GENTRY — Work continues to restore an old house, located at 105 N. Rust Ave., in Gentry. It is currently up on blocks while foundation and utility work is completed.
The W.D. and Kate McGaugh House in Gentry is one of the oldest houses in the city and is in the process of restoration. It was listed in the Arkansas Register of Historic Places in April and is destined to be the future home of the Gentry City Archives.
On April 6, 2015, the old house, viewed as an unsafe eyesore and sentenced to demolition, was granted a reprieve and a new life by the Gentry council. The old house, which was often referred to as the Porter and Bartley property, was donated to the city by Joan L Gould and Jacqueline Gould and was to be demolished, making way for additional parking and possibly a pocket park on the property. But information and a plea from Rhiannon Parker convinced the city council to spare the old house and to authorize Parker to pursue saving and restoring the old home because of its historic significance to Gentry.
The house has a history in Gentry dating back to Gentry's beginning when the railroad was built through the city. As it turns out, the home slated for destruction was built during the middle 1890s and was one of several homes built for railroad workers in the town. Another such home was restored by Rick Parker, Rhiannon's father, and serves as his office. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, something Rhiannon Parker hopes to do with this old house as well.
Parker told the council the old house could be restored with grant funding and might be able to be used by the city for a museum or to house historical archives. She said it might also be used as a starting point for tours of other historic homes and buildings within the city.
The first step, Parker said, was to submit the paperwork to get the old home listed on the State and National Register. With that done, she said the city could apply for and receive grant funding to restore the house. Parker estimated the house could be fully restored for approximately $73,000, adding that there was grant funding available which would likely cover most of those costs.
The house was included on the state register in April, paving the way for the restoration work to begin.
General News on 11/02/2016