December 15, 1977

The Lavaca Berry Growers Association met at the Lavaca School cafeteria to sell its berry shed and property. The members also decided that the sale’s profits would be given to the members of the association who had provided the money to purchase the land on which the original berry shed was located. The Lavacaberry is a hybrid that takes its name from the town of Lavaca (Sebastian County), where it was planted extensively in the 1940s. The introduction of the berry to the town helped reinvigorate the local economy as the Depression’s effects lingered. In the late 1950s, larger growers from out of state contracted to sell berries to local stores, driving the market down and making the berries unprofitable.