Arkansas Historic Preservation program doles grants

The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP) announced its fiscal year 2021 Courthouse and Historic Preservation Restoration Grants.

“The work of preserving historic structures across Arkansas is a duty we take seriously at Arkansas Heritage,” said Jimmy Bryant, director of Heritage. “I admire and appreciate the work from the applicants, their committees and teams of experts, and our grant selection committee. Every year we not only look forward to awarding this money but seeing the progress photos and reports that come into our office. The real winners in all of this are the citizens of our state.”

The County Courthouse Restoration Grant is an annual grant that has been in existence since 1988. It is funded primarily by an annual grant to the AHPP by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council (ANCRC) using Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT) funds. The purpose of the County Courthouse Restoration Grant program is to encourage and promote the preservation and continued use of Arkansas’ historic courthouses by providing financial assistance for restoration, selected maintenance and accessibility projects.

This year, $1,671,349 in grant funding was given out to 16 recipients that completed applications for consideration. The courthouse recipients, the proposed projects and award amounts are:

• Arkansas County, Stuttgart, ADA ramp installation, $61,664
• Bradley County, Warren, clock tower roof/cupola restoration, $85,000
• Carroll County, Berryville, condition assessment report, $13,750
• Chicot County, Lake Village, water drainage system exploration, $22,150
• Clay County, Piggott, roof replacement, $222,660
• Conway County, Morrilton, replace entry doors, $67,318
• Dallas County, Fordyce, cornice repair, $80,250
• Franklin County, Ozark, masonry pointing and repairs (parapet courses), $175,000
• Hot Spring County, Malvern, 100% repoint masonry, $222,900
• Lee County, Marianna, roof replacement, $108,000
• Miller County, Texarkana, roof – phase 2, $216,653
• Ouachita County, Camden, clock tower restoration, $90,500
• Poinsett County, Harrisburg, masonry cornice repairs, $70,686
• Polk County, Mena, HVAC and steel window restoration, $142,310
• Prairie County, DeValls Bluff, roof replacement and soffit repairs, $60,113
• Woodruff County, Augusta, repair lobby floor over abandoned staircase, $32,395

The purpose of the Historic Preservation and Restoration Grant program is to encourage and promote preservation of Arkansas’ historic resources by providing financial assistance for restoration of historic properties. The program is financed through proceeds of the Real Estate Transfer Tax.

This year, $796,460 in grant funding was given out to 22 applicants. The amount of funding fluctuates each year depending on the taxes collected. The Historic Preservation and Restoration Grant recipients, the proposed projects and award amounts are:

• Conway County, Morrilton, Big Cuppa, LLC, restore window – 205 Broadway, $8,950
• Pulaski County, Little Rock, Pulaski, Jane E. Anderson, remove artificial siding and restore original siding – 404 Louise St, $10,000
• Clark County, Arkadelphia, City of Arkadelphia, replace tile roof – depot, $70,700
• Prairie County, Hazen, City of Hazen, masonry pointing, wood repair and painting – Rock Island Depot, $44,897
• Polk County, Mena, City of Mena, ADA restroom – Mena Depot, $13,487
• Drew County, Monticello, City of Monticello, capstone repair and masonry pointing – Monticello Post Office, $63,317
• Mississippi County, Osceola, City of Osceola, fire damage repairs – Old Post Office/City Hall, $22,000
• White County, Searcy, City of Searcy, replace roof – American Legion Hut #106, $60,000
• Washington County, Springdale, City of Springdale, replace roof and repair soffits – Rabbits Foot Lodge, $62,238
• Monroe County, Clarendon, Clarendon First United Methodist Church, roof and stained glass window repairs, $19,998
• Nevada County, Emmet, Emmet United Methodist Church, roof replacement, $37,775
• Carroll County, Eureka Springs, Eureka Springs Historical Museum, repair chimneys, roof & windows, selective masonry pointing, $14,836
• Baxter County, Galatia, Galatia Community Building Inc., roof replacement and siding repairs, $32,200
• Ashley County, Hamburg, Hamburg First United Methodist Church, reset limestone capstones and masonry pointing, $27,178
• Carroll County, Eureka Springs, Heart of Many Ways, replace roof – former First Church of Christ Scientist, $20,000
• Newton County, Jasper, Newton County, replace roof – former Newton County Jail, $26,667
• Crawford County, Winslow, Ozark Folkways, exterior repairs and restoration – Muxen Building, $17,575
• Boone County, Paris, Paris First United Methodist Church, restore entrance steps and preservation plan, $57,455
• Garland County, Hot Springs, People Helping Others Excel By Example (P.H.O.E.B.E.), continue masonry and replace low slope roof(s) – John L Webb House, $78,251
• Sebastian County, Fort Smith, St. John’s Episcopal Church, restore stained glass window, $42,644
• Independence County, Batesville, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, roof repair, $58,240
• Nevada County, Moscow, Nevada County Depot & Museum, monument restoration – Moscow Cemetery, $8,052