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Its Chamber of Commerce refers to Fayetteville as a “gem-of-a-town.” It
became Cherokee Territory through the treaty of 1817. In 1827, it was
known as Lovely County, named for Major William L. Lovely. In the next
year, Washington County was created by the Arkansas territorial legislature,
when a treaty with the Cherokees moved them beyond the present Oklahoma
state line. The county seat was first called Washington Courthouse, but
the name was changed to Fayetteville to avoid confusion with Old Washington
in south Arkansas. That name was chosen by two commissioners who were
originally from Fayetteville, Tennessee.
But, regardless of its name, the city is thought by its residents – and
others as well – to be “a great place to live.” Several national magazines
have seen fit to pile praise upon it, as seen below in the Business Incentives
Section. According to Forbes Magazine’s 2005 Best Places, Fayetteville
is the fourth fastest Metropolitan Statistical Area for Job Growth and
the first in Income Growth. The 2007 Report from Worldwide ERC and Primary
Relocation ranks Fayetteville MSA 15th in its category. It
ranks “tops” for clean air. And this is just a sampling of the awards.
Listed as some of its many blessings are beautiful scenery, a mild Ozark-foothills
climate, a bustling economy, the attractions of the University of Arkansas
and its Razorbacks, upscale shops and restaurants, and proximity to some
great fishing and other recreational outlets.
Located here is the first home shared by Bill and Hilary Clinton, which,
today, is a museum.
VITAL STATISTICS
Location – Northwest corner of Arkansas in the Ozark Mountains
Elevation – 1400 ft.
Population – City of Fayetteville (2006): 68,831
MSA (2005): 395,592
Trade Area Estimate: 673,048
Climate – Winter Temp. Range – 23/50 F.
Spring “ “ -- 37/76 F.
Summer “ “ -- 63/89 F.
Fall “ “ -- 37/81 F
Annual Precipitation - 44.04”
Annual Snowfall -- 10.0”
DISTANCE TO SOME OTHER MAJOR CITIES
Chicago – 632 miles; Dallas – 398 mi.; Jackson, Miss. – 546 mi.; Kansas
City – 268 mi.; Little Rock – 203 mi.; Louisville – 598 mi.; Memphis –
336 mi.; New Orleans – 732 mi.; Oklahoma City – 225 mi.; Shreveport –
317 mi.; Springfield, Mo – 113 mi.; St. Louis – 329 mi.; Tulsa – 118 mi.;
and Wichita – 314 mi.
ECONOMY
The economy here is considered very healthy, with three of Arkansas’ top
five employers headquartered in the area. They are Wal-Mart, Tyson Food
and J.B. Hunt.
BUSINESS INCENTIVES
Fayetteville has been ranked No.8 in the Best Places for Business and
Careers list by Forbes Magazine and No. 4 by Inc. Magazine’s 2007 report,
Best Cities for Doing Business, in the top 20 mid-size city category to
do business. Factors include its progressive tax system, state of the
art telecommunications, affordable utilities, centralized transportation
infrastructure, and significantly young population.
FAYETTEVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, INC.
This not-for-profit organization is funded by private investments from
local businesses, with the purpose of serving as a single point of contact
for local economic development to provide leadership, help existing companies
grow, create new companies, and recruit compatible new businesses, create
new jobs and increase the per capita income.
TOP 25 EMPLOYERS
University of Arkansas, Pinnacle Foods Corp (frozen dinners), Superior
Industries (Cast Aluminum Wheels), Washington Regional Medical Center,
Tyson’s (frozen dinner entres), Fayetteville Public Schools, City of Fayetteville,
Arkansas Western Gas Co., Ayrshire Electronics (Manufacturing), Dillard’s
Department Store, McClinton Anchor Company (Limestone/Hot Mix construction),
Veterans Administration Medical Center, Wal-Mart Supercenter, Washington
County Government, American Air Filter (Manufacturing), Marshalltown Tools
(Cement Finishing Tools), Standard Register Company (Business Forms),
Danaher Tool Group (Hand Tools), AEP/SWEPCO (utilities), ARVEST Bank and
Trust, Clarion Inn (Hotel/Motel), Cox Communications (Utilities), Elkhart
Products Corp. of AR (Pipe fittings), Fayetteville City Hospital, Fayetteville
Diagnostic Clinic.
TECHNOLOGY
Fayetteville is said to be a nurturing environment for entrepreneurial
technology-based companies due to the pooling of resources of The City
of Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas, the GENESIS Technology Incubator,
and the management staff of the Arkansas Research and Technology Park.
TOURISM
There are many things to see and do here, and hotels, bed and breakfast
inns, RV parks, cabins, campgrounds, and the venerable Inn of Carnall
Hall – a favorite “boutique hotel” for business and pleasure.
TRANSPORTATION
There is an intermodal transportation network here of highways, railways,
air routes and waterways that provide easy access to U.S. markets and
the world and is very capable of moving bulk commodities and consumer
goods. Northwest Arkansas is home to national truck carriers including
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., ABF Freight System Inc., USA Truck,
PAM Transportation and American Freightways Corporation.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS REGIONAL AIRPORT (XNA)
Six major carriers fly from XNA, providing direct flights to Dallas, Chicago,
New York, Los Angeles and 21 other major metropolitan areas in the U.S.
HOUSING
There is a wide selection of houses and apartments for sale and rent here.
The median sale price for a 2400 sq. ft. home is currently $253,080 and
rent for a two bedroom, two bath apartment is $611.
HEALTH CARE
Arkansas boasts some of the nation’s finest health care facilities. In
Fayetteville there are Washington Regional Medical Center, Fayetteville
City Hospital, and Veteran’s Hospital. The Northwest Arkansas Radiation
Therapy Institute (NARTI) is a non-profit, community-owned, freestanding
provider of radiation therapy services to cancer patients in Northwest
Arkansas and surrounding areas.
EDUCATION
Fayetteville’s Public Schools are considered some of the state’s and the
nation’s best, being consistently ranked high in the annual “Education
Quotient” issue of Expansion Management Magazine. Recently, the Fayetteville
Public Schools were profiled on the “Champions of Industry” Show on the
Discovery Channel.
CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES
The Walton Arts Center here presents Broadway musicals, dance companies,
comedy, theater, and the North Arkansas symphony. There are more than
a dozen art galleries as well. And The World Peace Prayer Fountain bronze
spherical structure on the square in downtown is a “must-see” artwork.
Museums here include The Clinton House, Arkansas Air Museum/Ozark Military
Museum, and Bob Walton Arena/Hall of Champions Museum.
AWARD-WINNING PUBLIC LIBRARY
Blair Library was the Library Journal’s 2005 Library of the Year. This
88,000 square foot library boasts comfortable reading rooms, an Espresso
Café, an attached covered parking deck, and thousands of books,
periodicals, and media items, as well as a variety of book clubs and year-round
programs and a large collection of genealogy and reference materials.
SPORTS AND RECREATION
Facilities abound here for personal and spectator sports. They include
golf courses, hiking and biking trails and parks, bowling, horseback riding,
rock climbing, skateboarding, swimming, fishing, canoeing and boating.
There is a variety of athletic events scheduled throughout the year.
ATTRACTIONS
These include a number of historical houses and landmarks such as Ridge
House (the city’s oldest standing home), the Fayette Female Seminary,
The Walker-Stone House, and Headquarters House, which housed both the
Confederate and Union armies during the Civil War. Others include the
Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, Mount Sequoyah, the Jerry Jones – Jim
Lindsey Hall of Champions, honoring Razorback football, Boston Mountain
Scenic Loop, Beaver Lake, Lake Fayetteville, Lokomotion Family Fun Park
and more.
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