 |
Submit
pictures of your hometown to be included above, click
here. Refresh this page to see more hometown scenes. |
|
History and Trivia for Bella Vista, Arkansas |
|
|
Bella Vista's Top Page
Hometown USA Pages Our Hometown Sites
General Information
|
These History, Trivia and Facts Pages are a new addition to our system so don't be surprised if we don't have much of anything for this hometown yet. If you
know any tidbits of information about this hometown, such as, how it got its name or some information about its history, please let us know about it by
filling out the form below.
If you don't find what you are looking for on this page, please visit the following Yellow Page categories to help you with your search.
Museums - Art Museums, Libraries
F.W. Linebarger began developing the resort by platting additional land and building
facilities that would attract vacationers to the development. In the spring of 1917 he
constructed a pavilion near the lake and a lodge and dining hall on the first hill east
of the dam. The resort opened on June 20, 1917. The Linebargers built a nine-hole
golf course in 1920 and completed a large swimming pool in 1924.
While Bella Vista was a summer resort, the Linebargers expected to profit mainly
from selling lots and building cottages for summer residents. Lots sold from $400
to $600, and a cottage cost from $1,000 to $1,500. Business flourished during the
1920s as more and more people went to Bella Vista to enjoy the amenities and to
spend time in a more pleasant climate. By the late 1920s the Linebargers had sold
more than 700 lots and built about 375 cottages. In 1929 they upgraded Bella Vista
housing accommodations by building the Sunset Hotel, one of the finest in
Northwest Arkansas, and in 1930 converted Wonderland Cave into a nightclub.
However, changing vacation tastes, and the Great Depression and World War II
combined to reduce and finally nearly eliminate the need for the kind of resort found
at Bella Vista. In 1952 C.A. Linebarger, the brother in charge, sold the run-down
property to E.L. Keith.
Cooper believed that people retiring earlier and with more income would be attracted
to a development with good living and recreational facilities. He planned to build
modern recreational facilities for the use of members. Everyone was a member
who bought property, a homesite or home, and was entitled to use the amenities--
golf courses, clubhouses etc. He then turned these facilities over to a Property
Owners Association to own and manage. Between 1965 and 1989 the Cooper
Company, known after 1971 as Cooper Communities, Inc., built five golf courses
(the POA built two), seven lakes, four major club houses and other amenities. The
Property Owners Association, a private corporation governed by a board of directors,
owned and managed the facilities for the members. From May 21, 1965, when the
first lots were sold, until 1995, CCI sold 37,060 lots or homesites, and built hundreds
of homes.
Bella Vista, Arkansas History Guide
Bella Vista, Arkansas Famous People
Bella Vista, Arkansas Trivia
If you would like to link to this hometown, please copy the following text and paste it onto your website: |
|
||||||