Preserving Batesville's Legacy

The Batesville Preservation Association was founded in the early 1980s after Lyon College history professor Dr. Daniel Fagg proposed such an organization at a meeting of residents in the city's historic neighborhoods. Residents responded enthusiastically, forming a Board that drew up by-laws and began planning activities to protect, preserve, and encourage investment in the city's historic properties.

 

Early successes included nominating areas for listing as National Register Historic Districts—one commercial and one residential; petitioning the City Council to rezone two residential neighborhoods to permit only single-family residences; and publishing a 91-page book titled Historic Homes of Batesville, Arkansas, featuring images of dozens of homes along with historical and architectural notes. These early successes, along with ongoing activities over the decades, have made Batesville one of Arkansas's premier communities for historic preservation.