Monte Ne

Monte Ne: A Dream Turned Underwater

Imagine a place where dreams and reality intertwined, a utopia built on the hopes of a visionary. Monte Ne was such a place, a health resort and planned community established by William Hope Harvey in 1901 near Rogers, Arkansas. But what happened to this dream? Why is it now mostly underwater due to Beaver Lake?

Monte Ne was more than just a resort; it was a miniature city, complete with hotels, a lake, an indoor pool, golf courses, tennis courts, bowling alleys, its own post office and bank, as well as a train line and even an Italian gondola. Harvey’s vision was grand, but despite all the amenities, Monte Ne struggled to attract visitors.

Harvey built a five-mile railroad line spur from Lowell, Arkansas, to Monte Ne in 1902, but it was not successful due to erratic service. The railroad was sold to the AO&W and then KC&M, and passenger service continued until 1914. Harvey’s efforts to publicize Monte Ne were met with mixed success; he hosted events and promoted the resort through the Monte Ne Herald, but it only lasted until 1905.

The construction of additional hotels began in April 1904, with five hotels proposed: a main building called the Club House Hotel and four ‘cottage rows,’ each named after a state bordering on Arkansas. The first two hotels commissioned, Missouri Row and the Club House Hotel, were built using different materials. The Club House Hotel’s construction was suspended after a strike was resolved, but work on the Missouri Row continued.

Financing from new stockholders allowed for the start of Oklahoma Row in 1907, featuring electric lights, indoor plumbing, and spring water. Due to financial concerns, there was no gala event when Oklahoma Row opened in 1909. Harvey commissioned a theme song for Monte Ne in 1901, with ‘Beautiful Monte Ne’ written by Edward Wolfe.

As automobiles gained popularity, Harvey promoted The Ozark Trails Association to mark and build quality highways leading to Monte Ne. However, the group disbanded in 1924 due to government funding of highways and confusion over roadway names. Harvey’s difficult-to-please nature drove away guests from his resort. He enforced strict policies, including a curfew and banning children and ill people.

World War I impacted the world economy, leading Harvey to believe that civilization was ending. In 1920, he published ‘Common Sense,’ announcing his intention to leave a message for the future in the form of a pyramid. Harvey researched the Ozark Mountains and planned to build a massive concrete obelisk around Monte Ne. The obelisk would be 130 feet tall, with two vaults containing books, a globe, and other items, surrounded by a 165-foot retaining wall and an amphitheater.

Construction began in 1923 and was continued intermittently over the next five years. The project sparked interest and attracted thousands of visitors, earning Harvey recognition as he dedicated the amphitheater in 1928. In January 1929, Harvey incorporated ‘The Pyramid Association.’ The association was formed to build Harvey’s Pyramid after his death but due to financial constraints and the stock market crash of 1929, it was never completed.

As Harvey’s interests shifted to the pyramid, Monte Ne’s resort days ended. He sold the hotel in 1912 and returned to politics after the stock market crash and ran for president in 1932, but received no support. The Liberty Party convention was held at Monte Ne, but only a small number of delegates attended.

Harvey died on February 11, 1936, at Monte Ne due to peritonitis, leaving behind a balance of $138 and debt of $3,000. His widow sold the property that belonged to the Pyramid foundation before moving away. The hotels and buildings at Monte Ne had various fates after Harvey’s death; the Monte Ne Inn continued operations under different names until it was eventually torn down and sold for parts in 1956.

In 1923, Iris Armstrong leased 100 acres near Monte Ne and established Camp Joyzelle, a summer camp for girls that specialized in drama and the arts. The camp used the abandoned rail depot as its main office and employed the amphitheater for productions. The Bank Block was used briefly by a Rogers poultry equipment manufacturer in 1944, then abandoned. It was later converted into the ‘Palace Art Galleries’ by Dallas Barrack in 1955.

W.T. McWhorter purchased the Harvey home and assets in 1948 and opened the Harvey House restaurant. His son ran a concession at the amphitheater to cater to tourists. Monte Ne became a popular tourist destination, with 30,000 visitors annually. The Arkansas State Historical Society held its annual meeting at Monte Ne in 1960, featuring Clara Kennan’s talk on William Harvey and his Pyramid project.

Beaver Lake flooded the area in the early 1960s, forcing Camp Joyzelle to quit operations. The dam created a lake 50 miles long, with one arm extending to Monte Ne. The Corps of Engineers relocated the Harvey tomb from its original site to higher ground, where it sits on private property today.

Stories have circulated about a treasure buried within the amphitheater, but there is no evidence to support these claims. T. McWhorter planned to dynamite the amphitheater on June 15, 1966, but it was stopped by the Corps of Engineers. The dam was completed and Beaver Lake was at full height by then.

In times of drought, some structures become visible again. Monte Ne was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 due to its historic significance. Efforts were made to preserve the site, but no plans materialized. The Corps of Engineers demolished parts of the site in 2023 citing trespass and vandalism issues.

Monte Ne remains a ghost town, a place where dreams once thrived but now lie submerged under Beaver Lake. It serves as a reminder of what could have been, a testament to the vision of William Hope Harvey and his ambitious plans for Monte Ne. Even today, visitors can explore the remnants that remain visible when lake levels drop sufficiently, offering a glimpse into this lost resort’s past glory.