24 Counties Receive Grants for Courthouse Renovation

24 counties receive grants for courthouse restoration

Story by Mark Christ Arkansas Historic Preservation Program

The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program recently announced 2018 grants and 24 counties shared $1,755,986 in County Courthouse Restoration Grants, which are financed through Real Estate Transfer Tax funds distributed by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council for rehabilitation of historic county courthouses across Arkansas. Funding requests totaled $6,912,992. Grant recipients were:

• Arkansas County: $5,280 to study settlement issues with the vault floor of the 1928 courthouse in Stuttgart • Boone County: $56,510 for masonry restoration at the 1909 courthouse in Harrison • Bradley County: $36,000 for condition assessment and door replacement at the Bradley County Clerk’s Office in Warren • Cleburne County: $40,000 for an HVAC plan and building assessment of the 1914 courthouse in Heber Springs • Cleveland County: $29,500 to restore the cornice and masonry at the 1911 courthouse in Rison • Crittenden County: $20,000 for a condition assessment of the 1910-11 Courthouse in Marion • Dallas County: $47,500 to upgrade the electrical system at the 1911 courthouse in Fordyce • Desha County: $235,430 for roof restoration and an assessment of the 1900 courthouse in Arkansas City • Hot Spring County: $100,000 for plumbing upgrades at the 1936 courthouse in Malvern • Independence County: $54,600 for accessible doors and bathrooms at the 1939-40 courthouse in Batesville • Johnson County: $37,510 for roof and masonry restoration at the 1920 building at 108 S. Fulton St. in Clarksville, which will serve as a courthouse annex • Lafayette County: $40,000 for an accessible restroom at the 1940-42 courthouse in Lewisville • Lawrence County: $215,730 to restore the roof and clerestory windows at the 1965-66 courthouse in Walnut Ridge • Lee County: $100,000 to restore the roof at the 1936 courthouse in Marianna • Lincoln County: $66,498 to restore the steel windows at the 1943 courthouse in Star City • Little River County: $127,000 for column restoration at the 1907 courthouse in Ashdown • Madison County: $57,153 for doors and windows at the 1939 courthouse in Huntsville • Monroe County: $16,577 to restore the masonry and doors at the 1911 courthouse in Clarendon • Montgomery County: $24,000 to restore the masonry and prepare a condition assessment at the 1923 courthouse in Mount Ida • Pike County: $82,500 for masonry restoration and an HVAC system at the 1932 courthouse in Murfreesboro • Prairie County: $74,269 for balustrade restoration at the 1913 courthouse in Des Arc • Stone County: $111,929 for corridor restoration and electrical upgrades at the 1922 courthouse in Mountain View • Van Buren County: $102,000 for electrical system upgrades at the 1934 courthouse in Clinton • Washington County: $76,000 for work on the clock tower and other parts of the 1905 courthouse in Fayetteville.

Since the beginning of the County Courthouse Restoration Grant program in 1989, the AHPP has awarded $24,721,298 to 79 historic courthouses and courthouse annexes around the state.

County Courthouse Restoration Grant information

The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program’s County Courthouse Restoration Subgrants have been used to help restore historic county courthouses in 61 of the state’s 75 counties since they were created in 1989, helping to extend the lives of structures that hold vital links to community pride and local history.

Participating counties donate facade easements on their historic county courthouses in return for financial assistance in rehabilitating the buildings. Grant funds come primarily from the Real Estate Transfer Tax, administered by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council. Total amounts available to be shared among applicants annually have ranged from $150,000 to $1,000,000.

There are three funding options available for those applying for a grant. Go to www.arkansaspreservation.com/Programs/ Funding/grants-programs for grant guidelines.

The Online Letter of Intent (LOI) will be accepted Sept. 14, 2018, through Nov. 9, 2018. An Application Workshop will be held Nov. 8, 2018, at the Department of Arkansas Heritage, 1100 North St., Little Rock. The Courthouse Grant application deadline is Feb. 1, 2019. Anyone needing further information should contact Joia Burton at Joia.Burton@arkansas.gov.