The History of Gassville
From a presentation by Mr. Hubert Marler, Gassville
Given at the July 1997 BCHGS meeting at the Gassville Community Center.
Reported for The History, the Society's quarterly, by Dale Sharp.

Gassville history comes alive at July meeting

The Baxter County Historical and Genealogical Society met at the Gassville community center on July 24, 1997. A packed house of members and guests enjoyed a wonderful potluck dinner; and Mr. Hubert Marler, longtime Gassville figure, provided an entertaining program of local history.

Using a blend of local history written by Mary Ann Messick with personal touches of his own recollections, he traced Gassville's roots from its early days known as "Turkey Neck" through the Civil War, the great depression, the boon provided by the shirt factory, to present day. Mr. Marler's folksy home spun style left no doubt that he is one of the pre-eminent storytellers of this region.

He established his own roots in Gassville from his birth near the old Rollins Hospital, in 1912. His father was born near there in 1888. His grandfather ran a blacksmith shop and general mercantile store in a building a short distance west of present day Gassville prior to the turn of the century. That building still exists today.

By 1840 early settlers had begun arriving in the Gassville area. In the true pioneer spirit, they traveled by covered wagons, which provided their first home until a one room log structure could be built. The location was considered ideal in that it was close enough to the prime river farm land for folks to market their crops, and far enough away to satisfy those who preferred to live away from the river bottom and the water. The early settlers called their community "Turkey Neck," due to the course of the river which essentially formed a peninsula around them. During the Civil War most settlers sympathized with the South, and while the men were away those left behind suffered at the hands of bushwackers and other unsavory characters. Mr. Marler's grandparents told him about bands of horsemen who plundered the region with impunity. After the war those who returned worked the land with renewed hope. By 1868 farms were back in production and residents began to turn to other needs.

The Baptist Church was organized that year, and Rev. C.A. Mayfield was the first pastor. The first school was held in the church building. In 1869 twenty-one families arrived from Cherokee County, Georgia. Col. James A. Coffee led the wagon train and established a cotton gin near a large oak tree that still stands on the old Gassville school ground. From his own recollection, Mr. Marler described three other cotton gins that eventually located in the immediate area. In 1876 the Cox and Denton store opened and carried a fine line of merchandise. Mr. Cox is credited by many for causing the name change of the community to its present Gassville. Mr. Marler related there is only one Gassville in the entire United States, an interesting distinction. He described Mr. Cox as an incessant talker. Locals began to refer to him as a "gasser." When the post office was established in 1878 with Mr. Cox as the postmaster, it seemed inevitable the name would become Gassville.

From 1879 to 1940 Gassville prospered as a trading center. Other general mercantile stores opened including Johnson's, Marler's and Eden's. Each usually bought all types of produce for shipment elsewhere. Frame buildings began to appear. The Denton Hotel opened, as did a blacksmith shop, a millinery store, a theater (silent movie) and a rather unusual bank. One of the merchants would make small loans to customers. A small one room church building was constructed. Based on the fundamentalist beliefs of the initial membership, it was first a "Campbellite" church. Over the years as more people settled in the area the membership changed, and most folks who worshipped there were of the Christian beliefs. The church was changed to the Christian Church. As time progressed the membership included a majority of Methodists and the name was changed again, accordingly. Mr. Marler's father led the singing and his aunt played the old treadle organ. In 1912 a new bigger building was constructed in the east part of town, and that building remains today serving another denomination. The Methodist membership ultimately combined with those of Cotter, and the church is now located between both communities with a Cotter mailing address.

A two-story school house was built with the Masonic and Oddfellows lodges on the second floor, and classes were conducted on the first floor. The doors were never locked and, on one occassion, someone tried to whittle a small hole in the ceiling to try to see what was going on with the "goat" upstairs.

On Oct. 1, 1908, E.W. Elijah "Lige" Owen was appointed the first rural mail carrier for the county. Mail was delivered by buggy and the carrier's uniform featured a double-breasted Confederate jacket with brass buttons. Owen lived a short distance from our meeting place and had a stable with several teams of mules. Every morning he would hitch up the team to pull the hack that day and come by the Marler house. Everyone came to know Lige Owen very well -- the first rural mail carrier in all of Baxter County.

In 1913 Stella Coffee, granddaughter of Col. Coffee, was appointed postmistress for Gassville; and for the next 45 years the town enjoyed having the prettiest postmaster in the state of Arkansas. She was in fact so recognized at a postmaster's meeting in Little Rock in 1935, perhaps Gassville's first formal recognition of any kind.

Early physicians in Gassville included doctors Lindsey, Covington, Martin, Denton, Ridley, Hackett and Morrow. Dr. Martin donated the land for the Methodist church. Dr. Morrow eventually moved to Cotter and became the doctor for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Dr. Rollins came to Gassville around 1928 and first stayed in the Denton hotel until he could get an office. About ten years later he opened the sixty-bed hospital from a composite of four buildings. Dr. Rollins had an office on the north side of the street next to the old post office. He needed more room so he bought (from Mr. Marler's grandmother) a strip of land about twenty feet wide on the south side of the street and built his office. This was the first of the four buildings and later formed the west side of the hospital. The adjoining building (on the east side) was constructed by Harv Powell, a man from from Independence. The next was built by a gentleman named Hugh Grimmitt who operated a restaurant. The fourth building was built by Homer Horn and was for a time a silent movie. Dr. Rollins was able to acquire them all and the hospital was created. Patients flocked to the area for treatment and several boarding houses operated to accommodate visitors and those convalescing from their illnesses. In 1938 Dr. Rollins sold the first hospitalization insurance in the county.

Gassville survived the depression but had much difficulty during World War II. During the depression local merchants granted unlimited credit and most survived. During the war, young men went into the service, ladies worked elsewhere in defense related endeavors and by 1944 Gassville was a town of older people. Many stores and rooming houses had closed.

In the 1950's retirees began to move into the area and helped the local economy with their social security checks. However, young people were forced to leave the town to find work. Mr. Marler joined the exodus as well. A much needed boost was provided when the Capital shirt factory moved to Gassville. It was, at the time, one of the largest industries that had ever moved into Arkansas. Gassville was soon chosen as the first town in the country to receive funds for waterworks under a then controversial federal urban renewal program.

Gassville has again begun to prosper and the future is bright.