When you walk through the Rector Downtown Park you are walking through history. Not only has this park been part of Rector’s downtown area since the town was founded, it now contains the names of many of the people who have made Rector what it was and what it is today. Setting directly across the street from the depot, it was originally an empty space where horses and wagons were tied while their owners conducted their business with the railroad and other businesses down town. It is no surprise that during rainy weather the churning hooves would turn the area into a large mud hole. That in turn became a dirty dust bowl when the ground dried up.

The ladies of Rector were understandably dismayed by this eyesore. Members of the Woman’s Club of Rector decided this was not a good first impression of our town for those arriving by train or passing by as they traveled into town. One of their first projects was to clean up the area and make it into a park. Modest in its first incarnation, they planted flowers and grass and created walkways. Throughout the years the Downtown Park has undergone many revisions.

When the Rector Beautification Committee was formed, the park caught their attention. It was decided to sell memorial bricks to finance park improvements. The success of that project is still being felt. These bricks are a popular way to memorialize people and businesses that mean a lot to us and the bricks tell a story about our town.

During the school year of 1999-2000 Rector school teacher, Linda Waldron decided the stories behind the bricks would be a good project for the Gifted and Talented students she taught. The students selected bricks, researched the subject behind the brick and wrote about them. Many of these articles were published in the Clay County Democrat during that school year, bringing life to our beautiful little park and putting faces and personalities to the bricks along the walkways.

At the suggestion of Lindsey Waldron and Kelly (Waldron) Osborn, this project is being resurrected by the GT students and Mrs. Gail Burns in the up-coming school year. A committee has been formed to oversee these “What’s Behind the Brick” stories and to promote the sale of the bricks. They hope to expand on the existing stories, catalogue them and make them accessible to anyone wanting to know about the bricks.

Headed by Jacinda Welch and Cathy Diddle, the “What’s Behind the Bricks” committee will be continuing to sell bricks for the Downtown Park as well as pavers for new Veterans Memorial. Gail Burns will be directing the GT students and their projects beginning in September. Lindsey Waldron, Carol Stone and Christa Hedrick will oversee the publishing of the stories behind the bricks.

If you are interested in purchasing a memorial brick for the Downtown Park, you may contact Cathy Diddle at 595-2300 or drop by the Northeast Arkansas Innovative Training Center at 324 S. Main St. Bricks purchased by July 15 will be set by Labor Day. A donation of $100.00 will purchase 4X8 Brick with a maximum of 3 lines with 12 characters in each line. A $500.00 donation will purchase an 8X8 brick with a maximum of 6 lines of 12 characters each. An 8X16 brick can be bought for a donation of $1,000. This brick allows for 6 lines with 24 characters in each line. This is just one of the great ways to help support your town and to continue to make it a better and more beautiful place each year. You may also get updated information on the rectorarkansas.com, neaitc.org and rectorheroes.com websites.