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From the Executive Director
Greetings!
I hope this finds you well. It has been a busy year already, and things don't show any sign of slowing down! I know you can all relate. We need your help to identify endangered historic places worthy of preservation - nominate to our Most Endangered Places list at the link below by March 31. In this issue, you will also find information about our upcoming Women in Preservation talks, Preservation Crustaceans, and a recap of our recent activities and events.
Thank you for your continued support, and I hope to see you soon.
Kind Regards,
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Rachel Patton
Executive Director
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2024 Most Endangered Places List | |
Nominations are open for the 2024 Most Endangered Places list! Nominate by Sunday, March 31. | |
If you know of a historic property or location that needs extra attention, take a moment to fill out our quick and simple nomination form.
The Most Endangered Places list helps save historic properties by increasing awareness and encouraging preservation action. Previous listings include the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home in Dyess, the Thompson Building in Hot Springs, Rosenwald Schools, the Central High School Neighborhood Historic District in Little Rock, and Historic County Courthouses throughout the state.
The final list of recognized endangered places will be announced May 4 during our annual Preservation Crustaceans event (more about that below!).
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Behind the Big House at Hollywood / Valley Plantation, Drew County | |
This year’s Behind the Big House program, which took place February 9-10 at the Hollywood / Valley Plantation in Drew County, near Winchester, was deemed by organizers and presenters the best to date! More than 100 students and nearly that many adult participants enjoyed interactive experiences centered on foodways, archeology, and genealogy, as well as enlightening talks from historians, archeologists, and community representatives.
>> Watch the presentation from James French, Founder of the Montpelier Descendants Committee and Brownland Leadership Solutions here.
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Participants enjoyed sampling representative examples of traditional African American foodways at several demonstration stations. | Behind the Big House is supported in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities. | |
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Our monthly Women in Preservation webinar series kicked off in February with Amber Jones, Little Rock-based Preservation Consultant and Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Specialist; Jones was followed in March by Dr. Mary Beth Trubitt, Research Station Archeologist at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia.
If you missed these talks, you can watch replays on our YouTube channel.
Our April 9 speaker will be Angie Albright, Director of the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale, Arkansas, a mid-sized history museum covering six counties of the Arkansas Ozarks.
>> Visit our website to see our full speaker lineup and register here!
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Angie Albright, Director of the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale, Arkansas. | Our free Women in Preservation series is made possible with generous support from DEMX Architecture. | |
Preservation Advocacy Week, Washington, DC | |
Preserve Arkansas Executive Director Rachel Patton, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program CLG Coordinator Iain Montgomery, and former Preserve Arkansas board president Kathy Boyette of Camden attended National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week, March 4-7 in Washington, DC.
The Arkansas group was accompanied by two Bruce MacDougal Advocacy Scholars, sponsored by the Preservation Action Foundation, on their Hill visits—Alex Mixter of Michigan and Kimberly Troup of Pennsylvania. Arkansas advocates met with each Congressional office to urge support for reauthorization of the Historic Preservation Fund and enhancements to the Federal Historic Tax Credit.
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Executive Director Rachel Patton, AHPP CLG Coordinator Iain Montgomery, and former Preserve Arkansas board president Kathy Boyette at the U.S. Capitol. | |
2023 Arkansas Preservation Awards | |
The 2023 Arkansas Preservation Awards, which took place on January 26, 2024, were a wonderful success, with more than 250 celebrants crowding the Still Ballroom of the Robinson Center to honor 11 outstanding preservation projects and organizations.
The top honor—the Parker Westbrook Award for Lifetime Achievement—was awarded to the Historic Washington Foundation.
>> Click here for the full list of honorees.
>> Check out photo highlights from the event!
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The Historic Washington Foundation board accepting their Parker Westbrook Award for Lifetime Achievement. | Thank you to our many sponsors for this event! | |
First Quarter Board Meeting and Annual Board Retreat | |
Our board had its first quarterly meeting and annual retreat in Conway, Arkansas, on February 23.
During the meeting, we welcomed incoming board members and had a fantastic planning session to discuss upcoming programs and events. You’re going to love what we have in store!
The day ended with a tour of significant buildings on the Hendrix College campus—including Martin Hall, recipient of our 2023 award for Excellence in Preservation Through Rehabilitation! >> View the short tour here!
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Board members and staff generating new ideas at the Metro Square building in downtown Conway. | |
Preservation Crustaceans 2024 | |
One of our most popular—and filling—events returns on May 4 in North Little Rock. Preservation Crustaceans will feature the same fun vibe and all-you-can-eat crawfish boil (with all the fixings!) that attendees know and love. But this year we’ll have an added bonus: the official announcement of our 2024 Most Endangered Places list!
The event will take place from 5:30 to 8:00 PM at Clements & Associates Architecture, 507 Main St. in North Little Rock.
>> Click here to purchase tickets or sponsor!
Also: We’re seeking volunteers! Short shifts are available for load-in, setup, check-in, bartending, food service, and cleanup.
>> Click here to sign up!
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Guests enjoying live music and all-you-can-eat crawfish at Preservation Crustaceans. | |
Thank you to our Partners and Sustainers! | |
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Clements & Associates Architecture, Inc.
Superior Bathhouse Brewery
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Ms. Christina Aleman and Mr. Adam Smith
Ted Belden
Jim and Kathy Boyette
Gary and Ann Clements
Courtney Crouch, Jr. and Brenda Crouch
Courtney and Amber Crouch
Fred Dietrich, D.D.S.
Paul Dodds
John C. Edwards
John and Tricia Greer
Tommy and Christy Jameson
Scott and Amber Jones
Jill Judy and Mark Brown
Bob Kempkes and Mary Matthews
Tim and Cyndi Maddox
The Honorable Pat and Mrs. Ellen McCabe
Carl H. Miller, Jr.
John K. Mott, FAIA
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Jack Moyer and Elise Roenigk
Justice David and Mrs. Carolyn Newbern
Mark and Cheri Nichols
Leslie Smith Reeves
David Reynolds
Emily Jordan Robertson
Aaron and Veronica Ruby
Martin and Kara Smith
David, Rayman, and Lafe Solomon
Breck and Anne Speed
Bart and Alix Stafford
The Honorable Mark Stodola
Anthony Taylor and Michelle Strause
Ross Toyne
Dr. Charles and Mandy Welch
Ms. Laura Ann Winning
Darby and Amiee York
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Preserve Arkansas is the only statewide nonprofit advocate for the preservation of Arkansas's historic and cultural resources. Our organization works to build stronger communities by reconnecting Arkansans to our heritage and empowering people to save and rehabilitate historic places. Support our work year-round by becoming a member! | |
Our mailing address is:
P.O. Box 305, Little Rock, AR 72203
Call us at 501-372-4757.
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