So, we already know that Springdale sucks and Rogers is full of weirdos, and Bentonville is, well, Bentonville, but what we haven’t done enough of is talk about why Fayetteville rules, and all those other NWA wannabes eat wiener sandwiches. (Well, they do.)

The purpose of this column is to point out the things about Fayetteville that make it so much better than all those other crapville towns. A what do we got that they don’t got, to remind those losers from Chickentown that no matter how many Cracker Barrels they get, we still pwn them in every possible way.

All that said, let’s talk about the castle at Wilson Park.

If you’re from Fayetteville, you either:

A) Got some of your senior pictures taken there

B) Got some of your wedding pictures there

C) Know someone who got senior pictures or wedding pictures there or

D) Made out with Cindy Thompson in the top of it, at least for a while before you tried to touch her boobs, and then she slapped you, then broke up with you and then like two months later she totally boned your friend Alex. Effing Alex.

The castle at Wilson Park was designed and built by Frank Williams in 1979-1980. It has a name, Point 7, but we didn’t know that until now, so we always just called it the castle at Wilson Park.

Williams built it when he was a graduate student at the University of Arkansas. He described it as a “fantasy play castle sculpture garden” in public address he delivered in 2005 at a 25th anniversary celebration.

“The castle in Wilson Park is a place where many children forget about television and video games.” Williams said in a 2005 interview.

“I felt that to the best of my ability, I would build something durable, but in faux decay,” he said. “New, but reflecting antiquity, and hopefully it would be miraculously enhanced by wear, tear and vandalism as it reverted to nature.”

A full description of the building of the castle along with some fantastic pictures can be found on William’s website.

We wonder if Williams knew back in 1979 what a Fayetteville landmark he was creating. The castle at Wilson Park, (or Point 7, whatever) for those of us who grew up here was a huge part of our childhood, our adolescence, even our adult lives. It sparked the imagination of countless kids both from Fayetteville and the surrounding areas who’ve climbed into its towers, tightroped its rock walls, thrown pennies and pebbles at the coy in the fountain and carved their initials into its rocks.

It’s been the backdrop for thousands of pictures, senior and otherwise, and it’s one of the most recognizable landmarks in Fayetteville.

It’s also a huge advantage that Fayetteville has over the surrounding cities, and another reason that Fayetteville Rules. Thanks Frank.