Crawling around the attics of historic buildings and recommending rehab options is just one facet of the job for Frances “Missy” McSwain, director of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP). In the same day, she may also discuss historic preservation tax credit projects with federal agency types and speak at press conferences with mayors and high-level officials.
In the 26 years she’s served as director of the AHPP, she’s had a hand in a number of Arkansas preservation projects, including Lakeport Plantation in Chicot County; UofA’s Carnall Hall; the Jacob Wolfe House in Norfolk; the addition of the Governor’s Mansion Great Hall; and numerous county courthouses.
Additionally, she maintains a historic property of her own in Lonoke, an 1885 Folk Victorian home she bought from her grandmother in 1989. She’s the fifth generation of her family to live in the home, which claims a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.
McSwain is being honored with the Parker Westbrook Award for Lifetime Achievement at the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas’ upcoming annual preservation awards. Below, learn more about McSwain’s passion for preservation.
Soirée: As director of the AHPP, what exactly do you do?
McSwain: I manage the AHPP, an agency within the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Our mission is to identify, evaluate, register and preserve the state’s historic and cultural resources, and we seek to instill a preservation ethic in future generations of Arkansans. We also house the Main Street Arkansas program, which works with local communities to revitalize downtown commercial areas.
S: What should we know about preservation in the state, but probably don’t?
M: Preservation is just another word for conserving the precious resources of our historic neighborhoods, commercial and municipal buildings, bridges and more. We hear a lot about “sustainability” these days, but there are few things more sustainable than maintaining our historic neighborhoods and downtowns. After all, the greenest building is the one that’s already built. People also may not realize the economic impact of historic preservation. Arkansans spend $74.5 million each year rehabilitating historic properties. Historic rehabilitation supports 1,523 jobs annually; adds $40.9 million to the yearly income of Arkansas families; and generates $3.3 million in state and local tax revenues each year.
S: What is the role of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas (HPAA) in the state, and how does your agency interact with the alliance?
M: The HPAA re-connects Arkansans to our heritage and empowers us to save and rehabilitate historic places. The alliance also advocates for policies that help property owners restore historic buildings; it was the lead advocate for the State Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit. In addition, the alliance is part of a coalition that helped pass the Real Estate Transfer Tax, the revenue source for the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council. That is the only dedicated public funding source to preserve and enhance Arkansas’ priceless landmarks. The funding through the ANCRC has had a major impact on my agency’s ability to support preservation in communities all over Arkansas and has made a major difference in a lot of projects, from Johnny Cash’s Boyhood Home, to the State Capitol Dome.
S: Tell us more about the HPAA Preservation Awards, at which you’ll be honored.
M: The Arkansas Preservation Awards program is really about celebrating the hard work and resources that go into saving Arkansas’ history and the people and organizations that preserve these places. The proceeds allow the HPAA to continue to educate Arkansans about the state’s important historic places and to advocate for tools and resources that help property owners and communities save the places that matter to Arkansas.
Arkansas Preservation Awards
When: 6 p.m., Friday, Jan. 10
Where: Clinton Presidential Library
Tickets: Beginning at $100
Info: 372-4757, www.PreserveArkansas.org