After a devastating flood in 1927, The state of Arkansas decided to pursue the idea of building a dam on the White River. Although, it wouldn’t be until 1949 that the Beaver Dam Association would be founded and lobbying for the Dam begin. The Beaver Dam Association was pivotal in the research needed to build an efficient and safe dam for everyone. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be 11 years before the construction of the dam would even begin. Congress & The Beaver Dam Association decided that the cost of the dam, at the time, outweighed the potential benefits. However, after Congress passed the Water Supply Act of 1958 the demand for a public water supply created more support for the construction of the dam.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on November 22, 1960, and was hosted by Arkansas Governor Orville Faubus. Faubus said “Nature has given the Ozarks their unmatched beauty. Now, Beaver Dam will help this hill country grow into one of the most prosperous areas of our nation.” Interestingly, Beaver Dam was never dedicated. A dedication ceremony was scheduled in 1964 and was to be attended by President John F. Kennedy. However, after his assassination, the dedication ceremony was never rescheduled. Finally, after 5 years the Beaver Dam was complete. The construction of Beaver Dam required 400 men, 40,000 acres of land, 780,000 cubic yards of concrete, and 1,700,000 yards of earth. The final cost of construction was about $50 Million.

In 1963, near the end of building Beaver Dam, the land purchased for the creation of Beaver Lake was flooded. Underneath beautiful Beaver Lake, sits the town of Monte Ne. One of the most luxurious resorts and amphitheaters still lies below the surface of the water.

Today, Beaver Lake & the Dam is one of North West Arkansas’s most beautiful lakes & attractions. “With towering limestone bluffs, natural caves & a wide variety of trees, and flowering shrubs.” Beaver Lake is great for fishing, boating, tubing, and you can even get scuba certified!