Apple packing at the Grabill farm near Fayetteville, ca. 1910. Apples were a major source of employment in Northwest Arkansas from the 1880s until the 1920s. Several apple varieties originated in the area, including the Shannon Pippin, Wilson June, Mammoth Black Twig, Ada Red, Collins, Howard Sweet, and King David.

While these local varieties were of great interest to local growers, by the late 1800s, when commercial orcharding was starting to skyrocket, most of the trees planted were of the Ben Davis variety. It wasn't a native apple, but the Ben Davis was well adapted to the Northwest Arkansas climate and soil.

Courtesy W. B. Grabill (S-86-210-2)