German POW-built Chaffee amphitheatre to be renovated; part of bike trail

story by Marla Cantrell
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Work is underway to restore an amphitheatre that was likely built by World War II prisoners of war on former Fort Chaffee land.

“It’s my understanding, as I recall, the Germans built that,” said Ray Caruthers, Barling city administrator.

The stone structure, high on a ridge off Massard Road, is just one of the remnants of the German’s handiwork at Chaffee. Caruthers said the prisoners fashioned a lion sculpture at the camp, but it was later stolen.

Other examples of the prisoners’ work remain.

“They’d leave notes that they were here,” Ivy Owen, executive director of the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment, said. “At the schoolhouse they signed the steps. And at the old officers club. At the entrance on the steps, they wrote in German, “Work is Good” and dated it 1943.”

But it’s the amphitheatre that most interests Owen. The renovation is part of a much bigger plan to finish a 6-mile bike trail that would begin at Ben Geren Park, run along Massard Road near Wells Lake, continue toward Zero Street, and end at Ben Geren. Two miles of the trail are already in place, from funding through the Arkansas Highway Department.

The FCRA board donated property to the county for the project. Sebastian County Judge David Hudson said the second 80-20 grant for $100,000, which runs near the new Woods Subdivision, will bring the trail back into Ben Geren.

“That opens up a lot of opportunities,” Hudson said, “not only for biking, but for 5Ks, and a lot of recreation. It supports the residential development. … It will truly improve the quality of life.”

Owen said amenities like biking and hiking trails are high on the want lists of families considering relocating to the area. He thinks the old amphitheatre will add a certain unexpected charm.

“It’s going to be a destination stop for the bike trail,” Owen said. “We’re going to have water fountain there, parking for cars and bikes. It’s going to be a view for bikers and walkers, looking out over the airport. People are going to be clamoring to come out and look at this.”

Care is being taken to assure the amphitheatre looks as it did when it was originally constructed. Joey Chasteen, Chaffee museum coordinator, found a photograph of the stone structure and masons will use it as a guide for the renovation.

“It’s going to take a lot of work,” Owen said. “But it will be done right.”

Hudson expects the trail to be mostly complete by year’s end.