Museum continues driving tours
In 1990, Cooper Communities was celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the opening of Bella Vista Village, and designated May 17 as History Day. As part of the celebration, the Bella Vista Historical Society, which operates the Historical Museum, offered two bus tours that day to historic sites around Bella Vista. Due to the great interest in the tours, the Historical Society sponsored two more tours on July 22 of that year. Tours continued to be offered occasionally for several years after that.
In 2014, Xyta Lucas, now co-president of the Historical Society, began offering tours again as a fundraiser for the museum. Rather than incurring bus expenses, these tours were set up as a car caravan, with interested parties meeting at the museum to set up carpools, and then spending the next several hours driving from one site to the next, spending several minutes at each site while tour guide Lucas talked about the relevant history of each. Lucas conducted these tours through the end of 2017 at which point she stopped due to taking on other responsibilities with the museum.
In 2018, Dale Phillips, now also co-president of the Historical Society, signed up to be a docent at the museum and expressed interest in re-starting the tours, which he did in the spring of 2019. Other volunteers helping with the tours include Maci Echols, Nancy Noyes and JB Portillo. Tours continue to be a popular event with both long-term and new residents to Bella Vista.
The next tour is scheduled for Saturday, March 25. Participants will meet at the museum at 8:45 a.m. The cost is $15 each, or two for $25. Reservations are required in advance, with payment due the morning of the tour. The tours fill up quickly so early reservations are recommended. Dale Phillips is accepting reservations now at 812-899-2049 or by email at dkp55@ymail.com.