The White River was once a free-flowing river. Beginning high in the Boston Mountains, the river flowed north through deep gorges, then turned eastward through southern Missouri before returning to Arkansas to meander south to join the Mississippi. Through Northwest Arkansas the White River followed a twisting course, often flowing far beneath the tops of massive limestone bluffs. The Cherokee who came here in the early 1800s would give the river its name. They called it Unica, which means “white,” because it was so incredibly clear.
For the families who made their homes there, the White River valley offered a familiar way of life which centered on self-sufficient farmsteads surrounding country schoolhouses. For residents of nearby towns, the river was a welcome place to escape to hunt, fish, camp, picnic, and swim. For tourists, the river and its tributaries offered float fishing expeditions and leisurely stays at W.H. “Coin” Harvey’s resort community of Monte Ne. Then in the mid-1900s the United States Army Corps of Engineers began building a series of dams, for flood control, on the White River. Beaver Dam was the last of these to be built.
With the possible exception of the coming of the railroads, nothing has affected the development of Northwest Arkansas as much as the creation of Beaver Lake. The lake uprooted families and flooded archaeological and historical sites. But it also provided new recreational opportunities, hydroelectric power, and most important of all a bountiful water source that could support a rapidly growing urban area. Since, the construction of Beaver Dam, Northwest Arkansas has been transformed from a region of small towns, surrounded by farms, into one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the nation. Explore this short exhibit to discover how the coming of the dam changed the White River into Beaver Lake and it's impact of the area.
For the families who made their homes there, the White River valley offered a familiar way of life which centered on self-sufficient farmsteads surrounding country schoolhouses. For residents of nearby towns, the river was a welcome place to escape to hunt, fish, camp, picnic, and swim. For tourists, the river and its tributaries offered float fishing expeditions and leisurely stays at W.H. “Coin” Harvey’s resort community of Monte Ne. Then in the mid-1900s the United States Army Corps of Engineers began building a series of dams, for flood control, on the White River. Beaver Dam was the last of these to be built.
With the possible exception of the coming of the railroads, nothing has affected the development of Northwest Arkansas as much as the creation of Beaver Lake. The lake uprooted families and flooded archaeological and historical sites. But it also provided new recreational opportunities, hydroelectric power, and most important of all a bountiful water source that could support a rapidly growing urban area. Since, the construction of Beaver Dam, Northwest Arkansas has been transformed from a region of small towns, surrounded by farms, into one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the nation. Explore this short exhibit to discover how the coming of the dam changed the White River into Beaver Lake and it's impact of the area.
