Monte Ne
Encyclopedia
Monte Ne is an area in the Ozark hills
of the White River
valley east of Rogers
on the edge of Beaver Lake
in the U.S. state
of Arkansas
. From 1901 until the mid-1930s the area was a health resort
and ambitious planned community
. It was owned and operated by William Hope Harvey
, a financial theorist and one-time U.S. Presidential
nominee. Two of its hotels, "Missouri Row" and "Oklahoma Row", were the largest log buildings in the world. Oklahoma Row's "tower section" is one of the earliest examples of a multi-story cement structure. The tower is the only structure of Monte Ne still standing that can be seen at normal lake levels. Monte Ne introduced the first indoor swimming pool in Arkansas, and was also the site of the only presidential convention ever held in Arkansas.
The Monte Ne resort was not a financial success, due in part to Harvey's management style. All ventures associated with Harvey's original Monte Ne concept were either never completed or experienced bankruptcy, and shortly after his death the property was sold off in lots. The remainder of the resort and town was almost completely submerged after Beaver Lake
was created in 1964. All that remains today are foundations and one severely vandalized structure. The area on the edge of Beaver Lake that is still referred to as Monte Ne, is owned and managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
and serves mainly as a boat ramp.
. In 1875 the post office in the area changed its name from Mountain Springs to Pettigrew's Mill. They owned the mill till 1882, when Mr. Blake died. The Mill was later operated by David Portnell from 1889 to 1895. He sold his interest in the mill to a retired Congregational
minister J.G Bailey. Under Bailey the area's name was changed to Silver Springs. Bailey would sell the property to Harvey.
Monte Ne was entirely conceived and funded by William "Coin" Hope Harvey, a well-known businessman, politician, lecturer and author during the 1890s. Although Harvey was financially successful at silver mining in Colorado
, Monte Ne seems to have been funded mostly by the sales of Harvey's writings which dealt with the subject of free silver
. His most popular pamphlet, entitled Coin's Financial School
, was published in 1893. Sales were buoyed by Harvey's involvement in the presidential campaign of William Jennings Bryan
, and it sold two million copies. Bryan lost his bid for President, however Harvey had become so important to the campaign that he was made chairman of the Democratic Ways & Means Committee to collect money for the 1900 campaign. However as a result of an argument before the campaign, he resigned.
During the 1900 campaign Harvey had visited Northwest Arkansas, an area known for its unique pristine natural beauty. In October 1900, he purchased 320 acres (130 ha) of land in Silver Springs, Arkansas (close to present day Rogers
), from Reverend Bailey. From that time on he lived in Arkansas, and claimed that he preferred the state because it had no large cities or extremely wealthy people. Leaving his family behind in Chicago, Illinois
, Harvey moved into Rev. Bailey's run-down log house. Harvey's son Tom joined him shortly thereafter to help prepare the house for the rest of the family, and Harvey's other son Hal, wife Anna, and sister Annette joined them later. The house burned down a few months after they took up residence, and all of the family's possessions, including Harvey's large library, were lost. Harvey carried no insurance on the house, and after its destruction Anna went back to Chicago and returned to Arkansas only a few times thereafter for brief visits.
Harvey's land purchase in Silver Springs coincided with a desire by the local postmaster to change the name of the area, because it was often confused with Siloam Springs
, Arkansas
. Harvey chose the name Monte Ne, which supposedly combined the Spanish and Omaha
Indian words for mountain water, because it "fit the tongue attractively." Harvey was familiar with European health spas, and wanted to turn Monte Ne into a "watering hole" in the Ozarks. He first commissioned the dredging of a canal, and Silver Springs Creek was narrowed between Big Spring and Elixir Spring, which created Big Spring Lake. The Creek was then channeled to form what Harvey referred to as "the lagoon." Limestone retaining walls were built along the bands of the creeks and the lake, and along boardwalks and park areas. Monte Ne quickly became a popular spot for pleasure boating, picnics, and other outdoor activities. Many people noted how clear the water was. The Rogers Democrat said that it looked "like pure alcohol."
52,000 of individual investor's money and $48,000 of his own, Harvey formed the Monte Ne Investment Company, which held the deeds to all of the land. The first hotel completed was the Hotel Monte Ne in April 1901, which opened in May. It was three stories high and had two wings 300 feet (91 m) long. Each room had a doorway to the outside and the hotel was surrounded with wide porches.
In April 1904, Harvey organized the Monte Ne Club House Hotel and Cottage Company with capital stock of $250,000. A.O. Clarke from St. Louis
, Missouri
served as architect and superintendent of the company. Harvey wanted to build five large hotels: a three-story main building called the Club House Hotel and four 300 to 450 foot (91 to 137 m) long "cottage rows," each to be named for a state bordering on Arkansas. Stock holders in the company received stock certificates that listed privileges such as transportation on the Monte Ne Railroad with 150 lb (68 kg) of baggage and a 25% discount for the stockholder and his family at the Hotel Monte Ne.
Missouri Row, begun in August, 1904, was the first hotel constructed. This Clarke-designed building was 46 feet (14 m) wide and 305 feet (93 m) long and built of 8,000 logs with a cement floor re-tile roof. Fourteen thousand cubic feet (396 m³) of concrete were used. The tiles were shipped from Chicago. The center and two ends of the hotel rose to two stories, the remainder being a single story. Hotel Monte Ne, Missouri Row both featured porches 575 feet (175 m) long. The hotel had forty 16 ft² (1.5 m²) rooms, each with a fireplace. Harvey employed area carpenters and stonemasons to build Missouri Row. In April 1905, to save time and money, the work schedule was changed from 9 to 10 hours per day and some wages were cut. Many workers went on strike and, when their demands were not met, they quit. The men formed a union, and although Harvey thought of himself as a friend to the working man, he viewed unions as another kind of monopoly or trust. The strike delayed construction, but by the end of May 1905, a full workforce was in place. In July, carpet, washstand
s and furniture, including iron-and-brass bedsteads, were installed in the rooms. Cannon balls and shells from the Pea Ridge battlefield
were sunk into the cement porch on either side of the main entrance. The hotel opened in September 1905 with room rates of $1 a day and $6 a week.
In February 1907, with nearly 300 new stockholders, Harvey began construction on his next hotel, Oklahoma Row, also designed by A. O. Clarke. It was built to the west of Missouri Row with a wide lawn. It had a similar log, cement stone, and tile construction. The dining room was on the north end. Each of the 40 rooms had fireplaces, as did the dining room and center hall. Every room featured electric lights, sewerage, and running spring water. The hotel also boasted a three-story cement tower, one of the earliest multistory cement constructions in the country. Oklahoma Row and other construction projects drained Harvey's funds. Harvey managed to raise enough money to finish Oklahoma Row, but due to his lack of funds when that hotel finally opened there was no gala event, as there had been when Missouri Row was finished.
, Arkansas
to Monte Ne. The Arkansas Railroad Commission granted a charter on April 26, 1902, and the Monte Ne Railway Company was incorporated in May 1902, with a capital stock of $250,000. Besides Harvey, the company included: Carl A. Starck, P.G. Davidson, A.L. Williams, B.R. Davidson, J.H. McIlroy, J.W. Kimmons, F.F. Freeman, J.F. Felker, Robert H. Harven and Thomas W. Harvey (Coin's Brother). Another of Harvey's brothers, who was a banker at Huntington
, West Virginia
, furnished $25,000. Of the 250 shares in the company, 240 were registered in Harvey’s name. The five-mile (8 km) private railroad spur started at the Lowell transfer station. Fourteen thousand oak railway ties were laid running through Cross Hollows, south of Rogers, where two ravines met. It then passed through Limedale, terminating above Big Spring Lake at a Log Cabin depot with open-air waiting rooms. Harvey leased an engine, tender, and a passenger coach from the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad. The railway opened on June 19, 1902. Harvey imported a 50 foot (15 m) gondola
from Venice, Italy in July 1901 to meet guests arriving by rail and carry them to the resort.
The gondola was a very popular attraction, and Harvey often promoted Monte Ne as: "the only place in America where the gondola meets the train."
The little railroad went broke a few years later. At about this time, the Arkansas, Oklahoma & Western Railroad (AO&W) was forming. The railroad ran from Rogers to Siloam Springs, over a distance of approximately 30 miles (43 km). It was opened for traffic New Year's Day
1908, connecting with the Frisco at Rogers and the Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Gulf (P&G) at Siloam Springs. AO&W planned to build eastward to Eureka Springs. On December 1, 1909 the AO&W purchased the Monte Ne railroad. To connect the AO&W and the Monte Ne, a track would have to be laid from Hazelwood, Arkansas on the AO&W to Lowell; the Frisco line was in the way and they would not allow a connection. AO&W instead built an expensive underpass of the Frisco. The construction of the underpass enabled the Monte Ne line to turn over much of its outbound freight business to the AO&W rather than competitor Frisco. So the line enjoyed a brief but substantial volume of outgoing freight traffic from the Rogers White Lime Company located at Limedale. The underpass still exists and is still crossed by trains of Frisco Central Division successor Arkansas and Missouri Railroad
.
The AO&W went bankrupt a few years later and was bought by another startup railroad, the Kansas City & Memphis Railroad (KC&M) in early 1911. It would build from Cave Springs
, Arkansas
a few miles west of Rogers, through Fayetteville
, Arkansas
and towards Memphis
, Tennessee
. In 1912 the Ozark Land and Lumber Company began construction of a 5 mile extension east of Monte Ne from the White River
to the Piney community and leased the line to the KC&M. The White River bridge consisted of 780 feet of trestle and 2, 152 foot steel spans making it the longest railroad bridge in Benton County
. This extension was used to haul out forestry products. The KC&M entered receivership in 1914, and in September of that year passenger service to Monte Ne ended. When World War I began, many railroads were seized by the United States government. The KC&M was not seized, and due to unfavorable rulings by the United States Railroad Administration
and Arkansas Railroad Commission saw much of its revenue evaporate. In January 1918 Roscoe Hobbs, one of the court-appointed receivers of the KC&M, went to Washington DC to provide testimony to the Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce
on the effects of these decisions on small railroads. As part of that testimony Hobbs reported 215 cars from the Rogers White Lime Company and 216 cars of pit props and railroad ties being hauled on the Monte Ne portion of the railway in 1917. Hobbs was unsuccessful in having the decisions reversed and most portions of the KC&M were abandoned by October 1918. The Monte Ne portion was used until 1919. The White River bridge survived longer and was used for horse and foot traffic before becoming unsafe. The steel spans were scrapped during World War II.
in 1923.
In April, Harvey began seeking industries to move to Monte Ne, but few actually did. Monte Ne's small downtown area had at one time a general store
, a livery stable a gristmill
, and a post office
. The General store also serve as a host for school plays and as well as a Masonic Lodge
. The post office erroneously changed the town's name to Vinda (a misreading of a local wine ranch called Vinola), but later formally changed it to Monte Ne.
Harvey issued his own money, or scrip
, which was accepted and used as cash in and around Monte Ne. Scrip was a way of financing his mercantile without requiring operating capital. Harvey would purchase items with the scrip and promised to redeem it within 30 days. If the item did not sell, the scrip had no value. Also in downtown was the Bank of Monte Ne. It was organized by Harvey in 1905 and the building was designed, like many buildings in Monte Ne, by A. O. Clarke. The two-story, 50 by 70 ft (15 by 21 m) building (usually referred to as the "Bank Block") included the bank and a store room on the main floor, as well as a lodge room and offices on the second floor. The building was across the street from the post office. The Interstate Bankers' Summer Club held their 1906 meeting there and the local Odd Fellows
lodge were among the groups who used the upstairs offices. Harvey sold stock in the bank for $15 a share. The bank lasted until 1914. Depositors and lenders were paid off and any other funds were transferred to a bank in Rogers.
To help attract tourists, Harvey often brought in musicians and hosted dances and other events to give Monte Ne a constant festive atmosphere. He used the Monte Ne Herald, run by his son Tom, to promote these events. The newspaper only lasted until 1905, probably due to financial troubles and Harvey's publication of personal attacks. There were sporting events in Monte Ne such as tennis, croquet, and fox hunting. Monte Ne also had the first golf course, which was built sometime before 1909. Harvey's difficult-to-please nature often ended up driving away more people than it attracted. Harvey had a lights-out at 10 p.m. policy, and would cut the main electricity to the town if the policy was disobeyed, prompting disgruntled guests to leave prematurely. He was also criticized for holding events on Sunday and banning children and people who were ill from the resort.
. Harvey Requested that a "Good Roads" meeting be held by the Commercial Club of Rogers, however they did not feel that it was their meeting because while fairly well attended hardly any Rogers businessmen were present. Harvey assessed the project would cost Rogers $5,000 with out their permission or consent, and this estimate was far less than what engineers advising the Rogers businessmen believed the cost would be. Ultimately the "Great White Way" project failed, and Harvey blamed the community of Rogers for lack of support.
In 1913 he spearhead the founding of the The Ozark Trails Association (OTA) to promote the building and education of quality highway design, but not actually building or funding them. At first, he was only interested in bringing people to Monte Ne, he stated: "My Personal interest in the Ozark Trails is that they all lead to Monte Ne" However, he seems to have taken on a more egalitarian opinion of the Ozark Trails as time went on because he later said: "My inclination runs toward doing something of a progressive nature that will promote the collective good, and I have now concentrated all that inclination on carrying out a system of roads known as the Ozark Trails." The Ozark Trails Association became Harvey's most successful endeavor. Interest in the project spread and membership swelled to 7,000 delegates from states as far away as New Mexico. The group built large obelisks, listing the names of the benefactors, along the routes and trails that it sponsored. He even ran for congress on a platform of building a national highway system, but lost to John W. Tillman who had strong support in Washington County.
Interest in the group began to waver noticeably when Harvey finally stepped down as president at a 1920 convention in Pittsburg
, Kansas
that was attended by only 200 delegates. By the mid 1920s, highways and roads had become completely government-funded and there was no longer a need for local sponsorship. The group's system of giving them historic names and those of contributors had also become confusing and inefficient because of the myriad names and disputes over different names for the same stretch of roadway. So, the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) changed all the roadways' names to uniform numbers, despite fierce protest from the OTA. The group had lost its relevance and disbanded in 1924, but many of the roads they helped develop became part of the historic U.S. Route 66
.
Another group, with no affiliation but with the same name, was created in the early 1970s to promote the maintenance of recreational trails in the Ozarks.
would fail to find a place for him in the new Woodrow Wilson
administration. Harvey's 1913 bid for the Third Congressional District of Arkansas would also fail. His Monte Ne was also failing. The railway had been sold and would be abandoned during World War I
. The Bank of Monte Ne had also gone out of business. Faced with these severe dilemmas, Harvey had begun reasoning that the end of civilization was at hand. In February 1920, he published Common Sense, in which Harvey announced his intention to leave a message for the future in the form of a pyramid
.
Harvey did some deep research into the history of the Ozark Mountains. He claimed that they were some of the oldest mountains in the world and definitely the oldest in the United States. They had been untouched by volcano
es and earthquake
s. He believed that the mountains around Monte Ne would eventually crumble and fill the valley with silt and sediment. Figuring that the mountains were approximately 240 ft (73.2 m) high, Harvey planned to construct a massive concrete obelisk and its capstone would remain above the debris. Archaeologist in the distant future would be able to dig down and find the monument He called the project "The Pyramid" and dedicated the rest of his life to its construction.
The first part of the obelisk would be 40 ft² (12 m²) and 10 feet (3 m) high. It then would reduce to 32 ft² (9 m²) square and rise 35 feet (11 m). The next segment would be 22 ft² (6 m²) and would rise 85 feet (26 m) to become 6 ft² (1.8 m²) at the top. The total height would be 130 feet (40 m). In the pedestal there would be 300 ft² (91 m²) of floor space. Harvey's books, explaining 20th century civilization, as well as a world globe
, a bible
, encyclopedia
s, and newspaper
s, were to be placed inside two vaults and hermetically sealed in glass. Harvey also wanted to place in this large room: "numerous small items now used in domestic and industrial life, from the size of a needle and safety pin up to a Victrola." It was estimated that the construction would use 16,000 bags of cement, 30,000 ft³ (850 m³) of sand, 58,000 ft³ (1,642 m³) of gravel, and tons of corrugated steel reinforcement. The Portland Cement Association donated the service of one of its experts, who pronounced that the Pyramid would not deteriorate or suffer from erosion and would last for over a million years. To prevent water in the valley from interfering with the foundation and to shore up the low knoll to support the heavy Pyramid, Harvey constructed a 165 feet (50 m) long retaining wall of stone and cement.
He also built a roughly semi-circular, terraced amphitheater at the foundation of the Pyramid which he called the "foyer". He intended to rent this out and use the revenue for the pyramid project. The land for the amphitheater was first dug in late 1923, and construction continued off and on for the next five years whenever financing, building materials, and labor were available. Unlike other Monte Ne building projects designed by architect A. O. Clark, the amphitheater apparently had no architectural input and was not built according to blueprints or a single design. Those who worked with Harvey noted that he seemed to just "work it out in his mind from day to day." The result was a unique structure, irregular in formation, with seating capacity for anywhere from 500 to 1,000. The amphitheater averaged 20 feet (6 m) high and 140 feet (43 m) long. In the middle of the amphitheater was a small island with two concrete chairs and a concrete couch, intended for an orchestra to play or a speaker to make a presentation. Harvey dedicated the amphitheater before 500 people in 1928.
Following the Egyptian mania that gripped the country after the discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922, Harvey's Pyramid project sparked a lot of interest and was widely reported throughout the US. Tens of thousands of people came to Monte Ne during the 1920s to see its progress. Harvey continued to raise funds from events held at the amphitheater, such as conventions.
Harvey moved his office to his cottage next to the amphitheater, as work continued on the Pyramid. In January 1929, Harvey along with Lowell and H.L. Hardin of Kansas City incorporated the project creating The Pyramid Association. The association was to fulfill Harvey's Pyramid plans in the event of his death. The estimated cost of the Pyramid itself was $75,000, but Harvey exhausted his funds on construction of the amphitheater. The stock market crash of 1929
ended all construction. In a last ditch effort to save the project, Harvey sent letters to wealthy men asking for funds to complete the project. In his letters he explained that civilization was dying and that only rich men, like the intended readers, could save it, if they could send money for his pyramid. Despite the fact that Harvey claimed his correspondence was "the most important letter ever written" he received no replies and the pyramid was never built. All that remains of the project is a retaining wall and the amphitheater that are under the waters of Beaver Lake most of the time.
. From 1927 to 1932, Missouri Row and Oklahoma Row (often called the Club House Hotels at this point) were home to the Ozark Industrial College and School of Theology, a nonsectarian school run by Dan W. Evans. The hotels housed pupils—Missouri Row for boys, Oklahoma Row for girls—and Oklahoma Row also provided classroom and dining spaces. Evans and his family lived in the tower. The dance pavilion was enclosed and served as the school chapel. In May 1932, following a mortgage foreclosure against the school, school officials were evicted and the property was sold.
After he announced the building of the Pyramid, at age 69, Harvey began suffering a series of serious health problems, but continued to work tirelessly. In 1926, blood poisoning in his foot put him in a coma that lasted several days resulting in surgery, and three months of recuperation. In 1929 he and Anna were finally divorced. Three days later Harvey married his long-time personal secretary May Leake. In 1930, he came down with double pneumonia. He was also going blind and needed younger people to read his letters and the newspaper to him.
Harvey returned to politics after the 1929 stock market crash and the beginning of the Great Depression
. He decided to run for the presidency
. He formed The Liberty Party
and held their national convention at Monte Ne. It was the only presidential convention ever held in Arkansas. Harvey prepared with railroad excursion rates, media facilities, upgraded roads, and food concessions, anticipating 10,000 delegates. He tented the amphitheater, set up seating, and installed an amplifier system to reach the thousands to be seated outside. Delegates were only eligible to attend if they certified they had read and agreed with the principles of Harvey's newest book The Book, which dealt with the harmful effects of usury
by the government. In the end only 786 delegates attended, and Harvey was the only candidate the delegates could agree on. They nominated Andrae Nordskog of Los Angeles
, California
for vice-president
. The Liberty Party ended up merging with the Jobless Party and Harvey ran for president as an independent, however he is usually incorrectly credited as being their candidate in that election. Regardless, Franklin Delano Roosevelt won the 1932 presidential election
, and Harvey came in 6th with only 800 votes.
Harvey continued to publish his newsletter, The Liberty Bell, and sell his books as his health and eyesight continued to fail. On February 11, 1936 he died at Monte Ne due to peritonitis
after an attack of intestinal influenza. The tomb made to house his son in 1903 was blasted open and Harvey's simple cheap pine casket and that of his son were placed in a glass casket filled with copies of Harvey's books and some of his other papers. The tomb was then resealed. A small funeral was held on February 14, 1936, and a small plaque bearing the names and dates of the two Harvey's was posted.
He died with a balance of $138, debt of $3000 and no will. The courts decided that the property that was still deeded to the Pyramid foundation belonged to his widow, May, who sold it before moving to Springfield
, Missouri
, never to return. She died in 1948.
equipment. However, King moved the business back to Rogers the next year. The building then stood idle, becoming victim to vandalism. All of its windows were smashed and it became covered in graffiti
. Eventually, it was nothing more than an empty, roofless, cement shell.
In 1944, both Missouri and Oklahoma Row were sold to Springdale
businessmen Roy Joyce and Jim Barrack. Missouri Row was torn down and sold in small lots. The roof tiles were bought by a Little Rock
law firm. By 1956, the building had collapsed, leaving only a small section standing.
Oklahoma Row continued to provide lodging, although it was run and managed by several different people. In June 1946, Company G of the Arkansas State Guard held camp at Monte Ne for field training, using the hotel facilities. Access to Monte Ne improved a bit in August 1947 when the state highway department blacktopped 1.4 miles (2.25 km) of the Monte Ne road. In January, six Monte Ne men were arrested for grand larceny, charged with stealing doors from Oklahoma Row and 500 feet (152 m) of pipe from the swimming pool. A resident of the area, Iris Armstrong opened up a girls' camp just east of the amphitheater in 1922. She named it Camp Joyzelle after the Maurice Maeterlinck
play of the same name. The camp made use of the amphitheater for plays and its cabins, named after Greek goddesses
, dotted the hillside. Oklahoma Row was used in 1945 for lodging people who had come to visit the campers. It was used for this purpose up until 1962 as well as for social events and activities such as plays and campfire ceremonies. The camp also used the ticketing section of the old railroad depot for its main lodge and crafts building. In 1955 Dallas Barrack, a Springdale antique dealer, bought Oklahoma Row, and renovated it into an antique store called the Palace Art Galleries. He was to have carried "some of the finest antiques in the area" and believed that "the splendor of the old hotel only adds to their value."
A Baptist church was organized at Monte Ne under the sponsorship of the Benton County
Baptist Association as a result of a series of revival meetings conducted there. The Monte Ne Baptist Church is still active. For a time in the summer of 1946, the Rogers Intermediate Girl Scouts held a camp at the Hotel Frances (old Hotel Mont Ne). Although it was not as active as it once was, the old filling station and store in downtown Monte Ne continued to serve the local population.
The Monte Ne Inn, two to three miles (3 to 5 km) away from where the resort was on highway 94, opened in 1972 and is still in business.
In 1948, W.T. McWhorter purchased Harvey's former log home and office and the amphitheater nearby and turned it into a restaurant serving chicken, steak, and fish. There was also a concession stand at the amphitheater that operated until 1957, selling drinks, candy, souvenirs, and pamphlets about Harvey.
In January 1957, the Tulsa Daily World reported that 30,000 tourists visited Monte Ne annually to see Harvey's now deteriorating dream. The Arkansas State Historical Society held its 1960 annual meeting at Monte Ne and gathered at the amphitheater to hear Clara Kennan, a Rogers native and school teacher who had been fascinated by Monte Ne her whole life, give a talk on Harvey and his Pyramid project. Her oral history and interviews provide some of the best information on Harvey and Monte Ne.
for flood control began in the 1930s, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(COE) held hearings on building a dam in January 1946. The new dam would create a lake 50 miles (80 km) long, and one arm would extend to Monte Ne. Work on Beaver Dam began in 1960 as the COE impounded and bought land around the White River. In July 1962, Mary Powell sold Camp Joyzelle to the COE, and W.T. McWhorten sold his land as well.
The Federal Government required that all cemeteries and burial grounds be moved. This included the Harvey tomb, and it was no easy task. In 1962 contractor Harald Mathis of Springdale took nine days to raise the 40-ton tomb and one to move it. The first attempt broke a flatbed truck. Another contractor from Huntsville with a stronger truck then had to be called in. A new road was laid to the new site of Harvey's tomb. The tomb was placed on the crest of a hill donated by Harvey's longtime friends and neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Doescher. Today, the tomb sits on private property visible from the Monte Ne boat launch on Beaver Lake. Relocation of the aging tomb put pressure on it, causing it to crack.
The COE mistakenly believed that the waters of Beaver Lake would cover the area of the large hotels, so those parcels were added to the land they purchased for the project. Dallas Barrack, who owned Oklahoma Row, felt that he had been treated poorly and had received much less than his property was worth. The COE held a sealed-bid auction and J.G. Gladdens purchased what was left of Missouri and Oklahoma Rows. He planned to move the remnants of Oklahoma Row out of the path of the rising lake waters. In order to do this, it was first necessary to remove the log portion or shell of the hotel. The original windows and doors were dismantled for the move and later reinstalled. The fireplaces, as well as all of the major stonework were later torn down. Also sold at auction were two massive concrete chairs that had been at the base of the amphitheater. They were bought by Mr. and Mrs. Ulis Rose of Rogers and were used to decorate the lawns of their Town and Country restaurant and motel. The chairs are still located in Rogers, however they now sit unceremoniously in Frisco Park without any plaque or marker indicating their significance. The concrete couch was left in place at the base of the amphitheater, because no one wanted to try to move it.
For years, stories circulated of a treasure being buried within the amphitheater. W.T. McWhorter was determined to find out if it was true, so he planned to dynamite the amphitheater on the day he was to transfer the deed to the COE. Spectators attended the planned explosion, but it was stopped just in time by COE attorney David Waid.
The dam was completed and Beaver Lake was at full height by June 1966. For all intents and purposes, Harvey's Monte Ne was gone. However, in times of drought, some of the structures become visible again. The lake dropped to its lowest level on January 22, 1977, more than 27 feet (8 m) below its average depth, and the amphitheater and bridges were visible for the first time in more than 10 years. Before the water flooded downtown Monte Ne again the rest of the buildings were either bulldozed or moved to avoid problems for swimmers, boaters, and fishermen. The few bridges that spanned the lagoon and the amphitheater were not demolished.
In 2006, the waters of Beaver Lake once again receded to their lowest level since 1984, just above 1,100 feet (335 m). This generated a new brief interest in Monte Ne and people were once again attracted to the edge of the lake to explore the remains. The upper part of the amphitheater and the retaining wall built for the never constructed pyramid were exposed for a time before being once again swallowed by the lake.
The flooded Monte Ne has become a site of interest for scuba divers who dive by the amphitheater to get a look at the submerged structure. The water is moderately clear and temperatures comfortable.
A log portion of the original Oklahoma Row was moved north and now sits on the east side of Highway 94 in Monte Ne. It is used for storage. The three-story concrete-and-stone tower still stands and remains above water on the edge of Beaver Lake. This section is often incorrectly referred to as the bank building and the honeymoon
suite. Monte Ne was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1978 because of the historic significance of being so closely associated with Harvey and its unique architecture and engineering. Despite this what is left of Monte Ne has fallen victim to severe neglect and vandalism. It is covered with spray paint and graffiti
as well as being cracked and full of debris. In 2011 the fire department was called to help a person who had climbed to the top floor and gotten stuck in the chimney. Because of this incident and the general state of the remains, the Army Corps of Engineers erected a temporary barbed wire fence around the tower.
All that is left of Missouri Row is a four-sided concrete fireplace surrounded by pieces of foundation, a few sets of stairs, metal plumbing, and a retaining wall. East of that, surrounding what is now the Monte Ne boat launch, are remnants of limestone structures. Some of these are foundations from the broad wooden staircase built in front of Hotel Monte Ne; some are structural components for the twin stone bridges that crossed the lagoon and some are simply low retaining walls. The amphitheater and the retaining wall built for the Pyramid are underwater. Occasionally, when water levels drop in summer, they can be seen.
A few of the roads surrounding the area that was Monte Ne on the edge of Beaver Lake have names reflecting what once was there. Highway 94
, which once lead to Monte Ne, is also called Monte Ne Road. Country Road 1195 which runs along the lake, is also called Pyramid Street and is a few hundred feet from where the Pyramid would have stood. Similarly Canal Street is nearby, named for the waterways that Harvey's gondolas once traveled.
The Ozarks
The Ozarks are a physiographic and geologic highland region of the central United States. It covers much of the southern half of Missouri and an extensive portion of northwestern and north central Arkansas...
of the White River
White River (Arkansas)
The White River is a 722-mile long river that flows through the U.S. states of Arkansas and Missouri.-Course:The source of the White River is in the Boston Mountains of northwest Arkansas, in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest southeast of Fayetteville...
valley east of Rogers
Rogers, Arkansas
Rogers is a suburban city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 55,964. The city is located in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers Metropolitan Area, in the northwest corner of the state.-History:...
on the edge of Beaver Lake
Beaver Lake
Beaver Lake may refer to:*Beaver Lake Middle School in Issaquah School District, Washington.-Lakes:*Canada**Beaver Lake **Beaver Lake **Beaver Lake **Beaver Lake **Beaver Lake, Montreal*United States...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. From 1901 until the mid-1930s the area was a health resort
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
and ambitious planned community
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
. It was owned and operated by William Hope Harvey
William Hope Harvey
William Hope "Coin" Harvey was an American teacher, businessman, author, and politician best remembered for his views and his book on bimetallism and the health resort he built in Northwest Arkansas, Monte Ne...
, a financial theorist and one-time U.S. Presidential
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
nominee. Two of its hotels, "Missouri Row" and "Oklahoma Row", were the largest log buildings in the world. Oklahoma Row's "tower section" is one of the earliest examples of a multi-story cement structure. The tower is the only structure of Monte Ne still standing that can be seen at normal lake levels. Monte Ne introduced the first indoor swimming pool in Arkansas, and was also the site of the only presidential convention ever held in Arkansas.
The Monte Ne resort was not a financial success, due in part to Harvey's management style. All ventures associated with Harvey's original Monte Ne concept were either never completed or experienced bankruptcy, and shortly after his death the property was sold off in lots. The remainder of the resort and town was almost completely submerged after Beaver Lake
Beaver Lake (Arkansas)
Beaver Lake is a man-made reservoir in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas and is formed by a dam across the White River. Beaver Lake has some of natural shoreline...
was created in 1964. All that remains today are foundations and one severely vandalized structure. The area on the edge of Beaver Lake that is still referred to as Monte Ne, is owned and managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
and serves mainly as a boat ramp.
Before Harvey
The area that would become Monte Ne was known to have had two establishments often considered essential to a pioneer settlement, a grist mill and a distillery. It is unknown when the distillery was built. It was owned in the 1830s by Abe McGarrah and his brother-in-law. They also operated a small store. The distillery's output each day was given as thirty gallons by the Federal whiskey gauger who resided in the area. The grist mill was built in 1856, and was owned by J.R. Pettigrew. It would later be owned by James Wyeth and Amelia Crowder Blake, the parents of Betty Blake, who is often referred to as the "Leading Lady" of Rogers, Arkansas, and who would also go on to marry entertainer Will RogersWill Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
. In 1875 the post office in the area changed its name from Mountain Springs to Pettigrew's Mill. They owned the mill till 1882, when Mr. Blake died. The Mill was later operated by David Portnell from 1889 to 1895. He sold his interest in the mill to a retired Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
minister J.G Bailey. Under Bailey the area's name was changed to Silver Springs. Bailey would sell the property to Harvey.
Coin Harvey
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Monte Ne seems to have been funded mostly by the sales of Harvey's writings which dealt with the subject of free silver
Free Silver
Free Silver was an important United States political policy issue in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Its advocates were in favor of an inflationary monetary policy using the "free coinage of silver" as opposed to the less inflationary Gold Standard; its supporters were called...
. His most popular pamphlet, entitled Coin's Financial School
Coin's Financial School
right|thumbCoin's Financial School was a popular pamphlet written in 1893 that helped popularize the free silver and populist movements. The author of the text "Coin", William Hope Harvey, would later go on to aid William Jennings Bryan in his bid for the presidency and would run for the presidency...
, was published in 1893. Sales were buoyed by Harvey's involvement in the presidential campaign of William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
, and it sold two million copies. Bryan lost his bid for President, however Harvey had become so important to the campaign that he was made chairman of the Democratic Ways & Means Committee to collect money for the 1900 campaign. However as a result of an argument before the campaign, he resigned.
During the 1900 campaign Harvey had visited Northwest Arkansas, an area known for its unique pristine natural beauty. In October 1900, he purchased 320 acres (130 ha) of land in Silver Springs, Arkansas (close to present day Rogers
Rogers, Arkansas
Rogers is a suburban city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 55,964. The city is located in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers Metropolitan Area, in the northwest corner of the state.-History:...
), from Reverend Bailey. From that time on he lived in Arkansas, and claimed that he preferred the state because it had no large cities or extremely wealthy people. Leaving his family behind in Chicago, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Harvey moved into Rev. Bailey's run-down log house. Harvey's son Tom joined him shortly thereafter to help prepare the house for the rest of the family, and Harvey's other son Hal, wife Anna, and sister Annette joined them later. The house burned down a few months after they took up residence, and all of the family's possessions, including Harvey's large library, were lost. Harvey carried no insurance on the house, and after its destruction Anna went back to Chicago and returned to Arkansas only a few times thereafter for brief visits.
Harvey's land purchase in Silver Springs coincided with a desire by the local postmaster to change the name of the area, because it was often confused with Siloam Springs
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Siloam Springs is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 13,990...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. Harvey chose the name Monte Ne, which supposedly combined the Spanish and Omaha
Omaha (tribe)
The Omaha are a federally recognized Native American nation which lives on the Omaha Reservation in northeastern Nebraska and western Iowa, United States...
Indian words for mountain water, because it "fit the tongue attractively." Harvey was familiar with European health spas, and wanted to turn Monte Ne into a "watering hole" in the Ozarks. He first commissioned the dredging of a canal, and Silver Springs Creek was narrowed between Big Spring and Elixir Spring, which created Big Spring Lake. The Creek was then channeled to form what Harvey referred to as "the lagoon." Limestone retaining walls were built along the bands of the creeks and the lake, and along boardwalks and park areas. Monte Ne quickly became a popular spot for pleasure boating, picnics, and other outdoor activities. Many people noted how clear the water was. The Rogers Democrat said that it looked "like pure alcohol."
Hotel rows
In December 1900, with $United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
52,000 of individual investor's money and $48,000 of his own, Harvey formed the Monte Ne Investment Company, which held the deeds to all of the land. The first hotel completed was the Hotel Monte Ne in April 1901, which opened in May. It was three stories high and had two wings 300 feet (91 m) long. Each room had a doorway to the outside and the hotel was surrounded with wide porches.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
served as architect and superintendent of the company. Harvey wanted to build five large hotels: a three-story main building called the Club House Hotel and four 300 to 450 foot (91 to 137 m) long "cottage rows," each to be named for a state bordering on Arkansas. Stock holders in the company received stock certificates that listed privileges such as transportation on the Monte Ne Railroad with 150 lb (68 kg) of baggage and a 25% discount for the stockholder and his family at the Hotel Monte Ne.
Missouri Row, begun in August, 1904, was the first hotel constructed. This Clarke-designed building was 46 feet (14 m) wide and 305 feet (93 m) long and built of 8,000 logs with a cement floor re-tile roof. Fourteen thousand cubic feet (396 m³) of concrete were used. The tiles were shipped from Chicago. The center and two ends of the hotel rose to two stories, the remainder being a single story. Hotel Monte Ne, Missouri Row both featured porches 575 feet (175 m) long. The hotel had forty 16 ft² (1.5 m²) rooms, each with a fireplace. Harvey employed area carpenters and stonemasons to build Missouri Row. In April 1905, to save time and money, the work schedule was changed from 9 to 10 hours per day and some wages were cut. Many workers went on strike and, when their demands were not met, they quit. The men formed a union, and although Harvey thought of himself as a friend to the working man, he viewed unions as another kind of monopoly or trust. The strike delayed construction, but by the end of May 1905, a full workforce was in place. In July, carpet, washstand
Washstand
A washstand is a table or stand containing conveniences for washing oneself.- Ancient Greece:In his Pneumatics, Philo of Byzantium, a Greek engineer and writer on mechanics, describes an escapement mechanism, the earliest known, as part of a washstand...
s and furniture, including iron-and-brass bedsteads, were installed in the rooms. Cannon balls and shells from the Pea Ridge battlefield
Battle of Pea Ridge
The Battle of Pea Ridge was a land battle of the American Civil War, fought on March 6–8, 1862, at Pea Ridge in northwest Arkansas, near Garfield. In the battle, Union forces led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis defeated Confederate troops under Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn. The outcome of the...
were sunk into the cement porch on either side of the main entrance. The hotel opened in September 1905 with room rates of $1 a day and $6 a week.
In February 1907, with nearly 300 new stockholders, Harvey began construction on his next hotel, Oklahoma Row, also designed by A. O. Clarke. It was built to the west of Missouri Row with a wide lawn. It had a similar log, cement stone, and tile construction. The dining room was on the north end. Each of the 40 rooms had fireplaces, as did the dining room and center hall. Every room featured electric lights, sewerage, and running spring water. The hotel also boasted a three-story cement tower, one of the earliest multistory cement constructions in the country. Oklahoma Row and other construction projects drained Harvey's funds. Harvey managed to raise enough money to finish Oklahoma Row, but due to his lack of funds when that hotel finally opened there was no gala event, as there had been when Missouri Row was finished.
Theme song
In 1901, Harvey Commissioned a theme song for Monte Ne. "Beautiful Monte Ne" was written by a Rogers local, Edward Wolfe, and copyrighted by Harvey in 1906.
Beautiful Monte Ne, God's gift to man they say
Health resort of all the world is beautiful Monte Ne
Rosy cheeks and purer blood they gain there day by day
in mountain air water rare at beautiful Monte Ne
Railroad
Harvey needed a way to get people to Monte Ne. In 1900, there were few adequate roads and automobiles were not yet practical. The natural solution seemed to be to build a railroad from LowellLowell, Arkansas
Lowell is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,327. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
to Monte Ne. The Arkansas Railroad Commission granted a charter on April 26, 1902, and the Monte Ne Railway Company was incorporated in May 1902, with a capital stock of $250,000. Besides Harvey, the company included: Carl A. Starck, P.G. Davidson, A.L. Williams, B.R. Davidson, J.H. McIlroy, J.W. Kimmons, F.F. Freeman, J.F. Felker, Robert H. Harven and Thomas W. Harvey (Coin's Brother). Another of Harvey's brothers, who was a banker at Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, furnished $25,000. Of the 250 shares in the company, 240 were registered in Harvey’s name. The five-mile (8 km) private railroad spur started at the Lowell transfer station. Fourteen thousand oak railway ties were laid running through Cross Hollows, south of Rogers, where two ravines met. It then passed through Limedale, terminating above Big Spring Lake at a Log Cabin depot with open-air waiting rooms. Harvey leased an engine, tender, and a passenger coach from the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad. The railway opened on June 19, 1902. Harvey imported a 50 foot (15 m) gondola
Gondola
The gondola is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian Lagoon. For centuries gondolas were the chief means of transportation and most common watercraft within Venice. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in...
from Venice, Italy in July 1901 to meet guests arriving by rail and carry them to the resort.
The gondola was a very popular attraction, and Harvey often promoted Monte Ne as: "the only place in America where the gondola meets the train."
The little railroad went broke a few years later. At about this time, the Arkansas, Oklahoma & Western Railroad (AO&W) was forming. The railroad ran from Rogers to Siloam Springs, over a distance of approximately 30 miles (43 km). It was opened for traffic New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
1908, connecting with the Frisco at Rogers and the Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Gulf (P&G) at Siloam Springs. AO&W planned to build eastward to Eureka Springs. On December 1, 1909 the AO&W purchased the Monte Ne railroad. To connect the AO&W and the Monte Ne, a track would have to be laid from Hazelwood, Arkansas on the AO&W to Lowell; the Frisco line was in the way and they would not allow a connection. AO&W instead built an expensive underpass of the Frisco. The construction of the underpass enabled the Monte Ne line to turn over much of its outbound freight business to the AO&W rather than competitor Frisco. So the line enjoyed a brief but substantial volume of outgoing freight traffic from the Rogers White Lime Company located at Limedale. The underpass still exists and is still crossed by trains of Frisco Central Division successor Arkansas and Missouri Railroad
Arkansas and Missouri Railroad
The Arkansas and Missouri Railroad is a short-line railroad headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas.The A & M, as it is known, operates of line from Fort Smith, Arkansas to Monett, Missouri. The railroad interchanges freight cars with Kansas City Southern Railway at Fort Smith, with Union Pacific...
.
The AO&W went bankrupt a few years later and was bought by another startup railroad, the Kansas City & Memphis Railroad (KC&M) in early 1911. It would build from Cave Springs
Cave Springs, Arkansas
Cave Springs is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,103 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
a few miles west of Rogers, through Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and towards Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. In 1912 the Ozark Land and Lumber Company began construction of a 5 mile extension east of Monte Ne from the White River
White River (Arkansas)
The White River is a 722-mile long river that flows through the U.S. states of Arkansas and Missouri.-Course:The source of the White River is in the Boston Mountains of northwest Arkansas, in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest southeast of Fayetteville...
to the Piney community and leased the line to the KC&M. The White River bridge consisted of 780 feet of trestle and 2, 152 foot steel spans making it the longest railroad bridge in Benton County
Benton County, Arkansas
Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, the population was 153,406. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 population is 221,339. The county seat is Bentonville. Benton County was formed on 30 September 1836 and was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S...
. This extension was used to haul out forestry products. The KC&M entered receivership in 1914, and in September of that year passenger service to Monte Ne ended. When World War I began, many railroads were seized by the United States government. The KC&M was not seized, and due to unfavorable rulings by the United States Railroad Administration
United States Railroad Administration
The United States Railroad Administration was the name of the nationalized railroad system of the United States between 1917 and 1920. It was possibly the largest American experiment with nationalization, and was undertaken against a background of war emergency.- Background :On April 6, 1917, the...
and Arkansas Railroad Commission saw much of its revenue evaporate. In January 1918 Roscoe Hobbs, one of the court-appointed receivers of the KC&M, went to Washington DC to provide testimony to the Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce
United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
The United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is a standing committee of the United States Senate in charge of all senate matters related to the following subjects:* Coast Guard* Coastal zone management* Communications...
on the effects of these decisions on small railroads. As part of that testimony Hobbs reported 215 cars from the Rogers White Lime Company and 216 cars of pit props and railroad ties being hauled on the Monte Ne portion of the railway in 1917. Hobbs was unsuccessful in having the decisions reversed and most portions of the KC&M were abandoned by October 1918. The Monte Ne portion was used until 1919. The White River bridge survived longer and was used for horse and foot traffic before becoming unsafe. The steel spans were scrapped during World War II.
Business
In August 1901, Harvey's son Hal and brother-in-law Ernest Halliday opened a large bathhouse on Silver Springs Creek, across the lagoon from Hotel Monte Ne. The indoor pool was the first in Arkansas. It was 25 by 50 ft (7.6 by 15 m) and 7 feet (2 m) deep and included springboards and slides. Water from the spring flowed into the swimming pool, half of which was sectioned off and featured heated water piped in from a wood-fiber boiler. The bathhouse also had a two-lane bowling alley. The pool continued to be a popular attraction throughout the life of Monte Ne until the opening of an outdoor pool in Willola, ArkansasArkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
in 1923.
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
, a livery stable a gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
, and a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
. The General store also serve as a host for school plays and as well as a Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
. The post office erroneously changed the town's name to Vinda (a misreading of a local wine ranch called Vinola), but later formally changed it to Monte Ne.
Harvey issued his own money, or scrip
Scrip
Scrip is an American term for any substitute for currency which is not legal tender and is often a form of credit. Scrips were created as company payment of employees and also as a means of payment in times where regular money is unavailable, such as remote coal towns, military bases, ships on long...
, which was accepted and used as cash in and around Monte Ne. Scrip was a way of financing his mercantile without requiring operating capital. Harvey would purchase items with the scrip and promised to redeem it within 30 days. If the item did not sell, the scrip had no value. Also in downtown was the Bank of Monte Ne. It was organized by Harvey in 1905 and the building was designed, like many buildings in Monte Ne, by A. O. Clarke. The two-story, 50 by 70 ft (15 by 21 m) building (usually referred to as the "Bank Block") included the bank and a store room on the main floor, as well as a lodge room and offices on the second floor. The building was across the street from the post office. The Interstate Bankers' Summer Club held their 1906 meeting there and the local Odd Fellows
Odd Fellows
Odd Fellows is a name broadly referring to any of a large number of friendly societies, fraternal and service organizations and/or Lodges.-Societies using the name "Odd Fellows" or variations:...
lodge were among the groups who used the upstairs offices. Harvey sold stock in the bank for $15 a share. The bank lasted until 1914. Depositors and lenders were paid off and any other funds were transferred to a bank in Rogers.
To help attract tourists, Harvey often brought in musicians and hosted dances and other events to give Monte Ne a constant festive atmosphere. He used the Monte Ne Herald, run by his son Tom, to promote these events. The newspaper only lasted until 1905, probably due to financial troubles and Harvey's publication of personal attacks. There were sporting events in Monte Ne such as tennis, croquet, and fox hunting. Monte Ne also had the first golf course, which was built sometime before 1909. Harvey's difficult-to-please nature often ended up driving away more people than it attracted. Harvey had a lights-out at 10 p.m. policy, and would cut the main electricity to the town if the policy was disobeyed, prompting disgruntled guests to leave prematurely. He was also criticized for holding events on Sunday and banning children and people who were ill from the resort.
Roads
After the Monte Ne Railroad failed, Harvey needed to find other ways for people to get to his resort. He realized the coming importance of the automobile and in 1911 he campaigned for a project he called "The Great White Way", a turnpike between Monte Ne and Muskogee, OklahomaMuskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
. Harvey Requested that a "Good Roads" meeting be held by the Commercial Club of Rogers, however they did not feel that it was their meeting because while fairly well attended hardly any Rogers businessmen were present. Harvey assessed the project would cost Rogers $5,000 with out their permission or consent, and this estimate was far less than what engineers advising the Rogers businessmen believed the cost would be. Ultimately the "Great White Way" project failed, and Harvey blamed the community of Rogers for lack of support.
In 1913 he spearhead the founding of the The Ozark Trails Association (OTA) to promote the building and education of quality highway design, but not actually building or funding them. At first, he was only interested in bringing people to Monte Ne, he stated: "My Personal interest in the Ozark Trails is that they all lead to Monte Ne" However, he seems to have taken on a more egalitarian opinion of the Ozark Trails as time went on because he later said: "My inclination runs toward doing something of a progressive nature that will promote the collective good, and I have now concentrated all that inclination on carrying out a system of roads known as the Ozark Trails." The Ozark Trails Association became Harvey's most successful endeavor. Interest in the project spread and membership swelled to 7,000 delegates from states as far away as New Mexico. The group built large obelisks, listing the names of the benefactors, along the routes and trails that it sponsored. He even ran for congress on a platform of building a national highway system, but lost to John W. Tillman who had strong support in Washington County.
Interest in the group began to waver noticeably when Harvey finally stepped down as president at a 1920 convention in Pittsburg
Pittsburg, Kansas
Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, in southeastern Kansas, United States. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and in southeastern Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,233.-History:...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
that was attended by only 200 delegates. By the mid 1920s, highways and roads had become completely government-funded and there was no longer a need for local sponsorship. The group's system of giving them historic names and those of contributors had also become confusing and inefficient because of the myriad names and disputes over different names for the same stretch of roadway. So, the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) changed all the roadways' names to uniform numbers, despite fierce protest from the OTA. The group had lost its relevance and disbanded in 1924, but many of the roads they helped develop became part of the historic U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
.
Another group, with no affiliation but with the same name, was created in the early 1970s to promote the maintenance of recreational trails in the Ozarks.
The Pyramid
By 1910, Harvey was facing serious setbacks. Harvey's son Hal had died in 1903 and was interred in a mausoleum in Monte Ne. His other son, Tom, had left in 1908 never to return. The next decade would not bring better news for Harvey either. Harvey and his wife, Anna, were now permanently estranged after 25 years of marriage. Harvey's close friend William Jennings BryanWilliam Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
would fail to find a place for him in the new Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
administration. Harvey's 1913 bid for the Third Congressional District of Arkansas would also fail. His Monte Ne was also failing. The railway had been sold and would be abandoned during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The Bank of Monte Ne had also gone out of business. Faced with these severe dilemmas, Harvey had begun reasoning that the end of civilization was at hand. In February 1920, he published Common Sense, in which Harvey announced his intention to leave a message for the future in the form of a pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
.
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
es and earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s. He believed that the mountains around Monte Ne would eventually crumble and fill the valley with silt and sediment. Figuring that the mountains were approximately 240 ft (73.2 m) high, Harvey planned to construct a massive concrete obelisk and its capstone would remain above the debris. Archaeologist in the distant future would be able to dig down and find the monument He called the project "The Pyramid" and dedicated the rest of his life to its construction.
The first part of the obelisk would be 40 ft² (12 m²) and 10 feet (3 m) high. It then would reduce to 32 ft² (9 m²) square and rise 35 feet (11 m). The next segment would be 22 ft² (6 m²) and would rise 85 feet (26 m) to become 6 ft² (1.8 m²) at the top. The total height would be 130 feet (40 m). In the pedestal there would be 300 ft² (91 m²) of floor space. Harvey's books, explaining 20th century civilization, as well as a world globe
Globe
A globe is a three-dimensional scale model of Earth or other spheroid celestial body such as a planet, star, or moon...
, a bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, encyclopedia
Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia is a type of reference work, a compendium holding a summary of information from either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge....
s, and newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s, were to be placed inside two vaults and hermetically sealed in glass. Harvey also wanted to place in this large room: "numerous small items now used in domestic and industrial life, from the size of a needle and safety pin up to a Victrola." It was estimated that the construction would use 16,000 bags of cement, 30,000 ft³ (850 m³) of sand, 58,000 ft³ (1,642 m³) of gravel, and tons of corrugated steel reinforcement. The Portland Cement Association donated the service of one of its experts, who pronounced that the Pyramid would not deteriorate or suffer from erosion and would last for over a million years. To prevent water in the valley from interfering with the foundation and to shore up the low knoll to support the heavy Pyramid, Harvey constructed a 165 feet (50 m) long retaining wall of stone and cement.
He also built a roughly semi-circular, terraced amphitheater at the foundation of the Pyramid which he called the "foyer". He intended to rent this out and use the revenue for the pyramid project. The land for the amphitheater was first dug in late 1923, and construction continued off and on for the next five years whenever financing, building materials, and labor were available. Unlike other Monte Ne building projects designed by architect A. O. Clark, the amphitheater apparently had no architectural input and was not built according to blueprints or a single design. Those who worked with Harvey noted that he seemed to just "work it out in his mind from day to day." The result was a unique structure, irregular in formation, with seating capacity for anywhere from 500 to 1,000. The amphitheater averaged 20 feet (6 m) high and 140 feet (43 m) long. In the middle of the amphitheater was a small island with two concrete chairs and a concrete couch, intended for an orchestra to play or a speaker to make a presentation. Harvey dedicated the amphitheater before 500 people in 1928.
Following the Egyptian mania that gripped the country after the discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922, Harvey's Pyramid project sparked a lot of interest and was widely reported throughout the US. Tens of thousands of people came to Monte Ne during the 1920s to see its progress. Harvey continued to raise funds from events held at the amphitheater, such as conventions.
Harvey moved his office to his cottage next to the amphitheater, as work continued on the Pyramid. In January 1929, Harvey along with Lowell and H.L. Hardin of Kansas City incorporated the project creating The Pyramid Association. The association was to fulfill Harvey's Pyramid plans in the event of his death. The estimated cost of the Pyramid itself was $75,000, but Harvey exhausted his funds on construction of the amphitheater. The stock market crash of 1929
Wall Street Crash of 1929
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 , also known as the Great Crash, and the Stock Market Crash of 1929, was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States, taking into consideration the full extent and duration of its fallout...
ended all construction. In a last ditch effort to save the project, Harvey sent letters to wealthy men asking for funds to complete the project. In his letters he explained that civilization was dying and that only rich men, like the intended readers, could save it, if they could send money for his pyramid. Despite the fact that Harvey claimed his correspondence was "the most important letter ever written" he received no replies and the pyramid was never built. All that remains of the project is a retaining wall and the amphitheater that are under the waters of Beaver Lake most of the time.
Failure
As Harvey's interests shifted to the Pyramid, Monte Ne's resort days effectively ended and the number of visitors slowly dwindled. Activities and events at Monte Ne continued, supported by locals who still visited in large numbers. Harvey sold the Hotel Monte Ne. The hotel went through several name changes and owners, becoming the White Hotel circa 1912, the Randola Inn in 1918, the Hotel Frances in 1925, and in 1930 the Sleepy Valley Hotel. Monte Ne's larger hotels continued to be active after they, along with the dance pavilion and Elixir Spring, were foreclosed and sold at public auctionPublic auction
A public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government, or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a government agency with similar authority....
. From 1927 to 1932, Missouri Row and Oklahoma Row (often called the Club House Hotels at this point) were home to the Ozark Industrial College and School of Theology, a nonsectarian school run by Dan W. Evans. The hotels housed pupils—Missouri Row for boys, Oklahoma Row for girls—and Oklahoma Row also provided classroom and dining spaces. Evans and his family lived in the tower. The dance pavilion was enclosed and served as the school chapel. In May 1932, following a mortgage foreclosure against the school, school officials were evicted and the property was sold.
After he announced the building of the Pyramid, at age 69, Harvey began suffering a series of serious health problems, but continued to work tirelessly. In 1926, blood poisoning in his foot put him in a coma that lasted several days resulting in surgery, and three months of recuperation. In 1929 he and Anna were finally divorced. Three days later Harvey married his long-time personal secretary May Leake. In 1930, he came down with double pneumonia. He was also going blind and needed younger people to read his letters and the newspaper to him.
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. He decided to run for the presidency
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. He formed The Liberty Party
Liberty Party (1930s)
The Liberty Party was a minor political party in the United States in the 1930s, based on the economic theories of W.H. "Coin" Harvey . Harvey was initially its 1932 presidential candidate, and they held their convention at his resort, Monte Ne...
and held their national convention at Monte Ne. It was the only presidential convention ever held in Arkansas. Harvey prepared with railroad excursion rates, media facilities, upgraded roads, and food concessions, anticipating 10,000 delegates. He tented the amphitheater, set up seating, and installed an amplifier system to reach the thousands to be seated outside. Delegates were only eligible to attend if they certified they had read and agreed with the principles of Harvey's newest book The Book, which dealt with the harmful effects of usury
Usury
Usury Originally, when the charging of interest was still banned by Christian churches, usury simply meant the charging of interest at any rate . In countries where the charging of interest became acceptable, the term came to be used for interest above the rate allowed by law...
by the government. In the end only 786 delegates attended, and Harvey was the only candidate the delegates could agree on. They nominated Andrae Nordskog of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
for vice-president
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
. The Liberty Party ended up merging with the Jobless Party and Harvey ran for president as an independent, however he is usually incorrectly credited as being their candidate in that election. Regardless, Franklin Delano Roosevelt won the 1932 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1932
The United States presidential election of 1932 took place as the effects of the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, the Revenue Act of 1932, and the Great Depression were being felt intensely across the country. President Herbert Hoover's popularity was falling as...
, and Harvey came in 6th with only 800 votes.
Harvey continued to publish his newsletter, The Liberty Bell, and sell his books as his health and eyesight continued to fail. On February 11, 1936 he died at Monte Ne due to peritonitis
Peritonitis
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, the serous membrane that lines part of the abdominal cavity and viscera. Peritonitis may be localised or generalised, and may result from infection or from a non-infectious process.-Abdominal pain and tenderness:The main manifestations of...
after an attack of intestinal influenza. The tomb made to house his son in 1903 was blasted open and Harvey's simple cheap pine casket and that of his son were placed in a glass casket filled with copies of Harvey's books and some of his other papers. The tomb was then resealed. A small funeral was held on February 14, 1936, and a small plaque bearing the names and dates of the two Harvey's was posted.
He died with a balance of $138, debt of $3000 and no will. The courts decided that the property that was still deeded to the Pyramid foundation belonged to his widow, May, who sold it before moving to Springfield
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, never to return. She died in 1948.
After Harvey
The bank building was bought in 1944 by D. L. King of Rogers, who remodeled it and made it home to his Atlas Manufacturing Company which produced poultryPoultry
Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
equipment. However, King moved the business back to Rogers the next year. The building then stood idle, becoming victim to vandalism. All of its windows were smashed and it became covered in graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
. Eventually, it was nothing more than an empty, roofless, cement shell.
In 1944, both Missouri and Oklahoma Row were sold to Springdale
Springdale, Arkansas
As of the census of 2010, there were 69,797 people, 22,805 households, and 16,640 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 64.7% White, 0.82% Black or African American, 1.8% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 5.7% Pacific Islander, 22% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more...
businessmen Roy Joyce and Jim Barrack. Missouri Row was torn down and sold in small lots. The roof tiles were bought by a Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
law firm. By 1956, the building had collapsed, leaving only a small section standing.
Oklahoma Row continued to provide lodging, although it was run and managed by several different people. In June 1946, Company G of the Arkansas State Guard held camp at Monte Ne for field training, using the hotel facilities. Access to Monte Ne improved a bit in August 1947 when the state highway department blacktopped 1.4 miles (2.25 km) of the Monte Ne road. In January, six Monte Ne men were arrested for grand larceny, charged with stealing doors from Oklahoma Row and 500 feet (152 m) of pipe from the swimming pool. A resident of the area, Iris Armstrong opened up a girls' camp just east of the amphitheater in 1922. She named it Camp Joyzelle after the Maurice Maeterlinck
Maurice Maeterlinck
Maurice Polydore Marie Bernard Maeterlinck, also called Comte Maeterlinck from 1932, was a Belgian playwright, poet, and essayist who wrote in French. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911. The main themes in his work are death and the meaning of life...
play of the same name. The camp made use of the amphitheater for plays and its cabins, named after Greek goddesses
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, dotted the hillside. Oklahoma Row was used in 1945 for lodging people who had come to visit the campers. It was used for this purpose up until 1962 as well as for social events and activities such as plays and campfire ceremonies. The camp also used the ticketing section of the old railroad depot for its main lodge and crafts building. In 1955 Dallas Barrack, a Springdale antique dealer, bought Oklahoma Row, and renovated it into an antique store called the Palace Art Galleries. He was to have carried "some of the finest antiques in the area" and believed that "the splendor of the old hotel only adds to their value."
A Baptist church was organized at Monte Ne under the sponsorship of the Benton County
Benton County, Arkansas
Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, the population was 153,406. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 population is 221,339. The county seat is Bentonville. Benton County was formed on 30 September 1836 and was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S...
Baptist Association as a result of a series of revival meetings conducted there. The Monte Ne Baptist Church is still active. For a time in the summer of 1946, the Rogers Intermediate Girl Scouts held a camp at the Hotel Frances (old Hotel Mont Ne). Although it was not as active as it once was, the old filling station and store in downtown Monte Ne continued to serve the local population.
The Monte Ne Inn, two to three miles (3 to 5 km) away from where the resort was on highway 94, opened in 1972 and is still in business.
In 1948, W.T. McWhorter purchased Harvey's former log home and office and the amphitheater nearby and turned it into a restaurant serving chicken, steak, and fish. There was also a concession stand at the amphitheater that operated until 1957, selling drinks, candy, souvenirs, and pamphlets about Harvey.
In January 1957, the Tulsa Daily World reported that 30,000 tourists visited Monte Ne annually to see Harvey's now deteriorating dream. The Arkansas State Historical Society held its 1960 annual meeting at Monte Ne and gathered at the amphitheater to hear Clara Kennan, a Rogers native and school teacher who had been fascinated by Monte Ne her whole life, give a talk on Harvey and his Pyramid project. Her oral history and interviews provide some of the best information on Harvey and Monte Ne.
Beaver Lake
Discussion of damming the White RiverWhite River (Arkansas)
The White River is a 722-mile long river that flows through the U.S. states of Arkansas and Missouri.-Course:The source of the White River is in the Boston Mountains of northwest Arkansas, in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest southeast of Fayetteville...
for flood control began in the 1930s, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
(COE) held hearings on building a dam in January 1946. The new dam would create a lake 50 miles (80 km) long, and one arm would extend to Monte Ne. Work on Beaver Dam began in 1960 as the COE impounded and bought land around the White River. In July 1962, Mary Powell sold Camp Joyzelle to the COE, and W.T. McWhorten sold his land as well.
The COE mistakenly believed that the waters of Beaver Lake would cover the area of the large hotels, so those parcels were added to the land they purchased for the project. Dallas Barrack, who owned Oklahoma Row, felt that he had been treated poorly and had received much less than his property was worth. The COE held a sealed-bid auction and J.G. Gladdens purchased what was left of Missouri and Oklahoma Rows. He planned to move the remnants of Oklahoma Row out of the path of the rising lake waters. In order to do this, it was first necessary to remove the log portion or shell of the hotel. The original windows and doors were dismantled for the move and later reinstalled. The fireplaces, as well as all of the major stonework were later torn down. Also sold at auction were two massive concrete chairs that had been at the base of the amphitheater. They were bought by Mr. and Mrs. Ulis Rose of Rogers and were used to decorate the lawns of their Town and Country restaurant and motel. The chairs are still located in Rogers, however they now sit unceremoniously in Frisco Park without any plaque or marker indicating their significance. The concrete couch was left in place at the base of the amphitheater, because no one wanted to try to move it.
For years, stories circulated of a treasure being buried within the amphitheater. W.T. McWhorter was determined to find out if it was true, so he planned to dynamite the amphitheater on the day he was to transfer the deed to the COE. Spectators attended the planned explosion, but it was stopped just in time by COE attorney David Waid.
The dam was completed and Beaver Lake was at full height by June 1966. For all intents and purposes, Harvey's Monte Ne was gone. However, in times of drought, some of the structures become visible again. The lake dropped to its lowest level on January 22, 1977, more than 27 feet (8 m) below its average depth, and the amphitheater and bridges were visible for the first time in more than 10 years. Before the water flooded downtown Monte Ne again the rest of the buildings were either bulldozed or moved to avoid problems for swimmers, boaters, and fishermen. The few bridges that spanned the lagoon and the amphitheater were not demolished.
In 2006, the waters of Beaver Lake once again receded to their lowest level since 1984, just above 1,100 feet (335 m). This generated a new brief interest in Monte Ne and people were once again attracted to the edge of the lake to explore the remains. The upper part of the amphitheater and the retaining wall built for the never constructed pyramid were exposed for a time before being once again swallowed by the lake.
The flooded Monte Ne has become a site of interest for scuba divers who dive by the amphitheater to get a look at the submerged structure. The water is moderately clear and temperatures comfortable.
Remains
Honeymoon
-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
suite. Monte Ne was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1978 because of the historic significance of being so closely associated with Harvey and its unique architecture and engineering. Despite this what is left of Monte Ne has fallen victim to severe neglect and vandalism. It is covered with spray paint and graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
as well as being cracked and full of debris. In 2011 the fire department was called to help a person who had climbed to the top floor and gotten stuck in the chimney. Because of this incident and the general state of the remains, the Army Corps of Engineers erected a temporary barbed wire fence around the tower.
All that is left of Missouri Row is a four-sided concrete fireplace surrounded by pieces of foundation, a few sets of stairs, metal plumbing, and a retaining wall. East of that, surrounding what is now the Monte Ne boat launch, are remnants of limestone structures. Some of these are foundations from the broad wooden staircase built in front of Hotel Monte Ne; some are structural components for the twin stone bridges that crossed the lagoon and some are simply low retaining walls. The amphitheater and the retaining wall built for the Pyramid are underwater. Occasionally, when water levels drop in summer, they can be seen.
A few of the roads surrounding the area that was Monte Ne on the edge of Beaver Lake have names reflecting what once was there. Highway 94
Arkansas Highway 94
Highway 94 is a highway of in Northwest Arkansas that begins at the Missouri state line and runs south to terminate near Beaver Lake. It has one spur route.-Route description:...
, which once lead to Monte Ne, is also called Monte Ne Road. Country Road 1195 which runs along the lake, is also called Pyramid Street and is a few hundred feet from where the Pyramid would have stood. Similarly Canal Street is nearby, named for the waterways that Harvey's gondolas once traveled.