Ouachita Stories

Christmas is coming early to Clark County as the Clark County Historical Association prepares to unveil its fifth annual Christmas ornament. A drop-in reception will be held Tuesday, Aug. 9, in Cone-Bottoms Hall on the campus of Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia.

The Historical Association, which designs ornaments of historical Clark County structures each year, is featuring Ouachita’s Cone-Bottoms Hall on the 2011 ornament. Previous ornaments in the series have highlighted the Clark County Courthouse, Clark County Public Library, the old Arkadelphia train depot which now houses the Clark County Historical Museum, and the Captain Henderson House.

The timing of this year’s tribute is especially significant as Ouachita Baptist University observes its 125^th anniversary this fall. The reception, which is open to the public, is being hosted by the Clark County Historical Association. The university’s 125^th Anniversary Steering Committee will provide refreshments.

The Aug. 9 community event will be held in the lobby of Cone-Bottoms Hall from 10 a.m. until noon. Ouachita President Rex Horne will share words of appreciation for the association’s recognition of the university’s historic structure.

Cone-Bottoms, the oldest facility on the Ouachita campus, was built in 1923. Serving as a women’s dorm for more than six decades, it closed in 1985 but was refurbished a decade later and reopened in its current role as home to the university’s Grant Administration Center.

According to a historical vignette by Dr. Ray Granade, which is included with each ornament, the structure was designed by R.H. Hunt and constructed by J.D. Brock at a cost of $125,000. Named in honor of donors W.T. Cone and George W. Bottoms, it was the state’s largest college dormitory at the time, with a capacity of about 120 students.

“Its Greek Revival architecture, especially the front porch’s four Doric columns and two pilasters, seemed particularly fitting for an educational institution,” noted Dr. Granade, director of library services and professor of history at Ouachita.

“The Clark County Historical Association is excited about this year’s Christmas ornament of Cone-Bottoms Hall,” said Bill Phelps, Ouachita’s director of IT Services and past president of the Historical Association. “I hope as many people as possible will join us in this time of celebration and fellowship as we unveil our 2011 Christmas ornament of this beloved historical structure. “

For more information, contact Phelps at 870-245-4552 or [email protected].