‘Miss Laura’ enters Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame

Carolyn Joyce, aka Miss Laura for the Fort Smith Convention and Visitors Bureau, is the newest member of the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame.

The announcement was made Tuesday night (Mar. 8) before more than 600 attendees at the closing dinner of the 37th annual Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism held in Little Rock. Richard Davies, executive director of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, and Miss Arkansas Alyse Eady presided over the awards program.

“You don’t know how much I appreciate this,” Joyce said, flanked by her family, including two young grandchildren.

Joyce, who was not aware of the announcement, was surprised by the news and when her family — secretly invited to attend the announcement — arrived immediately after the announcement.

Dr. Ruth Hawkins of Jonesboro also was inducted into the Tourism Hall of Fame.

Information in the application, submitted by Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Claude Legris, and in a document from the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism provided the following info about Joyce’s almost 19-year history in tourism.
• After years in an important career as a mom, Joyce re-entered the workforce — first with a downtown redevelopment effort – then starting her A&P Commission career.

• In early 1992, when Fort Smith’s tourism office was relocated to Miss Laura’s, the only former bordello on the National Register of Historic Sites, Joyce created the character of Miss Laura Zeigler as a marketing technique to provide a lighthearted look at the colorful history along the row in frontier Fort Smith.

• Joyce is widely recognized as a spokesperson for Fort Smith and greets groups at the Visitor Information Center in the character of Miss Laura, recounting the intriguing past of Miss Laura’s Social Club.

• Her personal collection of 14 period costumes has become one of the more popular features of the tour of Miss Laura’s.

• Joyce established the 75-member volunteer corps, Miss Laura’s Starrs — the envy of volunteer organizations throughout the country.

Joyce’s family, husband T. Bob Joyce, daughter Angel and grandchildren Lilly Ann and Owen Lee were at the ceremony.

FAMILY SMILES
Prior to the Hall of Fame and Henry Award announcements, Miss Arkansas Alyse Eady performed her “Cowboy Sweetheart” ventriloquism act that won her kudos at the Miss America Pageant.

“Alyse, I think they love you,” Davies told Miss Arkansas following a standing ovation.

Gov. Mike Beebe, the keynote speaker, thanked those in attendance for their work in supporting a more than $5 billion Arkansas industry. He praised them for “teaching the virtues of Arkansas” to the millions of tourists who annually come to Arkansas.

“You create the smiles on the faces of families,” Beebe said.

When Beebe left immediately after his remarks, Davies offered an explanation.

“The legislature is in session and it is dangerous out there,” Davies said.

HENRY AWARDS
The Annual Henry Awards were also part of the Governor’s Conference on Tourism. The Henry Awards honor individuals and organizations which have made important contributions to the state’s tourism industry in the preceding year.

The Henry Award recipients for 2010 include:
• Media Support Award:  Kat Robinson, Little Rock
• Bootstrap Award:  Argenta Downtown Council, North Little Rock
• Arkansas Heritage Award:  1929 Hotel Seville, Harrison
• Grand Old Classic Special Event Award:  Smackover Oil Town Festival, Smackover
• Outstanding Volunteer Service Award:  Bull Shoals Powerhouse Tours, Lakeview
• Community Tourism Development Award:  Mountains, Music & Motorcycles, Mountain View
• The Natural State Award:  Pea Ridge National Military Park, Garfield
• Tourism Special Achievement Award:  The Peabody Little Rock, Little Rock

The Tourism Person of the Year, which went to Karen Trevino of North Little Rock.

The Henry Awards have been a feature of the annual Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism since their debut in 1981. The awards are named for Henri de Tonti, founder of Arkansas Post in 1686 and who is often hailed as the first “Arkansas Traveler.”