Bella Vista Historical Museum

In 1976, a group of individuals, inspired by the nation's Bicentennial historical celebrations, met and formed the Bella Vista Historical Society as a non-profit corporation. These residents, all of whom had moved to Bella Vista from other locations, were determined to create a local historical museum, even though they personally had no local history ties to this area. They began a variety of fundraising efforts in 1977 toward that end.

All of the museum's exhibits were initially focused on the Linebarger Brothers, the 1917 founders of the Lake Bella Vista Summer Resort, and whose artifact collection was graciously donated by the Linebargers’ three granddaughters. Gradually other exhibits began to be added, too.   

Today, the Bella Vista Museum is 3,000 square feet in size, with displays that cover all time periods, including the Native Americans, the early settlers, the farming community, the summer resort at Lake Bella Vista, the retirement village built by Cooper, and the current City of Bella Vista. It is open 20 hours per week, and starting in 2016, twelve months per year. The museum is an amazing showcase of Bella Vista's rich history and one of which the entire community can be very proud.