Not only did the train transport passengers, but it also transported supplies and non-perishable food items, such as canned goods, to the grocery stores in the area.  The trains didn't bring vegetables or meats because there was no refrigeration systems available for people to utilize.  Since there was no refrigeration process, vegetables were grown at home; and farm animals, such as poultry, provided the meat.  Another supply of meat came from the hunting of wild game.  The men would either hunt duck, wild turkey, geese, deer or coon.

Since there was no long term storage for the meat, the men and their families would get together in fellowship to eat the game and other fixings that were brought.  These suppers were a good way to have fellowship with one another.  The people of Stuttgart and DeWitt were invited to these suppers in return for including Gillett people in their social events.

During that time, five young men with coon dogs enjoyed coon hunting and the socializing that would follow the hunt.  These men were Mr. Harlan Wolfe, Mr. R. C. Wolfe, Mr. Burle C. Muse, Mr. Fred Elrod, and the "tripping a tree man himself," Mr. Preston Mattmiller.  The five men took good coon dogs hunting on Mr. Billy Don Truax's land.  At that time, guns were not used to kill the coons.  The dogs would tree the coon and Mr. Mattmiller would "trip the tree," otherwise known as chopping a tree down with an axe.  As the tree tumbled down, the dogs rushed to the coon to prevent escape.

In 1935, men began using guns to kill coons.  The hunting sport became so popular within the community that the growing number of hunters made it dangerous to venture out into the woods.  Not only did the coon hunting grow in popularity, so did the suppers that followed the hunt.  This was the beginning of an annual event called The Coon Supper.  Coon Suppers were first held in houses, churches and restaurants in Gillett.  There were suppers for nearly every hunting event, but the Coon Supper in particular developed rapidly in the years to follow.

The Farmer's and Businessmen's Club began their organization in 1947.  This club made it possible for the men of the community to get together to discuss community concerns.  Since there was no means of public communication, the club served as a voice for the community.  When the organization met they decided to help many of the school programs.  The first task was to give aid to the football program for covering expenses, such as trophies, jackets and supplies for the team members.  Through this effort, the club eventually decided on the popular annual event, The Coon Supper, to raise the money needed to cover the cost of these items.

In 1947, the first annual Coon Supper was held in the recently completed Gillett High School auditorium, which had been destroyed when the school burned in 1943.  The suppers continued to be held there until 1956 when the school's gym was completed.  The gym provided more space for the large crowd that was increasing each year.  The Coon Supper has been held in the gym since 1956.

The preparation of the coon has altered over the many years.  For example, in 1947 Barney's, a restaurant in DeWitt, prepared the coon for the supper.  This continued until 1960 when attendance at The Coon Supper had grown to a capacity too large for Barney's restaurant to accommodate.  At this time, The Farmer's and Businessmen's Club decided to prepare the coon themselves.  The club gathered their own cookware together.  They acquired huge kettles for boiling and constructed large tanks for smoking the enormous amount of coon.  The club members worked together to quarter and wash the coon, then let it soak overnight in salt water.  The next day the coon was boiled until tender, then placed in the tanks to be smoked.  The process of preparation remained the same throughout the coming years.  The women of the community prepared the rice, sweet potatoes, and desserts that were served with the coon. 

The Coon Supper, one of the major events of the year in South Arkansas, has attracted more people each year for the enjoyable food and great fellowship.  In 1958, visitors arriving in Gillett to attend the Coon Supper were greeted by a new sign erected overnight by members of The Farmer's and Businessmen's Club in hopes that people coming to supper wouldn't bypass the town!

The legendary Gillett Coon Supper is a source of pride for the community of Gillett, Arkansas, and a memorable event for all who attend.
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The information above is an excerpt from a book written by Miss Margaret Gunn's eleventh and twelfth grade Advanced Placement English class in 1994.  The students who compiled this information were Hollie Gordon, Scott Griffie, John David Mizell, and Anne Hubsch.