To spot the Stroud House, look for a charming white, one-and-a-half story home with a porch wrapped around the front, decorative shingles, and tall columns, sitting beneath the shade of a big old tree at the corner of SE F Street and East Central Avenue.
Now, take a moment to picture yourself here in 1903, when Daniel Boone Laine and Delila Laine were busy planning their dream home. Imagine the wood saws buzzing and hammers tapping as this lovely Queen Anne-style house rose from the Arkansas soil, its quirky angles and fancy shinglework catching the eye of every passerby. The porch, with its stately columns, practically begged for neighbors to chat about the latest news or maybe the mystery of that missing pie from next door-hey, it was a tough time for baked goods. This wasn’t just any old home, though. In 1925, the sound of cars rolling up filled the air, thanks to a tiny gas station that once stood right on this property. Stroud House is proof that architecture styles can’t always make up their minds-what you’re seeing is a blend of Queen Anne whimsy and Colonial Revival grace, now officially snuggled into the National Register of Historic Places since 1986. Every board and window here has seen Bentonville grow up from horse buggies to hybrid cars, and maybe, if you peek in just the right spot, you'll find a clue from its gas stop days hiding in plain sight.
