The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received recognition for its contributions to preservation education through the Center for Arkansas History and Culture’s (CAHC) interactive map, which chronicles more than a century of Little Rock history.
The CAHC was awarded the Outstanding Achievement in Preservation Education Award on Jan. 31 at the annual Arkansas Preservation Awards dinner at the Robinson Center in Little Rock.
The award celebrates significant contributions to historic preservation in Arkansas through educational initiatives. It was presented in honor of the Mapping Little Rock History Project, an effort launched in October following six years of collaborative work by more than 50 individuals.
“UA Little Rock’s Mapping Little Rock History Digital Humanities Project is enhancing our knowledge of the capital city’s growth and development using a wide variety of media types from multiple sources, all geolocated on maps to make it easier for people to understand our history in time and space,” said Rachel Patton, executive director of Preserve Arkansas. “I am a map nerd, so I was thrilled to see the collection organized in this way! And every teacher should know about the lesson plans – what a valuable teaching tool for educators and our next generation of Arkansas historians!”
The annual awards are organized by Preserve Arkansas, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and rehabilitating historic places that hold cultural and historical significance across the state.
“We are very grateful to Preserve Arkansas for this award, which highlights the impact and quality of the project,” said Dr. Jess Porter, director of the Center for Arkansas History and Culture. “This project reflects the dedication of an amazing team at the center, along with private partners who brought this vision to life. There’s nothing else like it in Little Rock. It’s one of the best resources for learning about the city’s history.”
Funded by two National Endowment for the Humanities grants totaling more than $375,000, the Mapping Little Rock History Project provides an immersive platform to explore the city’s historical growth and transformation.
The interactive website offers access to a vast collection of historical documents, photographs, maps, and multimedia content from 1880 to 2014. It is a valuable resource for students, educators, historians, urban planners, architects, engineers, and community members seeking to understand Little Rock’s evolution better.
“This project is versatile and accessible,” Porter said. “It’s useful for everyone—from students writing a master’s thesis and teachers designing classroom assignments to architects researching original building plans and community members exploring local history. The project has improved accessibility to countless records, as everything is now available online. Any Little Rocker, Arkansan, or history enthusiast anywhere can read documents like the 1975 board minutes from the Little Rock School District, along with thousands of other historic records.”
The project was made possible through partnerships with several organizations. Key collaborators include Few, the Arkansas Economic Development Institute, and the UA Little Rock CRUX Lab, which helped develop the website. Archival materials were contributed by the City of Little Rock, the Central Arkansas Library System Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, and the Central High School National Historic Site.
“This recognition reflects the hard work of many individuals and organizations passionate about preserving and sharing Little Rock’s rich history,” Porter said. “We are excited to see how this resource continues to educate and inspire.”