A $680,095 grant has been awarded to South Arkansas Community College by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council to complete a fourth phase of renovations to the 1922 W.F. and Estelle McWilliams House, located on the college’s West Campus.
Purchased by the college in 2006, the historic home is located at the corner of Summit Avenue and Wesson Street next to the college library. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The restoration project will focus on exterior work, including the replacement of front-porch tiles and roof, the construction of an accessible rear porch, the addition of storm windows, exterior painting and the removal of a separate, dilapidated outbuilding, which will be replaced with an outdoor restroom facility.
Beginning this fall, the McWilliams House will serve as SouthArk’s student activities building, providing space for study and leisure for SouthArk students. Vice President Dr. Derek Moore, noted his appreciation for the ANCRC funding and said, “SouthArk will now have a dedicated location for its student center. Research has shown that increased student engagement can lead to higher retention and graduation rates, in which we will use the student center to help with our efforts.”
By the start of the fall semester in August, the space will be equipped with video-game consoles, pool and table-tennis tables, comfortable seating and a full kitchen. The yard area also be used for outdoor activities.
“With the continuation of funding for renovations at the historic McWilliams House, including the addition of accessibility features, South Arkansas Community College will further enhance student support, engagement and success,” SouthArk president Dr. Bentley Wallace said. “The new facility will be a hub of student activities where a campus culture of learning and respect is mixed with college life and a lot of fun.”
SouthArk has three buildings on its campus listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition to the McWilliams House, the West Campus also is home to the 1905 Thomas Administration Building—the oldest building on an Arkansas two-year college campus that has been used for education continuously—and the 1940 Works Progress Act Gymnasium. Each structure has been restored and rehabilitated with funds from ANCRC, and each contains unique architectural and design elements.
The ANCRC, a division of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, funds projects that protect and maintain state-owned natural areas, historic sites and outdoor recreation.
