Review Board to consider nominations to National Register of Historic Places

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas State Review Board will consider the nominations to the National Register of Historic Places for several Arkansas properties at their next meeting on April 2, 2025
“The National Register of Historic Places is a program administered by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program on behalf of the National Park Service,” said Ralph Wilcox, national register and survey coordinator and deputy state historic preservation officer for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. “The National Register is the country’s official list of historic resources that are worthy of preservation. Arkansas has a very active National Register of Historic Places program, and it’s always a thrill when we can nominate and celebrate the great historic resources that Arkansas has.
The National Register nominations that the Review Board will consider come from all over the state and represent a wide variety of historic resources. At this meeting, the Review Board will consider nominations of houses, stores, a college building, a spring, a bridge, and a couple of cemeteries.The properties date from the nineteenth century up through the 1960s and illustrate the state’s rich and diverse history.
The nominations to the National Register of Historic Places that will be considered include:
Robert H. Johnson House, Little Rock, Pulaski County – The Johnson House was designed by architect H. Ray Burks and built in 1926-1927. The house represents an excellent example of the Tudor Revival style of architecture
Gibson & Company’s Blue Star / Horizon Home, Little Rock, Pulaski County – Built in 1964 and designed by Little Rock architect F. Eugene Withrow, the Gibson & Company’s Blue Star / Horizon Home was an award-winning entry in the Horizon Homes program, which ran during the early 1960s and challenged architects to utilize concrete construction in home building.
Fine Arts Building, Monticello, Drew County – The Fine Arts Building at the University of Arkansas at Monticello campus was designed by A.N. McAninch and was funded by the New-Deal’s Public Works Administration (PWA) when it was built in 1934-1935. The building continues to serve as the campus’ music building today.
Smith Creek Bridge, Webb City vic., Franklin County – The Smith Creek Bridge was built in 1941 by the WPA on Oak Bend Road outside of Webb City. The small steel-beam bridge features cut-stone abutments and cast-concrete guardrails that are signed by the WPA

Big Spring, Bull Shoals vic., Baxter County – Big Spring, located at Bull Shoals-White River State Park, was improved with work done by the Green Thumb program, c.1973. The Green Thumb program employed low-income senior citizens and initially carried out projects that beautified the state.
Rose Hill Cemetery, Harrison, Boone County – Rose Hill Cemetery, which was first used in 1870, is associated with early settlement and the development of Harrison. The cemetery is the final resting place for many of Harrison’s significant early residents.
Huntsville Cemetery, Historic Section, Huntsville, Madison County – Established in the 1830s, the historic section of the Huntsville Cemetery, associated with the early settlement of the Huntsville area, contains over 650 marked and unmarked burials
James Johnson Boys Club Gymnasium Building, El Dorado, Union County – The James Johnson Boys Club Gymnasium was designed by El Dorado architect John B. Abbott and built in 1963. The building was originally the club that served the city’s African-American boys.
Porter-McClure Paint Company Store, Texarkana, Miller County – Located on Broad Street in downtown Texarkana, the Porter-McClure Paint Company Store is noted for its elaborate terracotta façade installed c.1953.
Residences of University Heights, Haskell Heights, and Markham Hill, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 1883-1980 – This cover document provides background information for the future nomination of residences in three Fayetteville neighborhoods – University Heights, Haskell Heights, and Markham Hill. The neighborhoods are known for their nineteenth and twentieth century farmhouses, as well as their mid-century architecture, including houses designed by many architecture professors from the University of Arkansas.
William and Marion Orton House, Fayetteville, Arkansas – The Orton House was designed by Fay Jones and built in 1959. Located in the University Heights neighborhood, it is representative of houses in the area designed by professors from the University of Arkansas.