All Around Arkansas: The Lost Resort of Monte Ne

 

              Since I was a young child, many things have fascinated me about my native state. Arkansas is full of interesting people, places and stories, but probably none more intriguing than the story of Coin Harvey and Monte Ne.

             Monte Ne was located near Rogers (Benton County). Throughout the years it was known by several names including Mountain Springs, Pettigrew’s Mill and Silver Springs.

             In October 1900, William Hope “Coin” Harvey came to the area and purchased 350 acres. Harvey was a somewhat famous man during the 1890s. He was a successful business owner, political consultant, teacher and author. His 1893 book, "Coin’s Financial School," sold more than 2 million copies.

             Harvey was also campaign advisor to William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic nominee for president in 1896. After Bryan’s loss, Harvey moved to Silver Springs, a place he'd visited while traveling across the country with the Bryan campaign.

             Harvey’s dream was to build a resort with hotels, restaurants, an amphitheater, banks, a university and other small businesses. He persuaded the postmaster to help get Silver Springs renamed to Monte Ne, a combination of Spanish and Omaha Indian words that together meant "mountain water."

             Construction on Harvey’s vision began in December 1900 with $52,000 of investors’ money and $42,000 of his own. The first structure completed was Hotel Monte Ne in April 1901 (the hotel’s three-story concrete tower is still visible near the shore of Beaver Lake).

             Eventually more hotels were built, as was a system of canals complete with gondolas imported from Italy to transport visitors around the resort. Harvey brought in famous musicians and comedians and held sporting events to attract tourists to Monte Ne. Golf courses, tennis courts and the first indoor heated pool in Arkansas were built as well.

             In 1929, Harvey made history by becoming the first Arkansan to run for the presidency. He formed his own political party, the Liberty Party, and held its nominating convention at Monte Ne. Harvey expected a crowd of 10,000 but only 786 members attended. Franklin D. Roosevelt won the 1932 presidential election with Harvey receiving a mere 800 votes.

             After his loss, Harvey’s fortunes and health rapidly declined. The Monte Ne resort became a ghost town amid Harvey's failure to properly manage its finances. He died in February 1936 with just $138 to his name, debts totaling $3,000 and no will. The remaining properties and structures of the resort were eventually sold off by the court. He was buried alongside his son, Robert, in a 40-ton concrete tomb located on private property near the Monte Ne boat launch on Beaver Lake

             In 1966, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers impounded the White River to create Beaver Lake. Water now covers much of what was left of the old resort. When the lake is low, a few remaining structures can be seen, such as the amphitheater and the retaining wall of the pyramid Harvey planned to build as a time capsule for future generations.

             If you’d like to see what Harvey looked like at his time of death, you can visit the Rogers Historical Museum and view his death mask — an actual plaster mold of Harvey’s head made by the manager of the local funeral home. Apparently, the man believed Harvey was such an important figure that a death mask should be made for the public to forever remember him by. It’s just another strange part of the fascinating tale of Coin Harvey and Monte Ne.            

            A proud sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He lives on Lake Norrell in Saline County with his wife, Amy, and two beloved Boston Terriers. Find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.