Visit These Fascinating Underwater Ruins In Arkansas For An Adventure Into The Past

Arkansas is home to plenty of attractions, but one of the strangest has to be Monte Ne, a site near the Missouri border. In 1901, William Hope Harvey, a lawyer, and political activist, began developing plans for a massive community and health resort in the White River Valley. Hotels were constructed and over $400,000 invested, but today the area is largely underwater.

William Hope Harvey, a failed Presidential candidate in 1900, had enterprising plans for the area, intending to use the serene 325 acres to create an outdoor haven for boaters and picnickers.

The name "Monte Ne" was derived from a combination of the Spanish and Omaha Indian words for "mountain water."

Hotels, an amphitheater, and a railroad were planned for the area. Several hotels were actually constructed and a small railroad operated for several years, but when the project went bankrupt, the area became a ghost town.

Harvey had big plans for his town, soliciting many businesses and even issuing his own currency for residents and tourists to use within Monte Ne. Today, all that remains are foundational structures.

One of the main attractions at Monte Ne was to be "the Pyramid," a giant obelisk that Harvey envisioned archaeologists uncovering one day long into the future. The Pyramid was to contain a time capsule with newspapers, a record player, and books authored by Harvey.

Funding for the Pyramid dried up after the stock market crash of 1929 and the Pyramid was never completed. All that remains is this retaining wall and an amphitheater, which is normally underwater.

Only two of the planned five hotels were actually constructed. Oklahoma Row was one of the earliest multistory concrete structures in the United States.

All that remains of Oklahoma Row is this three story concrete tower. The sprawling hotel boasted 40 rooms with running water and electricity in each.

William Hope Harvey died in 1936, bankrupt. The White River was dammed in 1960, forming Beaver Lake. The project flooded the Monte Ne area and most of the structures are now only visible in times of drought.

While Harvey's ambitious dreams were never realized, the area is still popular today with outdoor enthusiasts.

Boaters and scuba divers love to explore the ruins and enjoy the clear water.

Monte Ne may have never become the resort that William Hope Harvey dreamed of, but it's still a great attraction for those that love being out on the water!

Have you visited Monte Ne? Tell us all about it in the comments!