Preservation & Tourism News for Lake Village & Chicot County

The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, in a press release, announced Lake Village’s downtown has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.  On Saturday, April 9th at 11 a.m., AHPP will hold its Walks through History program in downtown Lake Village.  Lakeport will also be open following the Walks through History program.

DOWNTOWN LAKE VILLAGE LISTED ON NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
       LITTLE ROCK—The Lake Village Commercial Historic District at Lake Village in Chicot County has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the country’s official list of historically significant properties, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program Director Frances McSwain announced today.
      The Lake Village Commercial Historic District – which is bounded by Lakeshore Drive, Jackson Street, Chicot Street and Church Street – features buildings dating to around 1906.
       “The district reflects the growth of Lake Village as a nucleus of commerce and trade in southeast Arkansas,” the National Register nomination says. “As the county seat, Lake Village is a center for local government and the Chicot County Courthouse is a cornerstone of the downtown commercial district. The Lake Village Commercial Historic District contains 38 buildings and one monument.”
       The AHPP is the Department of Arkansas Heritage agency responsible for identifying, evaluating, registering and preserving the state’s cultural resources. Other agencies are the Arkansas Arts Council, the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and the Historic Arkansas Museum.
On Friday, February 18th, the Delta Byways held their 11th Annual Delta Awards in Forrest City. Lake Villagers were dominated for two awards; Brianne Connelly of Lake Village was nominated for the Tourism Support Award and Lake Village Mayor JoAnne Bush was nominated and won Tourism Person of the Year.  
Tourism Person of the Year Winner JoAnne Bush with family and supporters from Lake Village 

Brianne Connelly, Tourism Support Nominee, with James Bacon  
  
11th Annual Delta Awards for Tourism Achievement
            The 11th annual Delta Awards recognizing tourism achievements in Eastern Arkansas were presented during festivities Friday evening, February 18, at the Forrest City Civic Center in Forrest City, Arkansas.  The event was sponsored by Arkansas Delta Byways, with support from the St. Francis County Museum and the Forrest City A & P Commission.
           
Finalists for the awards were as follows, with the winner designated by an asterisk:
                  1.      Media Support Award                       
          Cross County Historical Society Newsletter, Wynne
          *Delta Crossroads Magazine, Piggott, Rector, Manila and Trumann
          Rob Johnson, Forrest City Broadcasting
2.         Hospitality Award                              
            Edwardian Inn, Helena
            *Lake Poinsett State Park, Harrisburg
            Paragould Community Center, Paragould
           
3.         Entrepreneur Award                                                  
                        ASU Farmers’ Market, Jonesboro
            E. J. Miller, Colton’s Steak House, Marion
           *Periwinkle Place, McGehee
           
4.         Tourism Support Award                     
            Brianne Connelly, Lake Village
           *Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Little Rock
           Scott Lane, Dermott
           
5.         Festival/Event of the Year 
                        Blues on Broadway, West Memphis
                        Loose Caboose XXI, Paragould           
                       *Tour duh Sunken Lands Harvest Ride, Dyess, Lepanto, Marked Tree and Tyronza
           
6.         Boot Strap Award                                                       
                        Dyess Days, Dyess
                       *Main Street Paragould’s Holiday Traditions, Paragould
            McGehee Historic Depot, McGehee


7.         Promotional Award                
            Arkansas DeltaMade Artists – Betsy Brackin, Norwood Creech, Suzanne Churchill,
                 Edward Wade and Nancy LaFarra Wilson, All Counties
           *City Branding Programs, Blytheville, Helena, Paragould and West Memphis
           Bike Crowley’s Ridge, Mississippi River Trail
           
8.         Outstanding Member Award
                        Linda Hinton, Tyronza
           *Sheilla Lampkin, Monticello
           Vicki Trimble, Lake Frierson State Park, Jonesboro
9.         Cultural Heritage Award                   
            *Exploring the Arkansas Frontier, ASU Museum, Jonesboro
            Civil War Helena, Phillips Helena
            Parker Pioneer Homestead, Harrisburg        
           
10.       Tourism Person of the Year Award   
           *JoAnne Bush, Lake Village
            Rosalind O’Neal, Marion
            Munnie Jordan, Helena