WILSON, Ark.-Located deep in the Arkansas Delta is a small town that's working on becoming the beacon of renewal.
The city of Wilson has become a hidden jewel in the farming fields of Mississippi County. Wilson's downtown sets itself apart from most of the south because of the Tudor-style buildings, but the city itself has been overshadowed for many years. Now Wilson is doing its best to become the model of change in the Delta.
The Jonesboro Sun reports that Wilson was created by Lee Wilson in the 1800s as a lumber operation. Lee Wilson eventually turned the small lumber town into the capital of his Delta empire. With more than 62 square miles of cotton fields, the Wilson Company thrived as one of the kings of the cotton industry.
Brian Dempsey, one of the organizers of Wilson's many renewal projects, said as the years passed the city of Wilson began to fade away into history until the Lawrence Group came along.
"Basically in 2010 the Lawrence Group bought 90 percent of the infrastructure of Wilson and 40,000 acres of agriculture from the Wilson family," Dempsey said. "Originally, the Lawrence Group just wanted the farm land, but the Wilson family required they buy part of Wilson as well. When the Lawrence Group took over they started the major transformation of Wilson."
That transformation includes restoration of Tudor architecture, the opening of the Wilson Cafe, an organic farm, the establishment of an independent school and much more.
"What we are doing now is a modern story of renewal," Dempsey said. "We have a unique opportunity to talk about the history of Wilson and build on it."
The city is being modeled under five pillars: education, history, food, agricultural and arts. With the Delta School, the Wilson Cafe, Wilson Gardens and WilsonArkansas.com the city is on track, Dempsey said.
"The Wilson Gardens is 120 acres of organic farmland," Dempsey said. "We move those crops to the Wilson Cafe to give our residents fresh food. We are wanting to be on the cutting edge of agriculture. All these things are connected in some way."
Like most of the town, The Wilson Gardens is a story of renovation, renewal project organizer John Faulkner said.
"The place used to be a derelict seed house and now it has become a key center for innovation," Faulkner said.
The city isn't resting on its current accomplishments as leaders already have big plans for the future.
"The next month we plan to break ground on a $4 million Native American museum," Dempsey said. "The museum will house the Hampton Native American artifact collection. We have a large collection of ancient aboriginal artifacts that can't fit in the current museum."
Each building in Wilson has a story, and the Lawrence Group is hoping to share it with the world.
"Our Tudor-style downtown was created after one of the Wilson children got married in England and fell in love with the style," Dempsey said. "The Wilson Cafe used to be called the Wilson Tavern in the 1880s. When the Lawrence Group came they remodeled the building and opened it back up. This city is filled with history."
As Wilson looks to the future, the arts will be a driving force.
"We have several pretty significant arts projects coming up," Dempsey said. "We have the introduction of a concert series where we will bring artists from Nashville, Memphis and all around the state. We are working on the formation of an artists' cooperative and an arts residency among other things."
The revival has created a sense of excitement that has been contagious for Wilson residents.
"I am glad to see life is being breathed back into this town," Priceless Gallery employee Lisa Cook said. "We have new growth and development, and we have seen a up-tick from visitors out of town. We have had people from Jonesboro, Missouri and Tennessee all stop by here to see what is going on. It has been pretty great."