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Bentonville is the location of the Walmart Home Office, and the retailer is very visible within the city. The Walmart Visitor Center is located on the Bentonville town square in Sam Walton's original Walton's Five and Dime. The home office includes fifteen buildings along Walton Boulevard (US 71B) in the west part of the city. Just north of downtown Bentonville is the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Founded by Alice Walton in 2011, this museum contains many masterpieces from all eras of American art, including many works from Walton's private collection. Across the square from the Walmart Visitor Center is the Benton County Courthouse, the center of the county government. Bentonville High School is located just west of Interstate 49/US Route 71 in central Bentonville.
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is a $450,000,000 museum of American Art designed by architect Moshe Safdie located within walking distance of downtown Bentonville. Other points of interest include:
The Bentonville Parks and Recreation Department maintains eighteen parks and over 20 miles (32 km) of trails. Crystal Bridges Trail crosses through Compton Gardens between downtown and the museumOver 300 acres (120 ha) of city parks throughout the city offer educational, recreational and outdoors opportunities to park visitors. The largest park surrounds Lake Bella Vista and includes a popular perimeter fitness trail and disc golf course. Memorial park features the Melvin Ford Aquatic Center as well as baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, skateboard, softball and soccer facilities. The four baseball fields at Merchants Baseball Park have hosted the Bentonville Youth Baseball League since its inception in 1954. Park Springs Park was created in the 1890s following the discovery of two springs with purported healing powers. The Burns Arboretum/Nature Trail was added in 1996 and includes an State Champion tree. Trails in Bentonville vary from small fitness trails to long mountain bike trails to the regional Razorback Greenway depending upon topography, intended use and city planning. The Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway, a 36-mile (58 km) primarily off-road mixed use trail connecting the Northwest Arkansas region, runs through Bentonville near Bentonville High School, the Walmart Home Office, and Crystal Bridges on its way to Lake Bella Vista to the north. The Crystal Bridges Trail is a 1 mile (1.6 km) trail between downtown Bentonville and the museum, built by the museum and donated to the city. Public art and sculptures line the trail, which passes through Compton Gardens on its way to the museum's southeast entrance. After passing by an overlook where trail users can view the museum from a bluff, the Crystal Bridges Trail connects to the museum's 3-mile (4.8 km) trail system. The city also has several trails connecting main streets, parks and neighborhoods throughout the city. |
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