HISTORICAL MUSEUM NEWS
Bella Vista Civil War Roundtable
The next meeting of the Roundtable will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, at our museum. Local historian Randy McCrory will cover events happening in and around Bentonville before the Battle of Pea Ridge and how the almost total destruction of the town affected the livelihood of area citizens. He will also talk about events that took place after the war to honor the soldiers who fought in the war. We appreciate everyone who has been coming to our monthly Civil War Roundtable sessions. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.
Photography presentation
Bella Vista photographer John Craig will do a photography presentation at the museum at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18. A part-time photographer for many years, he is now full-time and loves to share with others what he sees through his camera lens — scenes that many people don't get the opportunity to see. His photos are mostly taken within 50 miles of home and include a wide variety of wildlife, sunrises, sunsets, landscapes and buildings, including many nighttime shots. He also sells printed copies through his website, www.jlcraigphoto.com. Come, join in to see some beautiful pictures. Admission is free.
Settler’s Cabin
The old cabin that was donated to the museum last year by Scott and Angie Butler and moved to our grounds this past March now has a new front porch and a new roof. Next, we will be working on fencing around the cabin that will look appropriate for the cabin's age. While we know it was originally built on an old farm just inside the present-day Highlands gates at the corner of Highlands Blvd and Glasgow, we are researching more of its history. We continue to welcome donations to help with the costs of this project. Donations may be dropped off at the museum or mailed to us at 1885 Bella Vista Way, Bella Vista AR 72714. Donors who give $100 or more will have their names inscribed on a plaque to be mounted inside the cabin.
Gift shop
Our gift shop has a great variety of Bella Vista souvenirs, as well as donated items of other merchandise for sale. Since the museum is run by volunteers, all revenue from the gift shop goes back to the cost of operating the museum.
Hours of operation
The museum is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. For more information, call 479-8552335.