Gymnasium Built by WPA Gaining New Recognition

Greenwood Gymnasium, a structure built by the Works Progress Administration over three months in 1938 and 1939, could be added to the National Register of Historic Places in about two months.

“We have about a 99-percent acceptance rate,” Arkansas Historic Preservation Program community outreach director Mark Christ said.

Greenwood Gymnasium is one of 12 Arkansas properties nominated to the register by an AHPP review board. Christ said a group of seven historians anchor an in-house vetting system for nominated properties.

Reports indicate a crew of about 100 men built the gym, at a cost of $30,000. It was used for Greenwood High School basketball games until 1968 and remains in use today. Its primary uses have been as a practice gym and for classroom space.

The other properties nominated are:

• Keo Commercial Historic District in Lonoke County, containing buildings dating to 1900.

* Lasley’s College Apartments at Conway, built in 1947.

• Missouri Pacific Caboose No. 928 at Bald Knob, manufactured in 1937.

• Mathis-Hyde House at Augusta, built in approximately 1865.

• Wingmead near Roe in Prairie County, a 1929 estate.

• Arkadelphia Commercial Historic District, featuring buildings dating to about 1870.

• Saline Cemetery at Allis in Drew County, with burials dating to 1878.

• Booneville Methodist Episcopal Church South.

• East Hamilton Avenue Historic District at Wynne, with residences constructed between 1895 and 1961.

• William P. and Rosa Lee Martin Farm near Marshall in Searcy County, featuring a 1922 farmhouse and numerous historic outbuildings.

• Bethel Cemetery at Denton in Lawrence County, with burials from as early as 1835.