Marion landmark among sites earning preservation awards

Arkansas Preservation Awards to Honor Historic Washington Foundation and Projects throughout State

By RACHEL PATTON

Preserve Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK—Preserve Arkansas, the statewide nonprot advocate for historic preservation, will host the Arkansas Preservation Awards on January 26, 2024, at the Robinson Center, 426 W. Markham Street in Little Rock. The evening will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30, and the presentation of awards with emcee Nate Coulter at 7:15.

Named for Preserve Arkansas’s founding president and pioneer preservationist, the Parker Westbrook Award for Lifetime Achievement will be awarded to the Historic Washington Foundation. For 65 years, the Historic Washington Foundation has been a leader in organized preservation efforts in Arkansas. With its incorporation in 1958, it became the rst historic preservation organization in the state; in addition, the foundation has been directly involved in the preservation of more historic structures than any other preservation organization in Arkansas and was instrumental in the creation of Historic Washington State Park. Parker Westbrook was named to the Historic Washington Foundation board in 1975 and remained active for more than 30 years.

The following is a complete list of honorees:

■ Parker Westbrook Award for Lifetime Achievement – Historic Washington Foundation, Hempstead County

■ W. L. Cook Award for Excellence in Heritage Preservation – Eureka Springs Community Center, Eureka Springs

■ Excellence in Preservation through Rehabilitation – Martin Hall at Hendrix College, Conway

■ Excellence in Preservation through Restoration – Award: Willhaf House, Van Buren; Honorable Mention: Crittenden County Bank and Trust Building, Marion; Honorable Mention: Wingmead Cabin, Roe

■ Outstanding Achievement in Preservation Education – Ritter-McDonald Cabin, Springdale

■ Ned Shank Award for Outstanding Preservation Publication – “Cy Sutherland: Architect, Educator, Preservationist” by Andrea Cantrell, published in Washington County Flashback, Spring 2023

■ Excellence in Personal Projects – Wallace Stone of Hot Springs for Judge Glover’s Hideout at Malvern

■ Outstanding Achievement in Adaptive Reuse – Benton Federal Building, Benton

■ Outstanding Service in Neighborhood Preservation – Angela and Bobby Matthews and Lynn Boyd of Little Rock for the Chester Nests project at Little Rock.

Please join us to celebrate the accomplishments of the Historic Washington Foundation and all honorees on January 26. Tickets and sponsorships are available at PreserveArkansas.org. For more information, please contact Rachel Patton at 501-372-4757 or rpatton @preservearkansas.org.

About Preserve Arkansas

Preserve Arkansas is the statewide nonprot organization dedicated to building stronger communities by reconnecting Arkansans to our heritage and empowering people to save and rehabilitate historic places. By presenting educational programs, advocating for preservation at the federal, state, and local levels, and assisting property owners with the means and expertise to preserve and restore their structures, Preserve Arkansas has been a statewide voice for preservation in Arkansas since 1981.

The historic Crittenden County Bank & Trust building in Marion earned honorable mention for Excellence in Preservation through Renovation from Preserve Arkansas.

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