood for their families. Historic downtown has remained largely unchanged, with wide, brick streets and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Rogers is home to the Rogers Historical Museum, the Daisy Airgun Museum, the restored Victory Theater, and the first Wal-Mart store.