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[Introductory music] [Conversations among members of the audience]
[Sound of spoon tapping glass] >> John Gill: Think this'll work?
[Conversations subside] >> John Gill: This is a great night in the
life of Arkansas. I'm John Gill, and it's nice to have you in Little Rock. Although
if you look around, you probably will think you're in El Dorado. [Laughter and applause]
Since this is the thirtieth anniversary of this organization, I'm going to ask all of
the members present and past of the board of directors of the Historic Preservation
Alliance of Arkansas to stand, so that we can recognize you. All of you board members.
[Applause] >> John Gill: Now you can see why we have
three decades of legacy in this organization. As we present these awards tonight, let's
bear in mind that Theodosia Nolan and her contemporaries led--laid the groundwork for
the programs of historic preservation that these awards represent. Tonight's awards recognize
hard work, dedication, time, and an effort to give to our children and our children's
children a better understanding of life in its fullest sense. Some say it's preserving
history. Some says it's our heritage. Alex Haley called it "roots." Whatever you call
it, historic preservation is an appreciation of who we are as a people, the good and the
bad. Tonight's awards represent achievement inspired by a small group of pioneers who
formed the association thirty years ago. This evening Senator Pryor joins me in presenting
these awards. And while David Pryor needs no introduction, I think it's important that
he be introduced, so that we can remember what David Pryor has done for us, especially
in historic preservation. First of all, he himself is a winner of the Lifetime Achievement
Award as was his mother, who was the first recipient the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Seems like there's a whole lot of connection with south Arkansas around here. [Laughter]
As governor he worked with Marjim, my wife, who at the time was president of the Junior
League, for the preservation of Trapnall Hall for the state. Of the many bills he introduced
into Congress, he was cosponsor of the amendments to the National Historic Preservation Act,
which strengthened that act to preserve and to make preservation possible. And David Pryor
understands that historic preservation is just--is not just about preserving buildings.
It's about preserving heritage. And to that end, he and Barbara established the Pryor
Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History at the University of Arkansas. And tonight
we are all recipients and beneficiaries of that dedication because this event is being
filmed by the oral his--the Pryor Arkansas Oral and Visual History at the University
of Arkansas. Of course, you can't be governor or congressman or senator without making a
little history yourself. So, ladies and gentleman, please welcome a man of history, the Honorable
David Pryor. [Applause]
>> David Pryor: Sit down. Thank you, thank you. [Applause continues] Thank you very much.
Thank all of you. All of you. Thank you. What--John P. Gill. The P stands for Purifoy. [Laughter]
And speaking of south Arkansas, the Purifoys all originated in the red clay hills of Ouachita
County. [Laughter] Not in Pulaski County but Ouachita County. The woods and the clay hills
are full of Purifoys. And from there, I think, he has derived his name and his fortune and
whatever [laughter] from that upbringing. What he did not tell you is tonight for a
very few moments, you will be having to look at and listen to a live, breathing member
of the Antique Road Show, me. [Laughter] I was talking while ago with Parker. Barbara
and I were back at Parker's table, and we were talking about this room. And we were
talking about a room full of people, very unique. There's no one here in this room tonight
who came just to be recognized or to achieve fame or to acquire power or to make friends
or anything. You came here because of your common love--our common love for this wonderful
state of Arkansas. And that's what brings us together, I think, as folks who care and
want to preserve. The first president of this organization, Parker Westbrook, is someone
I have known--I hate to tell him this, Parker. I have known Parker for sixty years. [Laughter]
I first met him, Jim Harris, in your father's office, Congressman Harris's office, when
I was his page in Washington in the summer of 1951. I've known Parker for all of these
years. He was the founding president of this Preservation Alliance. And tonight we see
the fruits of his caring and his labor and his love. I'm going to tell you a very quick
story about Parker. In 1966 with the help of Theodosia Murphy Nolan, with Bob's help
and Bill Nolan's help and Charlie Nolan's help and everybody imaginable down in Union
County, I got elected to the US Congress. [Laughs] In 1966. And we lived on 929 Banner
Street in a little, small house. It was a rent house. We were getting ready to move
to Washington in about a month, and the election was over. And we didn't have a home in Washington,
and we were sitting there on a Sunday night. Parker Westbrook was driving from Nashville,
Arkansas, to Washington, DC, and he'd called that afternoon to say he would like to come
by and meet Barbara, see our children on his way to Washington. We were sitting there Sunday
night. She had never met Parker, but she was nervous because he was coming. She had heard
so many stories about Parker Westbrook and his attention to detail and his memory and
his love for history. It was eight o'clock. We'd put our three boys to bed, Sunday night,
Camden, Arkansas, about to move to Washington. Barbara looked at me, and she said, "What
time do you think Parker will be here?" I said, "Probably about ten or eleven o'clock
or so in the morning or whatever." She says, "We've got to paint this living room." [Laughter]
I said, "Pardon?" She said, "We've got to paint this living room." I said, "We don't
even own this house. [Laughter] We're about to move out of this house in about three weeks.
Why"--he said--she said, "I don't want Parker to see this living room looking like this."
I said, "Barbara, it's Sunday night. The--we only have one paint store, and it's closed.
And we don't have any paintbrushes. We don't have paint. Anything." She says, "Call up
Travis Beeson at the paint store and have him meet us down there." So I meet Travis
down at the paint store [laughter]. By this time it's nine o'clock, and we get back, and
we didn't have any paintbrushes. This is a true story. We just got some old towels [laughter]
and dipped them in the paint bucket and raked them across the walls. And three or four hours
later, it looked pretty decent in there. [Laughter] I want you--it looked good enough to have
Parker Westbrook come in and meet Barbara for the first time, and they have been fast
friends as we have ever--ever [applause] since, so. Well, what an honor it is to be here.
And I've been asked to mention something. Save the date. May the fifth through the seventh
in Little Rock is the Arkansas Preservation Conference. And all of us should be attending
this, and I'm sure you'll follow on e-mail and what have you the events at the time and
place, but those are the dates, May fifth through seven. I just want to say what an
honor it is to be here and to recognize these distinguished honorees this evening because
they have worked in the vineyards, and they are very, very deserving of our attention
and our appreciation. And tonight I would like for you to hold your applause. I'm just
going to go through these very, very quickly. Just a couple of sentences about--about each
recipient. The award for Outstanding Achievement in Preservation Education is given tonight
to Greg Herman, who's the associate professor at the Fay Jones School of Architecture, for
the Jones House: Reconstruction and Documentation project in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Because
of a death in Professor Herman's family, he could not be here tonight, but we wanted to
recognize him, and his plaque will be properly sent to him and presented at a later time.
The Honorable Mention for the Outstanding Achievement in Preservation Reser--Preservation
Education is given to Lakresha Diaz for her work creating and promoting the Oakland-Fraternal
Cemetery Cell Phone Tour right here in the capital city of Little Rock. Would you--and--and
let me ask if you would stand please. Thank you very much. Please hold your applause.
Well, just keep standing. [Laughter] That would be very good. All right, the award for
Outstanding Service in Neighborhood Preservation is given to the Reed's Bridge Preservation
Society in Jacksonville for programming that engages audiences around the Reed's Bridge
Civil War site in Bayou Metro. The award is accepted tonight by Steve Shore, I believe
on--no, [laughter] is that Steve? No, it's not.
>> DannaKay Duggar: Not quite. >> David Pryor: Okay, not quite. I can see
that. [Laughs] On behalf of the Reed's Bridge Preservation Society, and your name is?
>> DannaKay Duggar: I'm DannaKay Duggar. >> David Pryor: Good, DannaKay. Thank you
very, very much. We're honored to have you here and to take this award with you. The
Special Citation for Excellence in Public Policy is given to the City of Little Rock,
Arkansas, Mayor Stodola, and Thomason and Associates for Little Rock Citywide Preservation
Plan in our capital city. The award tonight is accepted by Phil Thomason and Mayor Stodola,
I believe, jointly of Thomason and Thomason Associates. We're proud that you're here this
evening. The award for Outstanding Preservation Reporting in the Media goes to none other
than that one and only Rex Nelson for his wonderful reporting, blogging, and commentary
on various aspects of Arkansas heritage and his advocacy for the Ray Winder Field in Little
Rock Arkansas. Thank you very, very much, Rex. The Outstanding Work by a Craftsperson
goes to William Looney Tavern project in Randolph County for meticulous restoration using the
tools and the techniques that were faithful to the original construction of this project.
The award is accepted tonight on behalf of the project by Jan Ziegler, Vice President
for Development for the Black River Technical College. And thank you so much for traveling
a long way to receive this award. The award for Excellence in Preservation through Rehabilitation
is given to John French, Southern Bancrop--Bancorp Community Development Corporation, for rehabilitation
of the St. Louis Federal Reserve Building and development and the eStem Charter School
in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. The Honorable Mention for this award, Excellence in Preservation
through Rehabilitation, goes to the Entergy Corporation and Jerry Holland of Cromwell
Architect Engineers for careful attention and detail appropriate materials in the rehabilitation
of the Entergy building, historically known as the Arkansas Power and Light Building in
Little Rock, Arkansas. And accepting tonight is Dave Ingram of Entergy. We very much appreciate
your presence and your fine work there. Excellence in Preservation through Restoration for a
large-scale project goes to Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects for faithful restoration of the
Washington County Courthouse in Fayetteville, Arkansas. And accepting the award for Polk
Stanley Wilcox is John Dupree, the project Arkansas. John, thank you very, very much
for your fine work. The award for Excellence in Preservation through Restoration in a small-scale
project is given to state Representative Sheilla Lampkin and Bob Ware for restoring and community
engagement around the Selma Rosenwald School in Drew County, down in Monticello, or near
Monticello. Representative Lampkin accepts the award on behalf of the project. Thank
you so very much. The award for Excellence in Personal Projects goes to H.T., known as
Harry Truman, and Linda Lou Moore for their rehabilitation of the National Bank of Commerce
Building downtown Paragould, which houses Harry Truman Moore's law office and apartments.
Thank you so much. The award for Outstanding Achievement in Preservation Advocacy is given
to John Wheeler and to Bill Hawkins for their tireless work in Camden, Arkansas, in preserving
and promoting historic Camden neighborhoods. Thank you. And you know that is dear to my
heart. [Laughter] The Outstanding New Construction in a Historic Setting award is given to the
Hillcrest Kroger store, where I was early this morning [laughter] in Little Rock, for
excellent compatible design of a commercial building in Little Rock's historic Hillcrest
neighborhood. The award is accepted by the store manager, Lisa Yates. Thank you so much
for that beautiful store. The Ned Shank Award for Outstanding Preservation Publication goes
to Mary Kwas for her fabulous book on Digging for History in Old Washington--old Washington,
Arkansas. She could not attend this evening, but this award will be sent to her. And the
final award, the award for Excellence in His--in Heritage Preservation is given to the City
of Dumas for the Gospel Institute Master Plan for interpretation of gospel music history
in the historic Pickens Baptist Church. And accepting the award tonight for the folks
down in Dumas is Don Livingston. Don, thank you so much for coming. Ladies and gentlemen,
let's give all these folks [applause] a big round of applause. Thank you, John.
[Applause continues] >> John Gill: Isn't it amazing what people
like Theodosia Nolan, Parker Westbrook, and others started? It is amazing to me to see
so much done by so many people in so many places in this state that are dedicated to
preserving our heritage. I hope you will take notes on what others have done. It might give
you an idea or two, and there's plenty of room in this state for a whole lot more preservation.
A lifetime achievement, as the words suggest, means spending one's life in the worthy pursuit
of good. Tonight's honoree, Theodosia Murphy Nolan, captivizes that pursuit. She epitomizes
that pursuit. As you will see in a moment, she has a reputation for preservation that
far, far beyond El Dorado, Arkansas. This award is given in the name of Parker Westbrook,
who called the organizational meeting of this organization and inspired the Alliance and
was the founding president. And it is fitting that the award is given in his name, especially
since he endowed it. [Laughter] Parker wrote this about our honoree, "From the very beginning
of the Alliance's establishment, Theodosia Murphy Nolan was involved in the historic
preservation movement from the beginning. Theodosia has been one of the premiere and
steadfast supporters of preserving our cultural and architectural heritage. Theodosia has
been with us all the way." One of the original group that met with Parker and others to discuss
this organization was Roger Giddings, who at the time was a superintendent of the Hot
Springs National Park. And he wrote a nice regret that he could not be here, and he said
in part, "What a fitting tribute to a wonderful lady. My occasions to south Arkansas were
always enhanced, as they were for everyone else, as a result of her knowledge and her
dedication and her help to preserve, appreciate, and enjoy the effects"--that's an interesting
term--"to enjoy the effects of preserving Arkansas history and especially that piece
of history down her way. When I met with her, I had been--I knew because she said that she
couldn’t be here tonight. [Clears throat] So I said, "Well, Mrs. Nolan, would you do
me a favor?" She said, "Yes, what is it?" I said, "Would you write a letter to your
grandchildren about the importance of preserving history?" And she did. It's a long letter.
It's very personal. But I want to share a little of it with you. "The history part is
the key. The restorer or the residents are conserving a part of history. A home, old
or new, shapes our philosophical outlook. It needs to be appreciated and used. I recall
an instance when my son, Bob, was about twelve years old. He was lying on the sofa in the
living room reading a book. Because the sofa had just been recovered, I scolded him. 'Bob,
for goodness sake,' I said, 'don't read on the living room sofa.' [Laughter] He replied,
'Well, then what's the sofa for?' [Laughter] I thought about it for a minute and told him
he was exactly right. 'Enjoy your book.' This is why I believe it is important to use and
enjoy our historic love, not only to preserve it." Mind you, this is a letter to her grandchildren.
"Historic preservation is not only important because we live in these homes but because
of the pleasure it gives people to actually to see our homes and their history. Think
of what a feast of the eyes it is seeing a beautiful, small country church in numerous
villages across America. And so in closing, dear grandchildren and great grandchildren,
maybe this letter will help in letting you see how important historic preservation is
to me. Much love, Dosia." [Theodosia Murphy Nolan video begins 00:24:00]
>> Bill Cook: I have known [music begins playing] Mrs. William Nolan all my life. The closer
I got and the more I knew Dosia, the more I realized how she made the life experience
for all of us, as she has with her family, a better place for her concern for historic
preservation. Tom Whitehead: We certainly consider Theodosia
Murphy Nolan a continuing part of the tradition of strong-willed women that have had some
association with the Cane River area of Louisiana during the past two hundred fifty to three
hundred years. Peter D. Tattersall, Jr.: I just want to say
how--how proud we are of our grandmother. She's got twelve grandkids. She is truly a
matriarch in every sense of the word. >> Bill Cook: I, for several years, have considered
Theodosia as being the true lifetime achievement in preservation not just in Arkansas but throughout
the South. >> Theodosia Nolan: I didn't know that it
was actually historic preservation. But when my mother took me to the tours in Natchitoches
and Natchez, Mississippi, we went every spring when they had the tour. And I was fascinated.
And then in Natchitoches, actually, it was my grandfather's house. And I used to visit
there when I was a little girl. And as I got older, I started looking around at the house,
and my aunt took--took wonderful care of it. And it was beautiful, beautiful faux bois
doors, and I thought this house is so wonderful, but I would do this, and I would do that.
Even when I was twelve years old, I was thinking what I would do to that house if I had anything
to say about it, you know. >> Tom Whithead: The spirit of preservation
to me is more than just bricks and mortar. To me a better, broader term is stewardship.
The concept that preservation is really preserving the past now. Stewardship to me means preservation
now but also for the future. You're planning ahead for what's being done today to last
a lot longer. >> Theodosia Nolan: Cherokee, my grandfather
bought it from the French family in 1870. In 1837--it's the first record we have, first
deed we have. And the architects that have been there, been up in the attic, they say
that it was built much earlier than that, probably between 1800 and 1810. But it was
very simple. The three barns are still there, and the barn is older than the house. And
they made that Civil War picture, the horse soldiers was--some of the scenes were around
that barn. We have a farm on the Mississippi between Lake Village and Tallulah. It's a
wonderful place, and there is a--a part of the property is called El Dorado Plantation,
and there's an enormous Indian mound just right in the middle of a cotton field.
>> Bill Cook: There’s a lot to be said about Theodosia as the preservationist. But there
wouldn’t be preservation if it wasn't for her involvement in the arts, her work on the
Arkansas Arts Council, her continued giving, the family home place that was designed by
Charles Thompson. She was very influential in giving of her time, her efforts, and her
money to the preservation of the John Newton House, which was built between 1845 and 1850.
>> Theodosia Nolan: It's almost--it's almost just self-explanatory, you know. That it's
just important to preserve these places you live in and own, buildings that you're interested
in. It's just very important. >> Bill Cook: She has always been there, and--and
thirty years ago when I became involved with historic preservation in Arkansas, I was told,
"Call Theodosia Nolan and ride with her to the first annual meeting for the Historic
Preservation Alliance." >> Peter D. Tattersall, Jr.: All the work
she's done these--they're not just houses here--Cherokee. They're--they're homes. And--and
they're so many--if the walls could talk, it would be fascinating. She took me and my
cousins to Cherokee since--literally since the cradle.
>> Theodosia Nolan: Well, I have a little five-year-old grandson who's very curious,
a little precocious, and he would listen to everybody giving tours in the house, and he'd
walk around, and if they would describe an object, he would hold it up. And he told the
people, they were starting up the steps, and he said, "Excuse me." I said, "Well, Davis,
what are you going to do?" I said, "Don't be impolite." He said, "Excuse me." He slapped
the wall. I have left the bousillage plain, so people could see what it looked like. He
said, "You think this is concrete, don't you?" He said, "It's not. It's not concrete. It's
bousillage." >> Tom Whithead: Well, the efforts of Theodosia
to make Cherokee not only a place of today in preservation but the concept of preserving
it for future generations. That insurance that what she is doing today is not just for
today but is for the future. The idea of the stewardship is what makes a Cherokee experience
to be so special. And Theodosia Murphy Nolan to be truly a treasure, maybe of Arkansas,
but we certainly think she's a treasure of Cane River and Louisiana as well.
[Music continues to play] [Video ends 00:31:10]
[Applause] >> Frances Ross: A treasure to the state and
to the region and here to accept the award, the Parker Westbrook Award for Lifetime Achievement,
[clears throat] for his mother is William Nolan.
[Applause] >> William Nolan: Thank you, Frances. Set
this. First of all, thank you, Bill Cook and Peter Tattersall and Tommy Whitehead, for
that fabulous acting job in the movie. [Laughter] We really appreciate it. You know wouldn't
it be wonderful to be ninety-three and to be admired and loved like Theodosia Nolan?
It's almost unbelievable. Theodosia is doing relatively well. She's ninety-three years
old, and she really wanted to be here tonight, but she just couldn't quite do it physically.
But one of the last things she told me was to be sure and send her love to everyone in
this room. If she were here, I think the first thing that she would do would be turn to Frances
and John in the Alliance and say, "Thank you very much for the honor," and she wouldn't
forget Catherine Johnson, who worked so hard to make this evening successful. But all the
time she would be thinking, "Why all the fuss about me? What have I ever done to be recognized?"
But as we know, that's Theodosia Nolan. She would also thank everyone in this room who's
taken time out of their lives to come tonight and to support the cause of historic preservation.
And on a personal note, I look out and see many friends of mine, and Bob and Charlie
Nolan have done the same thing. And we personally appreciate all of you coming tonight. And
while this is not about El Dorado tonight, another thing Theodosia would do would be
to thank those from her part of the state that are coming after her with the torch of
historic preservation, carrying on what she and others started. And many of them are here
tonight. We have Richard and Vertis Mason, who were recipients of this very same award
by you guys a number of years ago. There's Bill Cook. There's Edwin and Diane Alderson.
Many, many more. Doctor Daniels and his wife Camille are here. And these people are here
to carry that torch forward. And she wouldn't forget those wonderful companies headquartered
in south Arkansas that mean so much to our community, and many of them are here tonight.
Okay, let's--let's change the tone a little bit. We're gonna have a quiz, short quiz.
Theodosia is a beautiful name, and how many in this room know where the name came from
and what it means? Raise your hand if you do. Chip, what, tell us.
[Chip Murphy answers in the background] >> William Nolan: Chip Murphy is absolutely
correct. The name is a Greek word meaning "gift from God," and if there was ever a person
that that name applied to, I think we could all agree that it's Theodosia. But you know
this stately and magnificent woman that we just saw on film we all know today, she was
not always like that. [Laughter] In fact, when she grew up and, of course, I wasn't
there, [laughter] I was told that she was always different--that she was a trendsetter,
that she had an adventurous spirit--and would give me an example. The different part--she
was raised during the roaring twenties when anything went, when jazz and swing and pop
music were alive and all of the communities, and could she listen to that? No. Basically
from the time she was born she was raised on classical music, on Brahms, Beethoven,
and Mozart. And even before she realized it, she had been given her first lesson in history
and how important it is and how meaningful it is. Adventurous? I--I think you would say
so. When she was twelve years old, she drove her mother, her brother, and her sisters from
El Dorado all the way across Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado to Colorado Springs in an old
open-air Lincoln touring car. [Laughter] And just think--now that was 1929. [Laughter]
And--and just think what your daughters and granddaughters are doing now at twelve. Even
better than that, when she was sixteen, she learned to fly and soloed in an old World
War I open-cockpit biplane airplane. [Laughter] And for about three, four years, she flew
all over the south in her own plane, which was a Fairchild 24, until she met William
Nolan, who swept her off her feet, married her, and pun intended, clipped her wings.
[Laughter] She took her first trip to Europe about sixty years ago when the rubble of World
War II was still evident in many of the places that she visited. For you history buffs, she
crossed on the original Queen Elizabeth, which has just been reconverted back from a troop
ship to a passenger carrier again. And she returned on the fastest ship at that time
to ever sail the seven seas, the USS United States. And for the next sixty years, she
basically traveled constantly to the four corners of our globe with whoever she could
convince to go with her--family, friends, tours, you name it. And it was certainly during
this--this time period that she developed and refined her feeling of the importance
of history for all of us, whether we know it or not, and why it's important to preserve
it. Just a couple more thoughts that I'd like to leave you with. If you think about the
time when she grew up, there weren't many options available to women. I think had she
been born and raised forty, fifty years later she probably would have been a high-powered
corporate lawyer. Or maybe an investment banker. Or, David Wood, maybe an executive officer
of the company that she founded, Murphy Oil Corporation. She founded the company with
her brother and her sisters. But those avenues were mostly closed for her that time as they
were for other women. And really it's been very fortunate for us because she was able
to turn her attention to such fields as historic preservation. And just as an aside, there
were others like her in south Arkansas and El Dorado that did the same thing. One was
her dearest friend, Johnnie Murphy, Chip's mother, and the other was a person known to
most of us, Bibba Pruet. They did basically the same thing. There--one final thought that
I would like to leave you with about Theodosia and having been honored to see and visit with
her almost daily, and it's sort of a personal thought. But to me if anyone has ever captured
the essence of aging gracefully, it would be Theodosia. And if we all think about it,
the human condition's really not all that great at any age and especially if you're
ninety-three years old. You have to learn to cope with a lot. But to me, Dosia, as you've
heard her called, that's a nickname given her by her grandchildren decades ago, has
truly found the secret. And this is it in my view: she never thinks about herself. She
never thinks about her aches and pains, which are many, unless she's really forced to do
it. She's always looking outward. She's always looking forward. She's always thinking of
others and what she can do for them. And it might be a kind note written to a friend in
that elegant longhand that she still has. Or it might be a container of homemade soup
delivered to a shut-in. Or it might be a few dollars given to, discreetly, to someone in
need. And John and Frances, probably, certainly, surely her thinking about and planning her
next historic preservation project. So that's the Theodosia Nolan of today. And from all
of us who have been fortunate enough to know and love her for so many years and whose lives
have been blessed by her, we just say for her to the Alliance thank you very much.
[Applause] >> John Gill: Bill, thank you very much. Tell
your mother that we missed her. Tell your mother that we're grateful for what she's
done. Tell your mother we're thankful for the example that she has given all of us.
And when we leave here tonight, friends, take with you a little bit about what you've learned
tonight about how to be a great leader and how to be a great person. The education for
me in this whole process has been pretty good, too, because I didn't realize until I saw
the film that you saw what Tommy Whitehead said. And I want you to think about that as
well. That this whole concept of preservation is about stewardship. It's about holding what
is dear and keeping it for the next generation. I also want you to tell your mother that--what
Frances Ross has already said. That, because of your generosity, because of your presence
here tonight, and because of Theodosia Nolan, the Alliance has established the Arkansas
Preservation Foundation because of Mrs. Nolan and because of you. And that let's this organization
go to new heights to be able to do new things. Let me tell you about one of the new things
this organization did this year, which is a leap out from where we've been. We actually
took title to a piece of property and then turned it over to a developer which will very
soon be open on Main Street, Little Rock. That's the kind of thing that is new in historic
preservation, particularly for an organization like this. And that's what I think you'll
see more of, and I hope you'll be a part of it. Now I've said this before, and I think
it embarrasses Vanessa. But I'm going to say it again. Vanessa McKuin is the heart and
the soul and the face, the pretty face, of historic preservation in Arkansas. In just
a short period of time, she has raised the level of awareness of historic preservation
and for the need of preserving our heritage. In just two years, little over two years,
she has taken the reigns of this organization to new highs while at the same time training
a new husband. [Laughter] This job requires her to step into city halls and other places
where other people have sometimes forgotten about preserving our heritage. And these are
sometimes hostile environments. When you start talking about "don't tear down that building,"
you can ruffle some feathers. But Vanessa is polite and handles it with courage and
determination. And when you work closely with someone as I have for the last year, you get
to know them pretty well. And I can tell you that Vanessa loves history. Vanessa loves
her work, and Vanessa loves this organization. This meeting would not be complete without
hearing from our leader. And it is my very great privilege to introduce someone I admire
and respect, the executive director of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas,
Vanessa McKuin. [Applause]
>> Vanessa McKuin: Thank you, John. Wow, this is a big crowd. This is really exciting [laughs].
I want to start by thanking each of you so much for being here tonight and for sharing
in this very festive celebration of Theodosia, of the wonderful projects that we've seen
tonight, and of the beginning of our thirtieth anniversary of--of preservation in Arkansas.
There are a lot of people that I need to thank, and you've heard a lot of--a lot of thank-yous,
and that's because there were a lot of people that have been involved with this, with making
this event possible. I want to thank Catherine Johnson of Catherine Johnson and Associates
for her tremendous work in helping plan this event. I also want to thank my administrative
assistant, Leslie Fisher, who is fairly new to the Alliance and kind of jumped right in,
and she's done a tremendous amount of work in--kind of in the back wings. I also want
to thank W. L. Cook, who I know as Billy, my former Sunday school teacher [laughter].
Bill Nolan and Susan Clark of El Dorado, and thank you so much to the Murphy-Nolan family.
It's really been wonderful to--to be able to engage with your family and to get to visit
with--with Theodosia, with your mother, aunt, grandmother, whatever she is to you. You're
a wonderful family, and we thank you for--for letting us celebrate Theodosia. And thank
you so much for your generosity. As--as Frances and--and John have mentioned, we are able
to start the Arkansas Preservation Foundation because of this event. And it's just a tremendous
milestone in the--in the next phases of the Alliance. We want to thank you. Thank you,
Ethel Goodstein-Murphree, who couldn't be here tonight because of illness. But she was
the elect--award selection committee chair. And to Aaron Ruby for the beautiful slideshow
that you saw. Cary Tyson and Patri--Patricia Blick for helping put together this wonderful
program that you see on your tables. And to David Pryor and Frances Ross and John Gill,
thank you for lending your voices and your wonderful faces to this event. Your--your
presence here really makes--makes it--it a wonderful evening. Please forgive me for anybody
I've left off. I'm sure I have. The next little announcement I get to make is just kind of
a fun thing. And I'm sure all night you've been admiring the beautiful art glass pieces
at the center of your tables. These are all handmade, blown and turned by James Hayes
at his studio in Pine Bluff, which happens to be on a historic dairy farm, which is very
neat. But we want to, in order to show our thanks for your generosity and for your support
of this evening and of the Alliance [clears throat], we would like for one of each of
you at each table to take one of these beautiful pieces home as our thank you. And the way
that we're gonna do this [laughs]--if--if you haven't grabbed a program already, you
might want to go ahead and grab one. If you look in the inside flap of your program, inside
cover, the bottom right-hand corner, if you have a little red dot, you are the lucky winner
[laughter and conversation among audience members] of one of these beautiful pieces.
[Applause] >> Vanessa McKuin: [Laughs] Oh, sure. Okay.
Okay, okay. I will, I will. All right, I know you're all excited. [Laughs]
>> John Gill: [Unclear words] >> Vanessa McKuin: I know.
[Laughter and conversation continues] >> Vanessa McKuin: Okay, no fighting over
them. [Laughs] And James Hayes, I'm not sure if he's here. Are you here, James? He might've
had to leave a bit early, but he was here earlier, and we--so we thank him so much for
these beautiful pieces. They're really--they're Arkansas treasures as well. He's--he's a wonderful
Hendrix alum. I know we have a lot of Hendrix folks here tonight and--as I'm an alum. So
I just want to thank all of you so much for helping us kick off this thirtieth anniversary,
and Diane Alderson is looking at me to tell who my grandparents are [laughs] because I
actually have an El Dorado connection, too. And I was telling somebody earlier. El Dorado
is a place that I've spent so many summers at the Presbyterian Church and Bible School
that it feels like home, and I feel--anytime I hear El Dorado, I kind of feel like, oh,
somebody, you know, we're--we're family. My--my grandparents, Bob and Wanda Ragsdale are here.
[Laughs] Anyway. [Applause]
>> Vanessa McKuin: So I want to thank you for--for helping us kick off the thirtieth
anniversary in this really festive way. And--and Senator Pryor mentioned the--the Arkansas
Preservation Conference, which will be happening in May, May 5 through 7. And you actually
have a--a schedule of upcoming thirtieth anniversary events, which I invite each of you to attend
throughout 2011 in your program. But I want to call your attention to one in particular.
On May 5, we will be celebrating the founders of the organization, our founding president,
Parker Westbrook, Carl Miller who’s also here, and Bobby Roberts and Charles Witsell
at a founder’s lunch on May 5. So I would love to see everybody here--everybody there
as well. And we'll continue the celebration throughout 2011. Also I wouldn’t be doing
my job if I didn't make a personal appear--appeal to each of you who are not members of the
Alliance to--to join the Alliance. We are a membership organization, and we re--we rely
the wonderful, wonderful members that we have to help us with our programs and outreach
throughout the state. So there are some--some very nice blue membership brochures out on
the table if you have a chance to pick one up, please. And you can become part of this
community that is helping to preserve Arkansas's rich heritage. I want to just sort of leave
you with one parting thought that you've heard tonight about Theodosia Murphy Nolan's lifelong
dedication to preservation of the treasures to Arkansas and treasures of the South. And
the projects you've seen here tonight all represent the wonderful work being done today,
hard work, by a lot of people to preserve the places that are touchstones to our Arkansas
heritage. And I want to, again, congratulate all of the award winners and thank you for
your hard work and dedication to the places that matter to Arkansas. The projects that
you've all seen tonight, I think as of--as you've heard, demonstrate Mrs. Nolan's philosophy
that preservation is about more than just saving old buildings. It's about the importance
of history to our communities and to our families. And it's about saving the distinctive places
that make Arkansas and the South unique for today and for the future. So thank you again
for helping us celebrate the wonderful work and the people who are committed to preserving
the places that matter to Arkansas. Have a good night.
[Applause] >> John Gill: Thank you very much, Vanessa.
Thank each one of you as you leave tonight. Keep in mind that you are stewards of our
heritage. Good evening. [Applause]
[Silence] [End of Transcript 00:52:34]
[Transcribed by Meredith Martin-Moats] [Edited by Sheila Czech]
[Edited by Susan Kendrick-Perry] 2