Monticello Live

The Ridgeway Hotel Historic District at Monticello in Drew County is one of 10 Arkansas properties that have 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 this week.

MEDC Director Truman Hamilton welcomed the proclamation, by saying, “We’re very happy with the honor, and are very optimistic that the Ridgeway Hotel Project will be funded,” speaking about the $4.8 million project to renovate the old, vacant structure into sr. citizen housing units.  Hamilton added that the Ridgeway Project could, “jumpstart the rehabilitation of Downtown Monticello.”

Monticello historian, Sheilla Lampkin added, “I’m thrilled that the property was recognized by the National Register, and look forward to the possibility of our goals being recognized with the building being used as a housing development.”

Mrs. Lampkin added, “It would be wonderful to see life brought back into the old, historic building that was such a large part of Monticello life, at one time.”

The Ridgeway Hotel Historic District at 200-206 E. Gaines St. features three buildings constructed between 1912 and 1958.

“The Ridgeway Hotel, the Building at 202 East Gaines Street (Pool Hall) and the H. M. Wilson Building, collectively known as the Ridgeway Hotel Historic District, are significant for the district’s association with the commercial development of Monticello during the Great Depression,” the National Register nomination says. “The historic district is also a fine collection of early 20th Century commercial buildings with Mediterranean, Italianate and Classical architectural influences.” 

The Mike Meyer Disfarmer Gravesite at Heber Springs in Cleburne County, Earl Building at Morrilton in Conway County, Arkansas 289 Bridge over English Creek near Mammoth Spring in Fulton County, Southwestern Proving Ground Building No. 4 near Hope in Hempstead County, Ephesus Cemetery near Emmett in Nevada County, Little Rock to Cantonment Gibson Road-Fourth Street Segment at Atkins in Pope County, Block 35 Cobblestone Alley and West Seventh Street Historic District at Little Rock in Pulaski County and Illinois River Bridge at Phillips Ford near Savoy in Washington County also were listed on the National Register.

For more information on the National Register of Historic Places program, write the AHPP at 1500 Tower Building, 323 Center St., Little Rock, AR 72201, call the agency at (501) 324-9880 [TDD 501-324-9811], visit the AHPP’s Internet web site at www.arkansaspreservation.org.

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.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 at 4:59 am and is filed under Announcements, MEDC. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.