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The early years

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.

New direction

Cooper acquires Bella Vista

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. - Wikipedia Article Bella Vista, Arkansas

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