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HERITAGE IN DANGER
On Tuesday, the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas announced its 2012 list of Arkansas’s Most Endangered Places. “The 2012 list highlights distinctive historic places throughout Arkansas that represent important aspects of Arkansas’s history and heritage. In each instance these places are integral to the communities where are they located, yet they are in immediate danger of disappearing from the landscape,” said Vanessa McKuin, executive director of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas, in a release. For more on the list, visit preservearkansas.org. White County Courthouse Searcy (1871) Decades of cashstrapped budgets and deferred maintenance have put dozens of Arkansas’s historic county courthouses, like the White County Courthouse, at risk.
Bigelow Rosenwald School Toad Suck, Perry County (1826) One of the few remaining schools in Arkansas built with funds from a foundation created by Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears Roebuck and Co., to support the education of black youth.
Medical Arts Building Hot Springs, Garland County (1929) A former medical office building that was the tallest building in Arkansas until 1960. Because of code requirements, all floors but the first have been vacant since around 1986.
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INSIDER, CONT. they enjoy supporting (according to providers). Every chance he got he tried to pay me back ... Can I tell you how long how I would have to live on this earth to be able to repay my parents for what they’ve done for me? There is no way they are paying me back. Hell no. As I say to Mom, we are in this together. Blood, sweat, tears ... more and more tears. That is why I have chosen to be open about this situation.”
Monte Ne & Oklahoma Row Hotel Near Monte Ne, Benton County (Begun around 1900) Much of the resort community, created by eccentric politician and entrepreneur William “Coin” Harvey, was flooded by the creation of Beaver Lake in the 1960s. But the three-story tower of what was once the Oklahoma Row Hotel, once thought to be the largest log hotel in the world, remains standing. Coker Hotel Warren, Bradley County (1914) A former hotel that the Warren Chamber of Commerce sees as a central piece in the revitalization of downtown Warren.
Holloway House (Pioneer House/ Hiwasse Hotel) Hiwasse, Benton County (Late 1800s) A former house and boarding room built by A.J. Nichols, postmaster of Hiwasse.
New Hope School Wynne vicinity, Cross County (1903) One of the few remaining two-room schools in Eastern Arkansas. The Cross County Historical Society’s Restoration Committee hopes to convert it into a welcome center, museum and gift shop. Palace Theater Benton, Saline County (Around 1920) Interior damage from a leaking roof has caused the City of Benton to consider demolishing this former movie theater, playhouse and public library.
Holman School Stuttgart, Arkansas County (1924) Another former school built with funds from the Julius Rosenwald Foundation, used as a community education and health center since the late 1990s.
V.C. Kays House Jonesboro, Craighead County (1936) Built by the first president of Arkansas State University, the English Tudor house was scheduled to be razed to make way for new sorority houses. But after public outcry, the university said it would allow supporters one year to raise money to preserve the home.
Mobile website updated The Arkansas Times recently updated our mobile website. The new site, optimized for easy browsing on any phone that allows for web use, can be accessed by searching for arktimes.com (and selecting the mobile version of the site) or via m.arktimes.com. Among the features: quick access to film times, our calendar of events and our voluminous dining list. The mobile site allows for searching by proximity in the latter two sections. The Arkansas Blog, our food and culture blogs and the complete contents of the latest issue are also available. Mobile commenting has been newly enabled. On an iPhone, users can click the “bookmark” button to add an Arkansas Times icon to their home screen. (Works for Droid users as well.) Users who’d previously followed these steps with the Times previous web-optimized mobile site, may need to follow them again. Some users have experienced problems with their bookmarks. Problems? Write lindseymillar@arktimes.com.
CORRECTION In the Arkansas Reporter on the Arkansas Chuggabugs Mongol Rally team (“To adventure!” April 18), we incorrectly identified team member Chase Green, listing him as Chase Cooper. www.arktimes.com
MAY 2, 2012
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