A Foundation for the Future: The Arkansas Historic Preservation Plan, 2002

From foreword and introduction: "Arkansas, “The Land of Opportunity” is full of just that when it comes to historic preservation. Individuals and communities across the state are discovering that preservation is relevant to planning, good design, and the economy. Whether it is pursuing recycling alternatives to new construction and sprawl, uncovering historic facades on Main Street, or proving the comparative economic advantages of preservation, Arkansans are using historic preservation as a tool for building better communities. Continued cooperative efforts to preserve the state’s cultural heritage through preserving the built environment as well as the prehistoric and historic archeological resources, historic and cultural landscapes, and underwater resources will ensure that Arkansas’s rich heritage is preserved for generations to come. The adaptive reuse of historic Greene County Courthouse in Paragould, the continued use of Central High School in Little Rock, the protection of Toltec Mounds in Lonoke County, or the salvaging of the Hoo-Hoo Theater in Gurdon, are illustrations that regardless of size or location, communities are rallying around historic resources. And, thanks to a stable staff and a revived statewide non-profit partner (Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas), the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program is in an excellent position to more fully carry out its mission and pertinent sections of the National Historic Preservation Act. In keeping with federal requirements, each state historic preservation office is responsible for producing a multi-year plan to guide a comprehensive array of activities to facilitate the preservation of historic resources. In Arkansas, that responsibility falls to the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP). In 2001, with the help of Arkansas’s historic preservation community and citizens, AHPP prepared a five-year, comprehensive statewide historic preservation plan to be in effect from 2002 through 2006. This plan will serve as a guide to direct the services and programs not only of the AHPP, but also of others in Arkansas who serve the preservation community. While the plan satisfies the SHPO’s federal requirements, this document is intended to serve as an overall plan for preserving the state’s resources and should be used in preservation organizations’ planning and decision making efforts." Funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant administered by the Arkansas State Historic Preservation Office and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

A Foundation for the Future: The Arkansas Historic Preservation Plan, 2002

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