Phillips puts strong history background to work in Bella Vista
Dale Phillips of Bella Vista is co-president of the Bella Vista Historical Museum and worked 41 years for the National Park Service.
He grew up in northeast New Jersey and graduated from Franklin Township High School, attending York College, a small liberal arts school in Pennsylvania. He received a bachelor’s degree in American history with an emphasis on military history.
He served at numerous historical sites in his years with the park service. He got his first job in 1976 as a park ranger/interpreter while he finished his education at Gettysburg, Pa. After graduating, he received his first permanent position with the Corps of Engineers as a search and rescue ranger at Lake Shelbyville in Shelbyville, Ill. Then he transferred back to the national park service as a ranger/ interpreter at Fort Sumpter in Charleston, S.C.
From there he became chief of interpretation at Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park, which encompasses two different civil war battlefields. He noted that, to be promoted within the national park system, he had to move from park to park.
Next, he became unit manager at the Chalmette Unit of Jean Laffite National Historical Park, which is the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans. After that, he stayed in the same park but was named unit manager of the Acadian Unit of Jean Laffite, and in that capacity, he oversaw the construction and operation of three sites dedicated to interpreting the cultures of southern Louisiana.
Then he was named superintendent of the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park, located in Vincennes, Ind. From there he became superintendent of Lincoln’s Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Ill. He retired in 2017.
“I was very lucky,” he said. “I’m like the poster child for the history department of my college. They tell people, ‘Yes, you can get a job with a history degree.’”
He and his wife Carol settled in Bella Vista because it has the resources for both of them, he said. She was also a park ranger for the Louisiana State Park System and is an outdoorsman and a fly fisherman. They both enjoy the fishing, hiking and recreational activities, he said.
“We both like to shoot. We both were commissioned law enforcement officers. We take advantage of the range. It has an established historical society. It’s a good central location. We have a lot of family still in Louisiana, so it’s a good central location for us to be able to get to everybody still around us,” he said.
“Of course, with my Civil War background, you’ve got major battlegrounds all around us that are part of the Civil War story,” he said, noting Pea Ridge, Prairie Grove and Wilson’s Creek, along with other small battle sites and skirmish sites in the area.
“It’s the perfect location for both of our interests,” he said. “Since we’re going to spend the rest of our lives here, it seems like the perfect fit.”
Phillips helped establish a Civil War Round Table in Bella Vista.
“When I arrived, the closest round table was in Springdale. I and two other gentlemen got together and decided to start one. There may be 400 in the country. Their purpose is to provide programming and educational activities related to the Civil War.”
He said they started about a year ago and it was a hit. They averaged about 40 people per meeting.
Then the covid-19 pandemic caused them to have to shut it down.
“The museum was kind to offer their building as a location, and it’s very well-received,” he said.
Phillips is co-president of the Bella Vista Historical Museum with Xyta Lucas.
“Xyta is an absolute treasure,” he said. “She was carrying a lot of the responsibilities. With my background in supervision as well as interpretation, it was decided I would take over some to allow her to concentrate on what she’s best at. It has gone well.”
He added, “Part of my responsibilities is to put together a long-term management
plan. Where does (the museum) want to be in five years, 10 years, 20 years, contributions it wants to make to Bella Vista. I’m presently in the process of drafting that document.”
He said the Bella Vista community is growing and he can see a greater role of the historical society in contributing to the future of the community.
“The majority of our residents come from all over North America. They are not that familiar with the history (of Bella Vista). It helps develop a sense of pride in the community,” he said.
He added he is anxious to
get back to work when the museum opens up again.
He also does tours of Civil War battlegrounds, working for companies like the Delta Queen Steamboat Company, and still travels all over the country giving lectures to Civil War round tables and other historic preservation groups. His last lecture before the pandemic was to the Daughters of the War of 1812.
“It’s a lot of fun. I’ve met a lot of interesting people that way,” he said.
He said he also speaks to civic groups. He said he would be happy to speak to any group that would like him to once it is safe to do so.