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| Arkansas Department of Heritage | |
|---|---|
| Name | Arkansas Department of Heritage |
| Formed | 2019 |
| Preceding1 | Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism |
| Jurisdiction | State of Arkansas |
| Headquarters | Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Chief1 name | Stacy Hurst |
| Chief1 position | Secretary |
| Parent agency | Office of the Governor of Arkansas |
Arkansas Department of Heritage The Arkansas Department of Heritage is a state-level agency charged with preserving, interpreting, and promoting the cultural, historical, and archaeological heritage of Arkansas. The agency oversees a network of museums, historic sites, archives, and preservation programs that connect Arkansans and visitors with the legacies of figures such as Bill Clinton, Clara Barton, Johnny Cash, Maya Angelou and events including the Trail of Tears, the Battle of Pea Ridge, and the development of Little Rock Central High School. It partners with institutions like the University of Arkansas, the Arkansas State Archives, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, and national entities such as the National Park Service and the Smithsonian Institution.
The department was established as a distinct cabinet-level agency following administrative reorganizations that separated heritage functions from tourism and parks. Its formation traces institutional antecedents to the Arkansas Arts Council, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, the Arkansas State Archives, the Old State House Museum, and the Historic Arkansas Museum. The lineage includes programs created in response to federal legislation such as the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and state initiatives following incidents like the preservation campaigns for Central High School National Historic Site and the commemoration of the Civil Rights Movement in Little Rock. Leadership transitions have included secretaries and directors drawn from backgrounds at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, the Clinton Presidential Center, and academic posts at the University of Central Arkansas.
The department is organized into divisions that mirror long-established institutions: the Arkansas State Archives division, the Arkansas Arts Council division, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program division, the museums and historic sites division which includes the Old State House Museum and the Delta Cultural Center, and administrative support units interacting with the Arkansas Legislature and the Office of Personnel Management (Arkansas). Each division coordinates with state boards such as the Arkansas Historic Preservation Review Board and advisory committees tied to national programs like the National Register of Historic Places and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Major initiatives include heritage tourism promotion that links to routes and sites such as the Blues Highway, the Delta Cultural Center, and the Civil Rights Trail; preservation grants modeled on federal programs administered through the National Park Service; and arts funding administered in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Southern Arts Federation. Educational programming reaches classroom curricula influenced by standards from the Arkansas Department of Education and teacher workshops informed by collections at the Clinton School of Public Service. Archaeological stewardship intersects with projects at Toltec Mounds State Park and collaborations with researchers from the National Geographic Society and the Society for American Archaeology.
The department houses the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), which administers nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, oversees compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 Section 106 review process, and collaborates with federal agencies like the Federal Highway Administration and the Army Corps of Engineers. The SHPO maintains inventories of properties ranging from antebellum homes tied to figures such as James Bowie to industrial sites associated with Wal-Mart origins and the Timber industry in the Ozarks. It supports rehabilitation projects that follow standards promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior and engages with the Historic American Buildings Survey.
The department operates and partners with a constellation of museums and historic sites including the Old State House Museum, the Delta Cultural Center, the Heifer Village and Global Village, the Henderson State University Historic District, and smaller interpreters such as the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home and the P. Allen Smith Garden and Home initiatives. These venues interpret themes from the Civil War and Reconstruction in Arkansas to Blues music and river commerce on the Mississippi River. Exhibits often feature archival materials sourced from the Arkansas State Archives, oral histories collected with the Library of Congress Folklife Center, and rotating shows in partnership with the Museum of Modern Art and regional museums.
Outreach programs connect with communities across regions including the Ozark Mountains, the Delta, and the Ouachita Mountains, and engage constituencies such as Native American nations like the Cherokee Nation and the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; African American heritage groups tied to the National Museum of African American History and Culture initiatives; and Spanish-language and immigrant communities. Collaborative festivals and commissions include partnerships with the Arkansas Minority Health Commission, the Arkansas Humanities Council, local historical societies, and arts presenters such as the Arkansas Repertory Theatre and the Little Rock Film Festival. The department supports youth programming connected to institutions like the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of the USA.
The agency’s budget derives from state appropriations authorized by the Arkansas General Assembly, competitive grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and gifts coordinated through foundations such as the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and private donors linked to the Clinton Foundation. Governance includes oversight by the governor’s office and statutory boards appointed under provisions of state law, with auditing and accountability coordinated with the Arkansas Legislative Audit division and compliance reviewed by the Arkansas Ethics Commission.
Category:State agencies of Arkansas Category:Historic preservation in the United States