The Quapaw Quarterly Chronicle, July 2026

Published July 23, 2026

The Quapaw Quarter Chronicle

Historic Preservation in Greater Little Rock

July 2026

Guests of the 61st Tour of Homes outside the Barth-Hempfling house. Oldest recognized building in downtown Argenta NLR, and now home to the Clements & Associates architecture office.

In this addition;

Committee reports
Development and Membership
Recap of 61st Tour of Homes
Greater Little Rock Preservation Award nominations open
Save the Dates

Committee Reports

Advocacy Committee

QQA Hosts open house at Pike-Fletcher-Terry Mansion after historic property listed for sale.

Listing photo of Pike-Fletcher-Terry Mansion courtesy of Hathaway Group

The Quapaw Quarter Association and Hathaway Group hosted a joint open house at the 1840 built Pike-Fletcher-Terry Mansion on Friday, June 5th, 2026. A public invitation went out to neighbors, preservation professionals, historians, and those invested in the architecture and history of Little Rock. Neighbors walked the halls once again as others reminisced about their memories of weddings, parties, and art exhibits from the homes storied past. The energy was exciting and you could feel the house coming back to life. After years of vacancy, neglect, and a lawsuit- the mansion is ready for its next chapter.

Read more about the history of the Pike-Fletcher-Terry Mansion here.

Little Rock Historic District Commission announces preservation progress in last five years.

On May 19th, the Little Rock Historic District Commission Chair and Vice Chair updated the Board of Directors on preservation progress from 2020-2025. The report boasted the elevated site listing of the Paul Lawrence Dunbar School historic site amongst other accomplishments. The commission received $630,000 in grants over the five year period. Grants funded site surveys, interns, and neighborhood investment.

May 2026 was also the Historic District Commission’s 50th birthday! The HDC was established in May 1976 by City ordinance to enhance and preserve Little Rock’s architectural and cultural heritage for the benefit of the future. May also celebrated National Historic Preservation month and Arkansas Heritage month! The QQA receives a representative spot on the Little Rock Historic District Commission, currently filled by Diane Thomas-Holladay.

Education Committee

2026 Preservation Conversations made possible by Table Setters, INC.

Education Committee hosts second Get to know your Neighborhood: Pub Quiz at VFW Post #1316

George L. Douglas VFW Post 1316 is a historic African American post. Chartered in May 1936, its first commander, George L. Douglas, hitchhiked to D.C. to advocate for their charter. The post has remained active, serving veterans and advocating for their rights for over 90 years. The post currently rents a space in a row of historic commercial buildings on S Arch Street.

Trivia rounds included questions about the Dunbar and Southend Neighborhoods - Little Rock’s oldest black neighborhoods. One round featured questions exclusively about the VFW Post and it’s dedication to the surrounding community. Our Neighborhood Pub Quiz program is built to bring neighbors and locals together to learn some history about the neighborhood they live in. We plan these quarterly and will be headed down to Plaza Frida next, so be on the look out for more information!

Our Preservation Conversation of this quarter featured Dr. Charles Field with his family memoir; Field Notes on Little Rock: History and Memoir, 1622-2024 and was well attended. Our next Preservation Conversation is scheduled for July 28th at the Williams Library. Join the QQA as we partner with the Butler Research Center and discuss research methods and resources for historic properties. Our education programs are all designed to foster education and fellowship among QQA members and supporters. We are excited to explore new educational avenues to bring residents, authors, historians, preservation experts, and artists together, and we welcome member input!

Visiting mid-century America this spring, the QQA partnered with Preserve Arkansas to host Mid-Mod Arkansas: The World of F. Eugene Withrow. The Mid-Mod tour looked at six properties across Little Rock that had been designed by Withrow and closed with a reception at the c. 1960 built Tower Building.

QQA members were invited to tour one of the few remaining Lustron houses in the state. The all-metal homes were built by the Lustron Corporation from 1947-1950 across the united states. They provided cheap and quick builds for new families looking for low-maintenance homes. This program was part of our Members-Only 5H Program: History, Happy Hour, and Heavy Hors d'oeuvres. Support from our membership makes this program possible.

Development Committee

QQA Hosts first Summer Supper at historic Mills-Davis House

The Quapaw Quarter Association kicked off our Summer Supper series at the Mills-Davis House, an Italianate Little Rock home built in 1878. Guests were taken through the house and enjoyed listening the preservation journey of the home from Jennifer Carman. Dinner included 8 small bites from Territorial Arkansas to the present. Thank you to Jennifer Carman and Kat Wilson for supporting this event and providing a beautiful space to discuss Little Rock history and preservation wins. Our next scheduled supper will take place at a private home designed by architect Noland Blass. Tickets available here for Summer Suppers: A Mid-century Dream, happening thursday, September 17th.

Why your Membership Matters

Since 1968, the Quapaw Quarter Association has worked to preserve the historic places and stories that make Greater Little Rock unique. Born from community efforts to protect significant buildings during the urban renewal projects of the 1960s, the QQA has spent nearly six decades advocating for the neighborhoods, architecture, and cultural heritage that define our city.

Today, our work extends across more than 26 historic districts in Little Rock, North Little Rock, and surrounding communities. We serve homeowners, neighborhood organizations, researchers, and preservation advocates by providing trusted guidance on historic rehabilitation, tax credits, preservation incentives, local historic district regulations, and best practices for caring for historic properties.

Historic preservation is about more than saving old buildings. Reinvesting in existing neighborhoods is one of the most sustainable forms of community development. Preservation helps reduce waste, supports local businesses, encourages thoughtful redevelopment, and expands housing opportunities by keeping existing homes and neighborhoods vibrant for future generations. Strong historic neighborhoods contribute to economic vitality, strengthen community identity, and create places where people want to live, work, and invest.

Your membership makes this work possible. It allows us to educate homeowners and community leaders, advocate for sound preservation policies, connect people with valuable resources, and inspire appreciation for the places that tell Greater Little Rock's story.

Every membership helps ensure that our historic neighborhoods remain welcoming, resilient, and thriving, not only for today, but for generations to come.

Thank you for investing in the future of Greater Little Rock through historic preservation.

Thank you to our Corporate Partners

For decades, support from organizations across Arkansas have helped ensure that our neighborhoods, commercial districts, and architectural heritage remain vibrant assets that contribute to the quality of life and economic vitality of Greater Little Rock. We believe historic preservation strengthens neighborhoods, supports economic development, and creates a stronger sense of place. Corporate Partners support our work because they understand the business value of historic preservation and community development. It can also be a great way to advertise your business or organization. Consider joining us today!

QQA's 61st Tour of Homes: Argenta Historic District-Recap

This year, our 61st Tour of Homes was held in the historic Argenta neighborhood in downtown North Little Rock. Argenta welcomed over 700 guests as they toured ten historic properties. The QQA hosted the Candlelight Dinner and Auction at the Sanctuary at Argenta, and a Mother’s Day Brunch at the E.O. Manees House. HydCo Construction shared their newly renovated headquarters, the old North Little Rock Electric Building for the QQA to use as our check-in location. Guests were able to tour the building and were then whisked around Argenta by a swift fleet of golf carts driven by QQA volunteers.

Read more about our 61st Tour of Homes here.

Greater Little Rock Preservation Awards

Instituted in 1980, the QQA assesses and awards preservation professionals, rehabilitation projects, preservation advocates, and other projects for their dedication to Greater Little Rock’s architectural and cultural history and investment to the future of Greater Little Rock through historic preservation.

Nominations for 2026 Greater Little Rock Preservation Awards are now open! Do you know about a preservation project that deserves recognition? Submit a nomination form before September 1st for projects and individuals deserving of recognition and award. Greater Little Rock Preservation Awards will be presented on Tuesday, November 10th at Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. Awards ceremony takes place during QQA Annual Membership meeting. We do not require QQA membership for nomination or presentation of awards, but we appreciate any support to continue our mission of promoting historic preservation across Greater Little Rock.

To RSVP to our November 10th Annual Meeting and Greater Little Rock Preservation awards please click here.

To Submit a nomination for the 2026 Greater Little Rock Preservation awards click here.