Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Building was sixth on Dug Hill
BELLA VISTA — The small white building that stands on the hill overlooking the intersection of U.S. 71 and Arkansas 340 is the sixth building to have been situated in that general area. It was most recently used as a church but was built in the summer of 1936 to be used as a school and community building.
Dug Hill, so local residents say, derived its name from the fact that a set of steps was carved into the hill so that people could more easily reach the cemetery and the buildings on top. At one time there were two hills there but the one to the west was cut down when the first road was graded through. It was further leveled and a sizable chunk was taken from the remaining one when U.S. 71 was widened in the late 1970s.
The first building there was built by area farmers shortly after the War Between the States, probably about 1868. It was used as a school and community building. The school was the fourth district to be organized in the county and was a “subscription” school until 1892 when it became tax-supported.
The original building was constructed of logs and had a large fireplace at one end. It accidentally burned in 1870 and another was built to replace it. It served until 1891, at which time it was torn down and a frame structure built to replace it. Thus, until then, although three buildings had been built, there was never more than one there at any one time.
The fourth building was a Missionary Baptist Church constructed in 1898. The fifth building was constructed for the Church of Christ. It was completed in 1905 and was situated about one hundred yards west of the present building on that part of the hill which no longer exists. At that time then, there were three buildings on Dug Hill — two churches and the school.
The Church of Christ was disbanded in 1921 and the building was sold to Dock Brown, the son of Wilson Brown, who farmed in the present Metfield area. Dock moved the building to that general area and used it as a home. The bell was later placed in the present building. The Missionary Baptist Church was torn down in 1937 and the lumber donated to a family whose home had been destroyed by fire.
The present building was situated farther to the west than at present, having been moved back toward the cemetery when the highway was widened. It was used as a school and community building until 1945, when the school was consolidated with Bentonville School District and at that time the land was quit-claimed back to a board of trustees. For a time it, was used by the Village Baptist Church. Later it was made available to a non-denominational church group under Pastor Selwyn Palmer and was known as Faith Chapel.
From 1867 to 1945, school was held on Dug Hill regularly, sometimes with as many as 35 children in attendance. Miss Sarah “Sadie” Cunningham, who resided in the old Cunningham residence near the junction of Riordan Road and U.S. 71, was both a pupil and later a teacher in Dug Hill School. She recalls that, throughout the years, Dug Hill has been the scene for funerals, literary recitals, singings and Christmas services. Literary recitals and debates were common community activities in the early years.
Sadie Cunningham died in 1984, and her former farm is now the home of Cunningham Corner. The Dairy Queen was the first building to be built there, in 1987.