Historical Museum News

Bella Vista Country Club's 50th anniversary

The Bella Vista Country Club held its first Thanksgiving buffet on Nov. 28, 1968. It is celebrating its 50th anniversary by donating 10 percent of today's food sales from the BV Bar & Grill at the Country Club and the Lakepoint Restaurant to the Bella Vista Historical Museum. We are very appreciative of the POA's decision to celebrate the BVCC's anniversary in this manner, especially since there are only a few weeks left to see the traveling exhibit at our museum on E. Fay Jones, the architect who designed the Country Club building as well as the Cooper Chapel in Bella Vista.

The Benton County Historical Society has scheduled its quarterly meeting at the museum for 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, to view the exhibit. This is a public meeting and all are invited. Jones was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright and was given credit by Moshie Safdie for ideas that influenced Safdie's architectural design of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.

The exhibit will be up through Christmas and then travels to Pocahontas.

Christmas shopping

Please keep the museum's gift shop in mind for your Christmas shopping. We have restocked our supply of local honey just in time for the holidays, and we continue to stock our popular jigsaw puzzles that have scenes of Bella Vista, including Cooper Chapel.

Newly arrived is a children's jigsaw puzzle showing Bella Vista's colorful painted rocks.

If you have police officers or firefighters on your Christmas list this year, we have just the thing ... a jigsaw puzzle featuring a Bella Vista police car or Bella Vista fire engine.

We also carry Christmas ornaments of the state of Arkansas featuring the city of Bella Vista's logo, Bella Vista embroidered patches featuring the POA leaf logo, BV car magnets and stickers, baseball caps and more. Don't forget the Christmas cards donated by the Weekly Vista, which were left over from an original printing 20 years ago. The cards have four historic scenes of nearly 100 years ago from the old Bella Vista Summer Resort.

The museum gift shop is the best place in Bella Vista to get all kinds of Bella Vista souvenirs, plus we have other donated items which would also make great Christmas presents, from Victorian house cookie jars to a variety of items suitable for framing. Stop in and take a look.

Jesse James movie fans

The movie "Jesse James" will be shown at the museum at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13. The movie stars Henry Fonda and Tyrone Power and was made in Pineville, Mo., and the nearby area in 1938.

Families are welcome to come and take a break from Christmas shopping at that time to enjoy the movie and find out why Bella Vista has a role in the story of the making of this movie. Admission is free, with popcorn and soda served.

Attention quilt lovers

"Let's Talk About Quilts" will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 11, at the museum. Bring your quilted treasure to find out its age, value and possible provenance. There will be no charge for this event conducted by certified quilt appraiser Alice McElwain. Formal appraisals can also be arranged.

Farm families in early Bella Vista

We would like to hear from people whose families had farms generations ago, in what is now Bella Vista, in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, before John Cooper Sr. began buying up the farms in the 1960s. If you have photos or stories to share, please stop by the museum during open hours (Wednesday through Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.) or leave a message at 479-855-2335, and one of our volunteers will reply.

Settlers Cabin

Donations are still being sought to help pay for the old "Settlers Cabin" which has been donated to the museum. We hope to get the cabin moved to the museum grounds soon, dependent upon the weather. If you are interested in helping, please drop off or mail your donation to the museum, or go online to gofundme.com/cabinfever. Any donor of $100 or more will have his or her name inscribed on a plaque to hang inside the cabin.

2019 memberships now available

You are welcome to sign up for membership in the Bella Vista Historical Society, which operates our Historical Museum, for the calendar year 2019. If you are already a member, please remember to renew your membership by Jan. 1. Dues are $15 per year for individuals, $25 per year for families and $50 per year for corporate sponsorships. Payment may be made in person, by mail or online at bellavistamuseum.org. Our mailing address is 1885 Bella Vista Way, Bella Vista, AR 72714. We are a 501(c)(3) organization, so your dues and donations are eligible for tax deductions. Since our staff is made up of volunteers, all dues go toward operational expenses.

Tours and programs available

Private tours of the museum and programs about the history of Bella Vista are available outside of normal open hours for church groups, students, civic clubs, businesses, etc. To arrange for an event, please leave a message at the museum, 479-855-2335, or contact Xyta Lucas at 479-876-6118.

Hours of operation

The Historical Museum is located at the corner of U.S. Highway 71 and Kingsland Road, next door to the American Legion, and is open 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays but closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The phone number is 479-855-2335. The website address is bellavista.museum.org.

Community on 11/28/2018