Peeling Back the Curtain: An Introduction to the Peel Museum & Botanical Garden
Sitting proudly in front of Walmart Supercenter #100 is a large, majestic Italianate-style home that has been a part of the Bentonville, Arkansas landscape since 1875. This historic house has become such a familiar landmark that many locals pass by it daily without ever stepping inside or giving it a second thought.
But what really goes on inside this stately home? And why is it so important to the history of Northwest Arkansas?
That’s where I come in.
My name is Chelsea Stewart, and I am the Museum Manager & Curator of the Peel Museum & Botanical Garden. The story of this home, its collections and archives, and the surrounding land are an integral part of Northwest Arkansas’s rich heritage. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be taking you behind the scenes with our new series, Peeling Back the Curtain. Whether you’re a local wanting to learn more, a visitor planning a trip, or simply a lover of history like me, there’s something here for everyone.
The Basic Facts:
The Peel home was built in 1875 by Congressman Samuel W. Peel and his wife Mary Emaline Berry Peel. The couple had nine living children, with their youngest born the same year they moved into the house. Although the two eldest children, Alice and James, were already married and living elsewhere, they visited often with their families.
The property included a large farm and between 40 to 60 acres of orchards, making the Peels a fully self-sufficient family. In 1882, Samuel Peel was elected to Congress, serving as a Representative for Arkansas from 1883 to 1893. Notably, he was the first person born in Arkansas to represent the state at the federal level.
