Category Archives: Government

31 Days of Arkansas Rep: PROOF by LR Hall Alum David Auburn

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Fourteen years after graduating from Little Rock Hall High School, David Auburn received the 2001 Pulitzer Prize in Drama for his play Proof.  In September 2002, Arkansas Repertory Theatre produced Proof while the original Broadway run was in its final months.

The production at Arkansas Rep was directed by Producing Artistic Director Robert Hupp.  The cast featured Amy Tribbey, Scott Barrow, Jessica Henson and Curt Karibalis.  (Barrow met his future wife, the former Amy Sabin, while in Little Rock during the run of this show.)

The set, a very realistic craftsman house back porch, was designed by Mike Nichols.  On opening night he was lauded because the production marked his 20th anniversary with the Rep. (In 2018, Nichols is still serving as Technical Director and Resident Scenic Designer for the Rep.)

Auburn was unable to come to Little Rock to see the production. His wife was set to give birth to a child during the run of the show.

When Auburn was growing up in Little Rock, he and his brother were active with the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre which is across MacArthur Park from where the Rep was at the time.

Little Rock Look Back: Mayoral Election of 1903

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In April 1903, Warren E. Lenon took the oath of office and became Little Rock Mayor.  He had previously served a decade on the City Council.  A native of Iowa, Mr. Lenon was a banker and real estate developer.

At the time, winning the Democratic primary was tantamount to election. The Pulaski County Democratic Committee would set the primary date which would vary yearly anywhere from August to February prior to the April general election.  The primary for this race was set for January 28, 1903.

By July 1902, Alderman Lenon had expressed his desire to run for mayor. He would be challenging incumbent W. R. Duley who was planning on seeking another term. Over the summer, W. C. Faucette, a former alderman who lived north of the Arkansas River, and Col. S. M. Apperson announced their intentions to run for the office too.

In December 1902, Mayor Duley dropped out of the race citing business obligations.  Three days before Christmas, Mr. Faucette also dropped out and endorsed Col. Apperson.

In the primary, Lenon carried all eight of the City’s wards.  In Lenon’s home ward, he received 391 votes and Apperson only 21 votes.  The closest Apperson came was in Faucette’s ward, where Lenon received 159 and Apperson 123 votes.  The total results were 2009 and Apperson 716.

In the April 8, 1903, general election, Mr. Lenon was unopposed and received 662 votes.  This was down from the 1,911 which Mr. Duley had received in 1901 when he had an opponent.

Mayor Lenon took office in April 1903 and was re-elected in April 1905 and April 1907. He served until he resigned in April 1908 because of expanding responsibilities in the private sector.

Little Rock Look Back: Installation of Chapel’s THE CENTER

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On October 19, 2012, the first winner of the Sculpture at the River Market public monument sculpture competition was dedicated.

Selected at the 2011 Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale, Chapel’s THE CENTER is located to the west of the Junction Bridge in Riverfront Park.  It stands fifteen feet and is composed of glass, stainless steel and bronze.

According to Chapel:

The theme of The Center is a coalescence around a strong core.  Historically the Arkansas River was one of the mainstays of Little Rock’s economy.  Recently, the River has taken on a new life as a cultural and arts center through the various sculpture parks and amphitheater along its banks.

 

All of the disparate themes of life here are represented by the complex structure of gathering arcs.  These highly finished arcs reflect all the colors of the surrounding environment while the transparent central glass column refracts the changing light.  The shape itself will cast a fascinating shadow providing a constantly changing and adapting sculpture.

Little Rock Look Back: Little Rock named Capital of Arkansas

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On October 18, 1820, Territorial Governor James Miller signed legislation designating Little Rock as the new capital for Arkansas.  This was a mere 10 months after the first permanent settlement was established in Little Rock.

While Little Rock became the Capital, technically it was not the Capital City, since it would not be incorporated as a City until 1835. It wasn’t even incorporated as a town until 1831.

The Act provided that after June 1, 1821, the sessions of the Legislature and the Superior Court would be held at Little Rock.  This caused Arkansas Post, the first territorial capital, to fade from prominence.

The move was made based on the lobbying of Amos Wheeler, Chester Ashley and William Russell.  These men all owned land in the Little Rock area and would benefit from the move of the Capital to Little Rock. The official reason given was Little Rock’s geographical center to the Arkansas Territory and that it was elevated land less prone to flooding.

But just as important, Messrs. Wheeler, Ashley and Russell promised to donate land for a capitol building and a guarantee of $20,000 for construction of a suitable building. (That would be the equivalent of $432,000 today.)

Around the time the legislation was approved, several members of the Territorial legislature purchased land around Little Rock.  When a subsequent effort to relocate the Capital upstream was launched, it failed due to the financial ties of these legislators to land in Little Rock.

Little Rock Port Authority seeks artist to create anniversary artwork

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Project Intent
The Little Rock Port Authority is seeking Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) from an artist to create an original piece of artwork to celebrate the upcoming 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Little Rock Port Authority.

Artists working in a variety of media are encouraged to apply as long as their works fit in the parameters of this RFQ.  The artwork is envisioned to be a painting, approximately 4’ x 6’ that will be displayed in the offices of the Little Rock Port Authority. The size may be modified for artistic purposes.  It is also anticipated that the Little Rock Port Authority will produce approximately 150 smaller prints of the work to be signed and numbered by the artist to give out as a part of the anniversary celebration.

A $5,000 commission will be given to the artist chosen to create the work.

About the Little Rock Port Authority

The Little Rock Port Authority (LRPA) was created in 1959 to oversee the Port and provide intermodal transportation services connecting U.S. markets and the deep-water ports of the Gulf of Mexico. The Port of Little Rock is located approximately seven miles east of downtown along the banks of the Arkansas River.  All modes of transportation converge at the Port: water, rail, and motor freight, offering convenient intermodal shipping solutions. More than 40 businesses are active within the Port’s 3,000-acre industrial park. The Port is part of the 448-mile McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, which runs from the Mississippi River northwest to 15 miles east of Tulsa.

Mission Statement – “The mission of the Port of Little Rock is to drive economic development by providing a world-class transportation hub that connects Arkansas to the global economy”.

Vision Statement – “Little Rock Port Authority’s vision is to be America’s leading inland river port advancing Arkansas’ economic growth and job creation”.

Criteria for Selection
  • An initial proposal that reflects Project Intent as described in this document.
  • A body of work reflecting artistic excellence.
  • Experience working in public settings and public process
  • Previous experience with meeting time schedules and budget parameters
  • References provided as part of this application which will be contacted prior to final selection.
  • The Little Rock Port Authority is committed to reflecting the diversity and cultural richness of the City of Little Rock in our selection process.

 
Eligibility
The project is open to all artists, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status or physical or mental disability.

Time Line
The Little Rock Port Authority reserves the right to change the project time line.

October 2018                        Request for Qualifications (RFQ) due and accepted

November 2018                    Selection Committee meets to review RFQs and choose finalists

November 2018                    Finalists interviewed if appropriate; artist selected

December 2018                    Contract agreement prepared and submitted for Port Authority Board approval

January 2019                       Notice to Proceed issued

May 2019                             Project completed and installed

How to Apply

Artists interested in this project shall prepare and submit the following as a part of the requests for qualifications:

  • Proposed Artwork Concept: This proposal shall include conceptual design drawings or sketches sufficient to communicate the artist concept.
  • Letter of Interest, no more than one page in length, which explains your interest in the competition. your name and contact information.
  • Artist’s Statement, no more than 200 words in length, describing your work.
  • Current Resume. If submitting as a team, an individual resume should be submitted for each team member.
  • A list of at least three professional references familiar with your work and working methods. The list must include complete addresses and telephone numbers.
  • Work samples on CD or DVD of your work. Artists applying as a team should submit work samples of each individual artist’s work.

Submittal:

To be considered, four copies of the proposal shall be received by the date and time set and noted herein.  It shall be packaged in such a manner that the sealed, envelope clearly reflects the project name and the applicant’s name and address.  All materials submitted become the property of the Little Rock Port Authority and will not be returned unless a self-addressed and stamped envelope, with sufficient postage, is provided.  The Little Rock Port Authority will make every effort to protect submitted materials; however, it will not be responsible for any loss or damage.  Submit proposals to:

Bryan Day
Little Rock Port Authority
10600 Industrial Harbor Drive
Little Rock, AR 72206
501-490-1468

The Little Rock Port Authority reserves the right to reject any and all applications.

All Proposals must be submitted by October 31, 2018 at noon.

For additional information, please contact Bryan Day at 501-490-1468.

Little Rock Look Back: Mayoral Election of 1871

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For the two years leading up to the November 1871 election for Little Rock mayor, the political scene had been chaotic. A. K. Hartman, who represented one faction of the Republican Party, was so disliked by the LR City Council that they repeatedly tried to have him removed from office.

After being rebuffed by the courts, the aldermen proceeded to simply appoint another mayor of Little Rock.  Thus from January 1871 to November 1871, Little Rock had two mayors: A. K. Hartman, and J. G. Botsford.

After having been elected first in January 1869 and re-elected, Hartman (whom the Gazette disliked and derogatorily nicknamed “Count Von Bismark” on account of his Germanic heritage and his corpulence) was seeking another term in November 1871. Thomas C Scott announced, in October 1871, that he would seek the office as an independent, but withdrew a few weeks later.  The only person who stood between Hartman and re-election was Dr. Robert Francis Catterson.

Dr. Catterson as a physician from Indiana who had served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He moved to Arkansas in 1866 first to work in cotton commodities, and then to serve in the militia fighting the Ku Klux Klan. He became affiliated with Joseph Brooks and his Brindletail faction of the Republican Party, which stood in opposition to the Minstrels faction, with which Hartman was associated. (This rivalry would play out in 1873 with the Brooks-Baxter War, in which Catterson was Brook’s chief lieutenant.)

A few nights before the election, approximately 500 of Catterson’s supporters paraded through Little Rock with signs bearing anti-Hartman slogans and caricatures.  They stopped off to hear an address by Mr. Brooks.

On election day, Catterson and his allies swept most of the City offices.  He bested Hartman by a vote of 710 to 374 and carried three of the city’s four wards.  He served in office until November 1873.

 

Little Rock Look Back: Dedication of Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden

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The original seven sculptures. Clockwise from top left: Conversation with Myself; Straight and Narrow; Bateleur Eagle; First Glance; Sizzling Sisters; Cascade; and Full of Himself

After nearly a week of rain, the skies dried up and on Friday, October 16, 2009, the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden was dedicated.

Designed and created by the staff of the Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department, the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden started with seven sculptures. These were purchased at the 2007 and 2008 Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sales.

The original seven were: Full of Himself by Jan Woods, Cascade by Chapel, Bateleur Eagle by Pete Zaluzec, Sizzling Sister by Wayne Salge, Conversation With Myself by Lorri Acott, First Glance by Denny Haskew, and Straight and Narrow by Lisa Gordon.

The sculpture garden was named after the Vogel Schwartz Foundation in recognition of its contributions to the project. The garden was dedicated on the afternoon of the preview party for the 2009 Show and Sale.

The Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden did not have seven sculptures for long. New pieces have been added every few months since then.  In 2017, an expansion was dedicated which doubled the size and allowed for larger pieces to be installed.  Today there are over seventy sculptures in the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden and more than twenty elsewhere in Riverfront Park.

The 2019 Sculpture at the River Market Show and Sale is set for May 4 and 5 with a preview party on May 3.