Usually from the shores of beautiful Lake DeSoto… we’ve gone slightly off-campus today.
In this episode of Hot Springs Village Venues, Dennis R. Simpson and Diana Simpson cross the southern borders of the Village, stepping into the dense, overgrown vegetation of Fountain Lake to uncover a century-old secret hidden in plain sight.
The Legend of Arbordale & Fountain Lake Resort
What looks like a strange, forgotten concrete ruin today is actually the heart of what was once Arkansas’s premier summer playground.
Humble Beginnings (1919)
Our story begins in 1919, when local farmer Weldon Nail dammed a natural creek on his land and built a simple wooden lodge he named Arbordale.
The Golden Era (1930s)
By the 1930s, under the vision of Dr. H.D. Ferguson, the site exploded into the Fountain Lake Resort. Long before the modern water parks we know today, Ferguson transformed this valley into a weekend sanctuary complete with:
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The “Huge Water Donut”: A massive, spinning metal floating waterwheel in the center of the deep pool. Swimmers would compete to see who could hang on the longest before being flung into the spring-fed water.
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The Iconic Slide: A massive concrete ribbon—now moss-covered and decaying—that served as the resort’s crown jewel.
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Wild 1930s Parties: An open-air dance pavilion where Dixieland jazz bands from New Orleans played under string lights, far from the “strict eyes” of the city.
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Overnight Cottages: Rustic cabins where families would spend entire weekends drinking, dancing, and swimming.
Disaster and the “Ghost” of a Village
The golden era came to a tragic end on December 20, 1953, when a massive fire swept through the dry timber, reducing thirty years of summer memories to ash.
In the 1960s, a developer named Arbordale Springs attempted to revive the land as a retirement community—a direct precursor to our very own Hot Springs Village—but the project ultimately failed, leaving the land to rot in silence for decades.
The Modern Bombshell: Primo Water & Mountain Valley
We wrap up the show with a reveal that ties this forgotten history directly to your daily life.
Pure Natural Aquifers
In 2018, the iconic Mountain Valley Spring Water Company acquired this entire property. The reason? The very same spring-fed aquifers that filled that “water donut” a century ago are among the purest natural water resources in the world.
A Multi-Billion Dollar Future
Today, Primo Water Corporation is completing a massive, state-of-the-art bottling facility just outside our gates. The water we once played in has officially evolved into a multi-billion dollar economic engine for our community.
Special Thanks: A huge thank you to the Garland County Historical Society for their incredible archives. Much of the history and the vintage photos seen in this episode come from their tireless work preserving our local treasures.
Episode Chapters
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0:00 – Usually from the shores of Lake DeSoto…
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0:45 – Arbordale: The Moss-Covered Secret of Fountain Lake
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2:43 – 1919: Weldon Nail & the Birth of a Resort
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3:19 – Dr. Ferguson & the Wild Weekends of the 1930s
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4:04 – The “Huge Water Donut” & The Concrete Slide
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4:49 – December 20, 1953: The Fire that Changed Everything
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5:30 – The Reveal: Who Owns Arbordale Today?
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5:57 – From Water Playground to Primo Water Bottling Plant
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6:42 – History is Never Over: Closing Thoughts
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7:00 – Meet Our Local Sponsors
Connect With Us
Stay updated on local Hot Springs Village business, history, and entertainment news by following us across our platforms:
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X (Twitter): @WiredDenny
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Facebook: HSV Village Venues
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LinkedIn: Dennis Simpson
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Our Local Sponsors
We are incredibly grateful to the local businesses that make this show possible:
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Janea Cook: Taylor Realty – (501) 617-9747
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Joanna Horton: MForce Capital – (501) 922-9259
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Ike Eisenhower: State Farm – (501) 984-4100
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Home Plate Cafe & Bakery: (501) 984-6969
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The Midnight Tavern: 110 Kala Drive – (501) 226-0078
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Domino’s Pizza: (501) 915-9595
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KVRE 92.9: Your hometown radio station.
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DD Village Properties: Premier HSV short-term rentals.