Staff photo

The Fayetteville Historic District Commission this week announced the winners of the 2016 Historic Preservation Awards, an annual presentation honoring projects, organizations and individuals that displayed an outstanding commitment to historic preservation in Fayetteville during the past year.

The 2016 Best Practices Award went to Allison Architects and the University of Arkansas for the Jim and Joyce Faulkner Performing Arts Center project on the university campus in Fayetteville. The Best Practices Award is given in recognition of practice of preservation technique and quality of work in the spirit of the Secretary of Interior’s standards for the treatment of historic properties.

This year’s Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Service in Historic Preservation went to Fayetteville author and historian Tony Wappel for his book On the Avenue: An Illustrated History of Fayetteville’s US Highway 71B. The annual Mayor’s Award honors individuals or projects that display exemplary service in historic preservation and advancing the interest of preserving the cultural heritage and history of Fayetteville.

Wappel, who co-authored the book with Dennis Garrison, is the co-author of the 2008 book, Once Upon Dickson. His latest work is a look at the city’s well-travelled road from the southern city limits near Drake Field all the way up to Lake Fayetteville. The book includes over 1,100 old and new images of 71B (also known as College Avenue), as well as historical tidbits and other artifacts uncovered during research for the project.