Settler's Cabin
Although the cabin is now sitting on our museum grounds, we still have a lot of work to do, including covering the foundation with native stone and putting on a new roof and a new front porch. Flower beds are planned outside with period furnishings inside. Therefore, we are continuing to ask for your financial support. We recently partnered with Woodland Photography in Bentonville to raise funds. Donate $100 to our Historical Society and receive a $500 certificate for a $250 family, senior or children's fine portrait session and $250 towards your portrait art selection. Deadline is May 15. Forms are available at the museum, or you may call Woodland for more information at 479-273-7186. We also continue to accept donations at the museum in person by cash, check or credit/debit card, or you are welcome to mail them to the museum at 1885 Bella Vista Way, Bella Vista AR 72714. Remember, any donation of $100 or more will get your name on a future plaque inside the cabin.
City Wide Garage Sale
We still have a few parking spaces available in front of the museum for individuals who would like to participate in the citywide garage sale on April 26 and 27, but don't want to have a garage sale at home. We know that one booth is going to have a variety of dolls, including Barbie dolls, and there's sure to be other interesting items for sale. Volunteer Dustie Meads is coordinating this project, which is also a fundraiser for our Settler's Cabin project. If you are interested in renting one or more of the spaces, please contact her at 479-553-8116.
Upcoming Events
We have some fun events coming up, with free admission, so please get them on your calendar now.
Local free-lance writer and researcher Katrina Hine will be at the museum at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 28, to talk about Ozark folklorists Vance Randolph (1892-1980) and Otto Rayburn (1891-1960). They were prolific writers of books and magazine articles on Ozark folklore. John Cooper Sr. enjoyed their writings so much, he even named a lake after one of them, Lake Rayburn.
Then at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 2, the inaugural meeting of the Bella Vista Civil War Round Table will be held, which will continue on the first Thursday of each month. Initially, meetings will be focused on talks by local Civil War historians, but eventually, we intend to include book discussions, field trips to local Civil War sites, and other Civil War interests as determined by participants. Please join us.
Historic Sites Driving Tours
Our popular historic sites driving tours are returning, with the first one scheduled for Saturday, May 18, starting at 12:30 p.m. These have been successful fundraisers in the past and we are happy to have them again. The cost will be $15/person or $25 for two. If you are interested, leave your contact information at the museum or call Dale Phillips at 812-899-2049.
Museum Gift Shop
We continue to receive donations of various items for selling in our gift shop as a fundraiser. Soon to arrive is a collection of Frankoma pottery. Please stop by and check out the latest, along with all of our regular Bella Vista souvenirs, books and more.
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. Wednesday through Sunday. The phone number is 479-855-2335. The website address is bellavistamuseum.org.
Community on 04/10/2019