Wonderland Cave
National Register of Historic Places

Wonderland Cave

Bella Vista, Benton County, Arkansas
Listed
January 28, 1988
Type
Site
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
87002313

About this property

Wonderland Cave is the largest cave in northwestern Arkansas. It is located on Dartmoor Road in Bella Vista, northeast of Bella Vista Lake and east of United States Route 71. The published report of the cave dates to 1868. Purchased in 1917, the cave was developed by Clarence A. Linebarger in 1929, opening it as a nightclub on March 1, 1930. Located 300 feet into the cave was a cavernous space hosting a stage for musicians, a bar, and wood/stone booths. The Arkansas State General Assembly met in the cave in 1931. In 1935, Linebarger started the Linebarger winery in the cave, sold under the brand "Belle of Bella Vista and Wonderland". Portions of the facility have also been used historically for the aging of locally produced wine, and at least one session of the Arkansas General Assembly has been held in the cave. The cave ceased operations as a nightclub in 1960, remaining open for tours. In 1965 the cave was leased to Cooper Communities. The cave was used as a bomb shelter at the peak of the cold war in 1968. In 1988 the cave was shortly reopened as a rock-n-roll nightclub, but closed in 1995. Ownership of the cave has changed hands several times since 1995, with the acquisition by the Walton Enterprise group in 2019 being the most recent. The cave was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Location

Bella Vista, Benton County, Arkansas
36.43560, -94.22341

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Nearby Historic Sites

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Questions about this property

When was Wonderland Cave listed on the National Register?

Wonderland Cave was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 28, 1988.

What type of historic resource is Wonderland Cave?

Wonderland Cave is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Wonderland Cave?

The period of significance for Wonderland Cave is recorded as the civil_war era, specifically around 1868.

Can I research the history near Wonderland Cave?

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