Lincoln, Prairie Grove Shopping for Industry

The small-town atmosphere hasn’t tempted many industries to venture far from the busy Interstate 540 corridor. And while Washington County does encompass more than Fayetteville and Springdale, big businesses may need a map to figure out how to get to the towns of Elkins, West Fork and Lincoln.

Once-tiny Johnson has enjoyed a tremendous population spurt — 287.1 percent from 1990 to a population of 2,319 in 2000. The town landed Willow Creek Women’s Hospital and a new elite golf course community. But Johnson is sandwiched between Fayetteville and Springdale and I-540 runs through it. John Tyson, Tyson Foods’ chairman and CEO, is simply building Clear Creek Country Club in his backyard.

Tontitown had a 104.8 percent population growth from 1990-2000. The town now has 942 residents and a large industrial park. But it, too, benefits from its geographic location. It’s just a few miles west of Springdale and I-540 and straddles U.S. Highway 412.

Prairie Grove, about 12 miles west of I-540 and the University of Arkansas, has the largest industry of the smaller towns in the southern half of the county. It has an industrial park with the likes of Specialty Fastening Systems Inc. and Ozark Delight, formerly the Lincoln Candy Co.

Specialty Fastening Systems, which manufacturers a variety of nails and fasteners designed for use with pneumatic (air pressure) tools, moved from Fayetteville to a 75,000-SF plant on 16 acres in Prairie Grove in 1999.

“I think our situation is pretty good,” said Greg Reed, president of Arvest Prairie Grove. “We have several small employers doing well.”

Reed said Prairie Grove officials have asked Bill Ramsey, Fayetteville’s Chamber of Commerce president, to send any prospective clients its way.

“We’ve asked the [Fayetteville] Chamber to tell us about someone that maybe they don’t have a place for or someone that doesn’t suit them exactly right,” Reed said.

Prairie Grove recently updated its waste and water treatment plant and has its own water source with Prairie Grove Lake.

But the city’s industrial park doesn’t have the buildings readily available as its western neighbor Lincoln does.

Lincoln’s industrial park, while home to the Arkansas State Fire Training Academy and the Cal-Maine hatchery, has plenty of acreage and building space available. The former Earth Care building is 45,470 SF on 5.63 acres. The facility includes manufacturing/warehouse space, offices, loading docks and a sprinkler system. There is a smaller building — 3,033 SF — on 2.37 acres. That building is an insulated, steel truss, metal siding facility that lists for $75,000.

There are also several plats of land available at the industrial park, priced at $5,000 per acre. They range from 2.41 acres to 7.12 acres.

“We are working with several [businesses] right now with the possibility of them moving to Lincoln,” said Linda Rogers, president of the Lincoln Area Chamber of Commerce.

Lincoln is home to the $80 million Latco Inc., which manufactures poultry houses and wood and steel trusses.

Perhaps the most logical site for industry in the small towns of Washington County would be Farmington, which closer to the University of Arkansas than many parts of Fayetteville. But that town lacks of an adequate sewer system.

Farmington Mayor Ernie Penn said the town currently has a moratorium on any new development until existing sewer lines are repaired. And even when that problem is solved, there is the lack of sewer capacity to bring in industry.