Author Archives: Scott

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About Scott

A cultural thinker with a life long interest in the arts and humanities: theatre, music, architecture, photography, history, urban planning, etc.

Historic Preservationists Honored by HPAA

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hpaa awardsLast Friday, the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas presented the 2014 Arkansas Preservation Awards.

Ruth Hawkins, Ph.D. of Jonesboro received the Parker Westbrook Award for Lifetime Achievement.  Named in honor of the Alliance’s Founding President, the Parker Westbrook Award recognizes significant individual achievement in historic preservation. It is the Alliance’s only award for achievement in preservation over a period of years. The award may be presented to an individual, organization, business or public agency whose activity may be of local, statewide or regional importance.

As director of the Arkansas Heritage Sites program at ASU, Dr. Hawkins has the  responsibility for development of the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center at Piggott, the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum at Tyronza, the Lakeport Plantation near Lake Village and the Historic Dyess Colony: Boyhood Home of Johnny Cash.   She also is executive director of Arkansas Delta Byways, Inc., a tourism promotion association serving 15 counties in Eastern Arkansas. The association manages and promotes two National Scenic Byways in the region:  the Crowley’s Ridge Parkway and the Arkansas segment of The Great River Road.

Other awards were:

Excellence in Preservation through Rehabilitation 

  • William F. Laman Public Library, North Little Rock
  • Dempsey Bakery, Little Rock

 

Excellence in Preservation through Restoration

  • Beth El Heritage Hall, Helena

Ned Shank Award for Outstanding Preservation Publication

  • Architects of Little Rock: 1833-1950 by Gordon Wittenberg and Charles Witsell. Published by University of Arkansas Press

 

Outstanding Achievement in Preservation Advocacy

  • Scott Darwin, Jonesboro. For the V.C. Kays House.

 

Outstanding Achievement in Preservation Education

  • Hot Springs Historic Baseball Trail

 

Outstanding Service in Neighborhood Preservation

  • Jennifer Carman and Donna Thomas, Little Rock. Rehabilitation projects in the Central High School Neighborhood Historic District.

 

Outstanding Work by a Craftsperson

  • Clancy McMahon. A. R. Carrol Drugstore, Canehill

 

Outstanding Preservation Reporting in the Media

  • Rex Nelson, Little Rock. Coverage of the historic Majestic Hotel and downtown Hot Springs

 

The Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas works to build stronger communities by reconnecting Arkansans to our heritage and empowering Arkansans to save and rehabilitate historic places.
As Arkansas’s only statewide nonprofit organization focused on preserving Arkansas’ architectural and cultural resources, the Alliance has been educating,
advocating and assisting preservation efforts across Arkansas since 1981. From educating lawmakers to assisting individual property owners, the Alliance
is committed to protecting the many valuable heritage resources that make our state unique. The Alliance’s numerous educational programs include the
quarterly Arkansas Preservation Digest, the annual Arkansas Preservation Conference and the Ramble tours of historic sites. The Alliance has effectively
advocated for public sources of preservation funding and incentives, such as the Real Estate Transfer Tax and the Arkansas Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit.

The Alliance assists local governments and historic downtown communities through administration of the federal Preserve America program in Arkansas
and participation in the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program’s Main Street Arkansas program—programs which promote historic preservation and heritage
tourism as economic development tools. We hope that you will support the Alliance in these efforts by becoming a member and staying informed of our
many programs and events which enhance the sustainability and quality of life in Arkansas.

Tonight’s Local Live at South on Main is duo A Rowdy Faith

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a_rowdy_faith_photo_by_katimallory-ar25.jpg.190x140_q60_cropTonight at 7:30 p.m. Join the Oxford American magazine for this week’s Local Live free concert at South on Main! Folk/Americana duo A Rowdy Faith is our featured act this week. Call ahead at (501) 244-9660 to guarantee your seat for this popular series!

Alisyn Reid and Cate Davison first sang together ten years ago on a beach in South Carolina. They went their separate ways, wrote their separate songs, but have brought their voices together again as A Rowdy Faith. They consider their music folk/Americana, but each have distinct influences—Reid’s music has elements of country and rock and roll, while Davison’s has evidence of jazz and blues.

“Then and Now – The Central High Neighborhood” focus of architecture lecture tonight

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centralentranceThe Architecture and Design Network is hosting a panel presentation on the historic Central High neighborhood this evening at 6pm at the Arkansas Arts Center.

Panelists are:

  • Rachel Silva, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program
  • Kwendeche, an architect
  • Nancy Rousseau, principal of Central High School
  • Vanessa McKuin, president of the Central High School Neighborhood Assocation

The westward expansion of Little Rock in the mid-1890’s gave rise to the West End, a section of the city which, in time, became known as the Central High School neighborhood. At the time the high school was completed in 1927 it was designated by the American Institute of Architects as “the most beautiful high school in America.”  For its time it was the largest and most expensive high school building in the United States.  Thirty years later its reputation would be changed as it became the site of international media coverage of efforts to fight the integration.

In addition to discussing the history and development of the area, the panel will talk about the future of historic properties in the neighborhood. A trio of neighborhood groups is actively involved in the effort. The three are: Wright Avenue Neighborhood Association, Capitol Hill Neighborhood Association and Central High Neighborhood Association.

The Architecture and Design Network is a non-profit organization. It is supported, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Center, Central Arkansas section of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the Fay Jones School of Architecture and friends in the community.

A reception will begin at 5:30 prior to the lecture.

“Well, That Was Embarrassing” is theme of tonight’s Tales from the South at Oyster Bar

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talesfromthesouthWe have all fallen flat on our face, either literally or figuratively.  Tonight, Tales from the South celebrates this shared experience with “Well That Was Embarrassing” at the Oyster Bar. The storytellers for this edition are John Wells, Martin Bauer, and Grant Rollins.

Music is by Mark Currey and blues guitarist Mark Simpson.

“Tales From the South” is a radio show created and produced by Paula Martin Morell, who is also the show’s host. The show is taped live on Tuesday. The night is a cross between a house concert and a reading/show, with incredible food and great company. Tickets must be purchased before the show, as shows are usually standing-room only.

“Tales from the South” is a showcase of writers reading their own true stories. While the show itself is unrehearsed, the literary memoirs have been worked on for weeks leading up to the readings. Stories range from funny to touching, from everyday occurrences to life-altering tragedies.

Dinner is served from 5pm to 6:30pm, the show starts at 7pm.  Admission is $15.  Dinner can be purchased separately.

You MUST purchase your ticket before the show.

Previous episodes of “Tales from the South” air on KUAR Public Radio on Thursdays at 7pm.  This program will air on January 22.

Arkansas Political History at Old State House

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OSH logoThe Arkansas General Assembly convenes today, while tomorrow is the inauguration day for the Governor and other Constitutional officers.

To learn more about Arkansas’ political past, visit the Old State House Museum.  Two of their permanent exhibits are especially of note this week.

First Families of Arkansas

The “First Families” of Arkansas varied in their background and experience. James Miller, the First Territorial Governor, spent little time in Arkansas, and his wife Ruth remained in Massachusetts. James Conway, the first governor of the state of Arkansas, came to Arkansas as a surveyor in 1820 and served in the Territorial Legislature. Conway was a founding member of an Arkansas dynasty known as “the Family,” a political alliance that dominated Arkansas until the Civil War. Conway’s wife, the former Mary Jane Bradley, came from a prominent Arkansas frontier family and was actively involved in furthering her husband’s political career.

Beginning in the 20th century, Anna Roark Brough served as her husband’s campaign manager. First Lady Brough, an active suffragette, posed on the steps of the capitol during a 1919 rally advocating voting rights for women.

 

On The Stump: Arkansas Politics, 1819 – 1919

In 1819 when the Arkansas Territory was created, the elimination of property requirements for voting combined with the raucous spirit of the frontier produced a new style of mass participation in American politics. The results were crude and often vulgar, but thoroughly democratic. This manifested itself in Arkansas politics less centered on political parties of Arkansas and the ideology of citizens than on the personalities of those involved. So personal were the politics of the times that political campaigns often culminated in duels. Carl Moneyhon, Professor of History at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, served as author and guest curator for On the Stump. Additional materials were provided by the museum’s staff.

 

In addition, the Old State House Museum website has features on the men who have served as Governor of Arkansas.

Little Rock Look Back: Basketball at Robinson Auditorium

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Former entrance to Robinson off Garland Street. Used to attend basketball games.

Former entrance to Robinson off Garland Street. Used to attend basketball games.

While Joseph Taylor Robinson Memorial Auditorium is known today as a performance and meeting venue, in its early days it was also the home to sports. Seventy-five years ago tonight the first basketball game was played at Robinson.

One of the first regular activities which took place in the lower level exhibition hall was a series of boxing and wrestling matches.  Building on the success of this, basketball came to the convention hall in January 1940.

A series of games featuring Little Rock High School and North Little Rock High School were announced by Coach Earl Quigley to take place from January 11 through February 16, the official opening day for the facility.

At that time, neither high school had a gymnasium; therefore both schools played their basketball games on their school auditorium stages with fans seated in the audience. The convention hall offered a regulation size floor (made of pecan block parquet) with seating for over 1,300 people along the sidelines and in the balcony.  The first men’s basketball game in Robinson Auditorium took place between the Little Rock High School Tigers and the North Little Rock High School Wildcats on January 11, 1940.

The Tigers lost the game before a crowd estimated to be 1,300.  Earlier in the evening there had been an exhibition between two women’s basketball teams.  The cost for admission to the games was 35 cents for the reserved seating and 25 cents for general admission.

Final ARKANSAS COOKS airs today on KUAR

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arkansas-cooks_1Like a delicious meal which cannot continue forever or a sparkling party, the KUAR program “Arkansas Cooks” airs its final episode today.  Tune in at 12 noon for this fond farewell.

Host Mary Twedt began the show in October 2002. Since then, she has produced more than 400 episodes as she has visited restaurants, hotels, food festivals, streetfairs, well – just about any where that good cooks are doing exciting things with food.  With her engaging style, she has enjoyed conversations with the well-trained and the self-taught.  She doesn’t interview her guests, she visits with them and invites the listeners to eavesdrop.

A cooking show on the radio? That is not an easy thing to imagine. And she will be the first to say she was inspired by a radio program she heard in another state. It took her some time to convince KUAR to buy-in to the project. But they eventually were won over – as was her audience.

She ends the radio show the way she started it, by chatting with Evette Brady.  In 2002, she was the owner and original chef at 1620. Now, she is retired, but still has an engaging personality and her finger on the pulse of the cooking scene.

While “Arkansas Cooks” may be ending as a radio show, Twedt will still continue to tweet (a Twedt tweet?) @arkansascooks, be on Facebook, and update the website.