GCHS to hold open house for expansion
The Garland County Historical Society will hold an open house on Thursday to celebrate the successful completion of its “Make Room for History” building expansion project.
The open house, which will be held from 2-6 p.m. at the society’s building,
328 Quapaw Ave., will allow the public to meet the society’s volunteers and tour the enlarged archives building.
The project to expand the building by 1,500 square feet broke ground on Sept. 15, 2017.
The project was funded in large part by a $200,000 grant from the Oaklawn Foundation, which went toward construction costs. The Hot Springs Giving Circle gave a grant for the installation of an ADA-accessible bathroom and plumbing expenses. Local architect David French donated his services, and many people in the community have shown their support with donations.
“We’re very grateful to so many people who made this dream come true, including our project manager, Gary McKuin, Bruce Cozart Construction Co. and David French Architects,” said Liz Robbins, the society’s executive director.
“The expanded building makes it possible for the society to continue to serve the people of Garland County. I hope people come to the open house and celebrate with us,” Robbins said.
Workers were installing brick pavers inscribed with donors’ names earlier this week.
Donors who give $25 to $249 will receive recognition in The Record, the society’s yearly journal; donors who give $250 to $999 will also have an inscribed brick paver in their name; donors who give $1,000 to $4,999 will have a building plaque inscribed in their name; and donors who give $5,000 or more will have one of the movable shelving units inscribed in their name and a building plaque.
“The society has been preserving local history and educating about Garland County’s heritage since 1960, although it had to work from a succession of borrowed rooms until 1999. Since then, the society has had a permanent home at 328 Quapaw. However, the building became overcrowded with the society’s holdings — over 55,000 photographs, numerous newspapers, manuscripts, maps, books, and other materials that make up one of Arkansas’ most outstanding local history collections. Also, the society needed more room for researchers and more workspace to conserve historical materials,” the society said in a news release.
“Thanks to the generous support of many individuals and organizations in the community (including the Oaklawn Foundation and the Hot Springs Giving Circle), the society now has a large archival storage area with movable shelving, more client space in an enlarged reception room, ‘clean’ fire suppression to protect its collections, a handicap accessible entrance and handicapped accessible restroom, more conservation space, and a larger vertical file room,” it said.