Ouachita Stories

Abby Turner, a fifth grade student at Peake Elementary School in Arkadelphia, has been named a first-place winner in the “Historic Moment in Arkansas” essay invitational, which was sponsored by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and Radio Disney, according to AHPP Director Frances McSwain.

Abby, age 10, is the daughter of Dan and Cindy Turner of Arkadelphia. She wrote her winning essay about Ouachita’s historic Cone-Bottoms Hall. Cone-Bottoms, which was built as a dormitory in 1923, is the oldest remaining building on Ouachita’s Arkadelphia campus. Completely remodeled in 1994, Cone-Bottoms now houses the university’s Grant Administration Center.

Abby Turner and other winners were selected from among 200 entries from students who submitted 500-word essays on historic Arkansas properties. Essays included information on the property’s history, when and why it was built, and its current function. Radio Disney will present the top winners in each age bracket with an 8G Apple iPod, and interviews with the winners will be broadcast on Radio Disney in December.

The AHPP is the agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage responsible for identifying, evaluating, registering and preserving the state’s cultural resources.