Applegate House Still on Market

Cassie Elliott and Lena Sands Lewis have sold millions of dollars’ worth of properties.

Few, however, have piqued their interest and curiosity like the residence they took on earlier this year.

“You don’t come across a house like this very often,” Elliott said.

“This” is the property at 2301 S.W. 2nd St. in Bentonville, also known as “The Applegate House.” The roughly 9,000-SF home was designed for Joe and Melba Applegate by Fay Jones, and is constructed of indigenous Ozark stone — tons of it.

Inside the multilevel, curvilinear structure are two bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, an indoor swimming pool and multiple living areas. There’s also a kitchen, library and a space that could be used as another bedroom, office, workout room, etc.

More than that, though, there is a sense of mystery that permeates the air inside a home historians say the Applegates built for entertaining rather than raising a family. Sands Lewis, a Bentonville native, said the “hillside castle” has been a local curiosity for as long as she can remember.

Home Tour

The Applegate House took about three years to build, and was completed in 1967. Approachable only through a gate near Highway 72, the house sits atop a hill on about 16 acres, including a three-acre body of water.

Entering through the front doors, visitors find a small foyer overlooking the swimming pool that is accentuated by two water features. The master bedroom is directly off the entryway and features Jones-designed cabinetry and closets that would be considered jewels in any modern-day home.

On the other side of the main floor are a living area, kitchen and library. Also noticeable on this floor are the plentiful domed skylights that make electric lights practically unnecessary even on cloudy days.

Another unusual feature are the heating and air conditioning “vents,” which actually are small gaps in the stone walls. According to authors Cheryl Nichols and Helen Barry, they “were created [by Jones] through the omission of mortar from joints between stones, allowing for unobtrusive air circulation throughout the house.”

A stone spiral staircase — sans handrails — leads downstairs to pool level. The guest bedroom is directly off the pool area, while the other side of the pool is flanked by a game room and bar area.

Uncertain Future

It’s not hard, on this level, to imagine the parties and other social events the Applegates reportedly hosted. One also can easily picture another former occupant, The Band’s Ronnie Hawkins, shooting pool on the table that used to anchor the game room.

Sands Lewis said part of a Peter Fonda film, “Fighting Mad,” was filmed at The Applegate House in the 1970s, too.

The most current owner, Jim Brassart, has been out of the property for about two years, Elliott said. She and Sands Lewis got involved with the property about eight months ago, and it is currently bank-owned, with an asking price of $1.39 million.

Both acknowledged the home doesn’t hold appeal for a family in need of a traditional residence, but Elliott said she’s had a handful of serious inquiries. Elliott said it’s also possible a developer could choose to use the property as a “clubhouse” for a small neighborhood.

Sands Lewis said there has been commercial interest in the property, too.

“We feel really like it’ll go commercial rather than residential,” she said. “The number of people you can get in here is amazing.”

To raise awareness of it, Elliott and Sands Lewis have hosted several events at The Applegate House. And while the main thrust of such events is to spark interest in the property, the two also enjoy giving members of the community a chance to  view and tour the storied site.

“No one may ever see it again, depending on who buys it,” Sands Lewis said.