State looks at 14 sites as register nominees

HOT SPRINGS — The former Hot Springs National Guard Armory is being considered for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.

The State Review Board of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program will consider 14 Arkansas properties in nine counties, including the armory, for nomination to the register when it meets April 5 in Little Rock.

The former armory, at 210 Woodbine St., is an art decostyle building constructed in 1937- 38. The building is now the site of the CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs Senior Center.

“The Hot Springs National Guard Armory was constructed as one of 17 armories completed as part of a statewide armory building program that was authorized by state Act 271 of 1925 and eventually funded and supported by the Works Progress Administration,” a nomination document states. “The large building was started in 1937 and completed in 1938.”

The other properties being considered for nomination are:

Lake Nixon, the Gay Oil Co. building and Martin Cemetery at Little Rock in Pulaski County;

the Leslie Commercial Historic District at Leslie in Searcy County;

Batesville Commercial Historic District Expansion at Batesville in Independence County;

MacLean Hall at Clarksville in Johnson County;

Home Ice Co. at Jonesboro in Craighead County;

the Leslie Commercial Historic District at Leslie in Searcy County;

Rumph Mortuary, Barton Library and Henley- Riley Historic District at El Dorado in Union County;

Bethel Cemetery near Crossett in Ashley County; m the Vernon Fitzhugh House and Warren Segraves House at Fayetteville in Washington County.

The board also will consider the Superior Savings and Loan building at Fort Smith in Sebastian County, Scott Cemetery near Walnut Ridge in Lawrence County and the Ritter House at Jonesboro in Craighead County for listing on the Arkansas Register of Historic Places.

The Arkansas register recognizes historically significant properties that do not meet national register requirements.