Beatles sculpture marks relaxing Ozarks stop in 1964
19.09.11
WALNUT RIDGE, AR (KAIT) – In September of 1964, the Beatles landed at the Walnut Ridge Regional Airport for a few days of relaxation in Alton, Missouri. The trip was supposed to be quick and secret, but it didn't take long for residents to realize who had come to town.
"On September 18th, they played in Dallas, Texas. After they finished that up, they had a couple of days off. Obviously, it had been a long stressful tour. They needed a couple of days," said Brett Cooper, Vice President of College Relations at Williams Baptist University. "They intended to come in very secretly and leave very secretly, but word got out."
Cooper, a member of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce's Tourism Committee, said the Beatles was flown to Walnut Ridge by a man who owned a ranch in Alton. Two employees of a local dairy shop spotted members of the Beatles after the plane landed in Walnut Ridge.
"They got there to see John, Paul, Ringo and George get off the plane. Word got out after that. Obviously that the Beatles were around," said Cooper.
Source: KAIT