13 Jan 2025 Downtown Searcy listed on National Register of Historic Places

SEARCY — Main Street Searcy proudly announces that a significant portion of downtown Searcy was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“The National Register of Historic Places is a program of the National Park Service that is administered in Arkansas by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program,” said Ralph Wilcox, national register and survey coordinator and deputy state historic preservation officer for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. “The National Register is the country’s official list of historic resources that are worthy of preservation, and it’s always exciting when we have National Register nominations under consideration. It allows us to showcase the incredible history of Arkansas, and how the State’s past is reflected in its built environment.”

With the encouragement of Senator Jonathan Dismang, Main Street Searcy executive director Amy Burton started the process of obtaining this prestigious designation. The project soon became a collaborative effort with the Searcy Regional Economic Development Corporation and the City of Searcy. District property owners attended an informational meeting last spring where overwhelming support of the historic district nomination was received. Following almost a year of historic data collection and property surveys, community partners and property owners were notified last month of downtown Searcy’s listing on the National Register. 

According to Burton, being listed on the National Register of Historic Places serves many purposes. “First and foremost, being listed on the National Register will help to preserve our community’s historic downtown buildings and cultural heritage. The listing will also promote the Main Street Searcy district as a unique and historically significant place to visit. Finally, it will encourage building rehabilitation projects and financial investment in the district through historic tax credits and grant funds. For these reasons, this project was a great opportunity for Main Street Searcy to partner with the SREDC and the City of Searcy to accomplish common goals for the continued development in our community.”