T H E A R K A N S A SA H I S TF O R IOUNDATION C P RESERVATION P L A N | FOR THE F UTURE The Arkansas Historic Preservation Plan 2013 323 Center Street, Suite 1500, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 1 || AA FFOUNDATIONOUNDATION FORFOR THETHE FFUTUREUTURE A CKNOWLEDGMENTS In any cooperative process, there are many people to thank. In particular, we gratefully acknowledge the support and leadership of Martha Miller, Arkansas’s state historic preservation officer (SHPO). As SHPO and director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, Ms. Miller’s role is pivotal in guiding the direction and development of the state’s preservation efforts. In addition, Frances McSwain, AHPP director and deputy SHPO, has been very supportive in the staff’s efforts to continue the agency’s focus to provide qual- ity services to the local constituencies and to strive to involve those at all levels in the planning process. Many thanks also to the staff of the AHPP who partic- ipated in the process. Being the frontline “soldiers’” that they are, their contributions to the process have been, and will continue to be, vital to the success of the implementation of this plan. This project was funded in part by the Arkansas His- toric Preservation Program, Department of Arkansas Heritage, State of Arkansas, and with federal funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. The contents and opinions do not neces- State Printing Company, Little Rock sarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior. The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program re- ceives funds from the National Park Service, U. S. Department of the Interior. The regulations of the Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlaw- ful discrimination in departmental federally assisted programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program activity or facility operated by a recipient of federal assistance should write to: Director, Equal Oppor- tunity Program, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, P. O. Box 37127, Washington, D.C. 20013-7127. T H E A R K A N S A S H I S T O R I C P RESERVATION P L A N | 2 F ORWARD Individuals and communities across the state are discovering that preservation is relevant to planning, good design, and the economy. Whether it is pursuing reuse alternatives to new construction and sprawl, uncovering historic facades on Main Street, or proving the comparative economic advantages of preservation, Arkansans are using historic preservation as a tool for building better communities. Continued cooperative efforts to preserve the state’s cultural heritage through preserving the built environment as well as the prehistoric and historic archeological resources, historic and cultural landscapes, and underwater resources will ensure that Arkan- sas’s rich heritage is preserved for generations to come. The Johnny Cash Boyhood Home in Dyess, the adaptive re-use of the Greyhound Bus Station in Blytheville and Commerce Bank in downtown Paragould as well as a preservation plan for Jenkins’ Ferry battlefield in Grant County are illustrations that regardless of size or location, communities continue to recognize the importance of their unique historic resources and how they contribute to the cultural and eco- nomic fabric of their communities. And, thanks to a stable staff and a strong state- wide non-profit partner (Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas), the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP) is in an excellent position to more fully carry out its mission and pertinent sections of the National Historic Preservation Act. I NTRODUCTION In keeping with federal requirements, each state historic preservation office is re- sponsible for producing a multi-year plan to guide a comprehensive array of activi- ties to facilitate the preservation of historic resources. In Arkansas, that responsibil- ity falls to the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP). In 2012, with the help of Arkansas’s historic preservation community and citizens, the AHPP prepared a five-year, comprehensive statewide historic preservation plan to be in effect from 2013 – 2017. This plan will serve as a guide to direct the services and programs not only of the AHPP, but also of others in Arkansas who serve the preservation com- munity. While the plan satisfies the SHPO’s federal requirements, this document is intended to serve as an overall plan for preserving the state’s resources and should be used in preservation organizations’ planning and decision making efforts. 3 | A F OUNDATION FOR THE F UTURE P L A N N I N G A PPROACH In 2001, the basis of the AHPP planning process shifted to one focused on evaluating local needs, comparing those needs statewide and extrapolating from survey data, public forums, and staff input where and how to commit Arkansas’s preservation energies/efforts to maximize impact in protecting and preserving the state’s cultural and historic resources. Craftsman House, Pine Bluff It was so successful in producing useable information that duplicating the format and simply updating the results was the obvious choice. In 2008 and again in 2012, that process was further honed and the plan was An updated survey was published on the updated. Through coordination with local Main Street agency’s website. Announcements about and Certified Local Government communities, we were the survey were made in e-newsletters and able to involve a record-breaking 200 plus people in our e-mail blasts. Postcards were mailed to ten updated “listening sessions” held regionally around constituents across the state that included the state. While each region’s representative constituents elected officials in units of local govern- offered their own unique perspectives on preservation is- ment, local historic preservation organi- sues and ideas, the predominant thread was that commu- zations, historical societies, representa- nities appreciate the programs and services of the AHPP, tives of Native American groups, regional want more technical and financial resources made avail- planning and development organizations, able, and to have continued support on the local level for state and federal agencies, historic preser- their efforts to protect and preserve their historic fabric. vation professionals, individuals interest- ed in preservation, and others. For those The vision and goals of this plan are therefore based on requesting, hard copies of the survey were responses gathered from the public and the staff at the direct mailed and computed with the AHPP. Public participation and professional input were online tallies. In addition, a draft copy gathered in the following ways: of the plan was sent to representatives of state and federal agencies for comment. A The AHPP hosted a series of ten (10) public listening list of those agencies and organizations is sessions around the state in June, July and August, 2012. attached as Appendix B. Comments from More than 200 people participated in the ten sessions the draft plan distribution plus responses held in: Rogers, Batesville, Pine Bluff, Little Rock, Para- from the online survey (and the handful gould, El Dorado, Russellville, Hot Springs, Texarkana, of hard copy surveys that were requested and West Memphis. This represented an increase of 150% and returned) have been tabulated and in participation from 2008. Each forum was facilitated by conclusions drawn. A sample form and the AHPP staff who were available to assist, observe, and the summary findings of the survey are record the proceedings, as well as to answer constituent included as Appendix C. questions following the focus group sessions. A complete report of the forums appears as Appendix A. T H E A R K A N S A S H I S T O R I C P RESERVATION P L A N | 4 U S I N G A N D U PDATING THE P LAN This updated plan is designed to serve as a guide for historic preservation planning and activities undertaken by a variety of users and constituents, not just the staff at AHPP. It will provide direction for historic preservation in Arkansas over the next five years, from January 2013 through December 2017. As with any plan, it will not be successful unless it is used. In order for it to be used, it must be distributed and explained. Its availability and accessibility will be enhanced through posting on the AHPP website and through distribution to local librar- ies. In addition, following approval by NPS, AHPP will mail postcards to the 3000-plus constituents who were notified of the online survey opportunity, announcing the “live date” of the plan on the website and making hard copies available to those requesting. This list includes local elected officials, his- toric preservation professionals, historic preservation societies, planning and development districts, representatives of Native American groups, and others. E X E C U T I V E S UMMARY By definition, most all preservation efforts are “local” in nature. The protection and preservation of a community’s 110-year-old courthouse on a historic downtown square or the local auxiliary that raises money for the care and preserva- tion of a beloved historic cemetery make up the backbone of preservation efforts in Arkansas. Following months of survey- ing, interviewing, evaluating written comments, and visiting with people in the local communities through the listening sessions, the plan is intended to serve the people of our state as a flexible, dynamic state plan that will provide a foundation for cultural and historic preservation for years to come. While the staff of the AHPP will be guided by this plan in structuring programs and services to support local preservation efforts, we hope the use of the plan by collaborative partners on all levels will provide a sound basis for decision making.