To spot the Charles R. Craig Building, look for the two-story structure right in front of you with a fancy pressed metal facade and bold stucco, topped with architectural details and a deep burgundy awning shading its lower windows.
Picture yourself standing here at the turn of the 20th century-horses clip-clopping on dusty roads and locals bustling past this shiny, brand-new building, constructed by Charles Craig, who wore both a real estate broker’s hat and a merchant’s apron. You can almost smell the fresh brick and hear Craig boasting about his modern design, especially the Italianate-style metalwork glinting in the sun like a Victorian crown. Fast-forward just a bit and you’ll find J. W. Blocker moving in. Blocker ran the Bentonville Apple Evaporator, which means you might’ve caught a whiff of tart apples if you lingered here back then. There’s a rumor he bolted a massive walk-in safe inside-maybe just to keep the apples extra safe? Or perhaps he was hiding secrets from curious competitors! Today, instead of the hum of apple dryers, you’ll overhear the quiet buzz of professional offices, but the building still stands tall, its layers of history poking out from behind every decorative flourish. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, it guards its stories carefully-at least, until you come knocking.
