The Bella Vista Historical Society hosted the celebration of Lake Bella Vista's 100th birthday with a tent event alongside the lake on Saturday, May 16.
We would like to thank the many volunteers who helped make this event a success, as well as the donation by Coca-Cola of soda and bottled water, the donation by Allen's Food Market of ice, and the financial donations especially earmarked for this event from several supporters.
Since Lake Bella Vista is now a City of Bentonville park, we appreciate the cooperation of its Parks Department also. Those who were afternoon visitors were offered a piece of the huge cake, put together by 11 of our cake-baking volunteers, and topped off with an excellent icing job by Amber Kilgore of Cake Land Creations, showing the lake as it looked in 1923.
Since the weather forecast all week included Saturday thunderstorms, we scaled back the event somewhat, but the weather ended up cooperating and we were pleased with the number of visitors who stopped by to see our exhibits, watch the videos (made possible by the work of Jack Kellogg, Kirk Van der Walle and Bob Williams), and visit with Constance Waddell, the book-signing author of "Sally and Me."
Her book about growing up in the1930s and early 1940s in old Bella Vista is available at the Bella Vista Historical Museum, along with Dr. Fite's history of Bella Vista book, vintage note cards as well as the coffee mugs, T-shirts and other items offered for sale at the tent event.
The museum is located at the corner of US- 71 and Kingsland Road next to the American Legion. We are open Wednesdays through Sundays, noon to 4 p.m. with free admission.
Over the past three years we have completely redecorated the museum and added new exhibits. This spring we built a whole new room so the museum is looking good on the inside, and on the outside as well, thanks to the excellent grounds care by the POA employees. Everyone is welcome to come see all the changes we have made. Please visit www.bellavistamuseum.org, and check us out on Facebook.
Carole Harter
President
Bella Vista Historical Society
Religion on 05/27/2015