United Stntea Depaflment OF the Errtsrior National Park Service

,ational Register of Hlstoric Places Registration Form 7hhfwm I r f o r ~ In n0m-w ~ w r H ~ W ~ l n t k r # d r l ~ l b l l l t y f # l v d M d d ~ ~ d k a l e b . k l ~ n m t k r r l In 1Lr CwnpkDhp M a w -I Fomw (Nmthal R@HH Bulhtln 10). COmplrtr w h C(mm by rnark l~ "x" In th m r l m l a bQX or by rntmrlw ttn urq& lnbmution. H MI kern- not rppbte th pmprr~l #ng boEunnnlrd, wbr "W Iw "m WlC.M.." For f u d w . w, nut.rl.I8, and rnar of Jpnrhanca, enter mly t h clt.gorkr a d r w h ~ m Ihtd In Uw I m b n r . For rddltlonrl rpr# ulr oontlnrrrtion 8hmm (fm tb000a). Tw rll mntnn.

1. Nmme of Property hlrtorFe name Lamar Porter Afl;.?tic Field other namddrlt@ number

city, town Little Rock n/a rtwl, Arkansas -0 AR mun~ Pulaski ood, 11 Z t D W d @ 72205

3, Clrr8lll~rllon Omnrrlhlg ol Property Clltrgory of Property Number d Rwurorr mhln Prop@

prfvate 1 Pi bulldhg(8) Contrlbutlnl Hom~~ntrlbutlng publlo-Id d btrlct bulldlngr publlcmStaC mltm - mltos publlMdsrrl rtfuerun - 1 ,rtrocffrm

objbct - 5 2 ob)rar 6 - 2 Total

al dried rnuttlplc pmpwty Ilrtlng: Numkr of oontrlbutlng moumm pnvlarnly NIA IldM In tha Nstlonrl Regirtor h/*

- 4. StstslFedsraF Agency Cstt lflertlon

AB the dmdgnated ruthorlty under Zha Nadonrl HLnorlc P n ~ r m t l w l Aet of 198&, an rmndod, I hmby olfltfy that thll 2)i Inornlnatlan requasr IW dat8mlnatlon of JQlbillty ma&# thr .docummntmtlon rtand~rde for mglrtrrlng proprrllml in tha

t toflh In 36 CFR Part @O.

'"n-m%- 90 Date

6. Nmt lo~ l Park Sewfee Csfilllcat Eon I, hersby, wrtity that this prbpsrty 18:

e n ~ m d In th Natlonal P - , dsr. continuation rhw

ndatermtned sllglble for rj NstlMld Register. ~ s l m h r , ~ m b n ~ W I . :i:emlned not aligible for the

r!dlond RaglEitar. w

RECREATION AND CULTURE/ s~orts fa-

OTHER: WPA Construction

Materials (enter categories from instructions)

fwda~,, concrete walls concrete

=

B ~ e e cmtimrstian sheet

6. 8tammsnt of Slgnftlcmncs Csrtltying ofliclal lsas cbnaldered the slgntfkanes of thh In rdatkn to other -lea:

D~tkxlalb Qscat~m~de alocatb

Amm ol SlgnHimca (wrlw caMgwh hwrn h s f m h s ) ARCHITECTURE

AreMtscrrsuRdw Works Promess Admin istrs tion

State slgnlkance of property, and )ustWy mfteria. M e omsbret)ons, and emas and psrEods of rlgnHicancs noted m.

9. Major Slblloplraphlcal Rsfennms

PWku8 dwurnantatlon on Ifk (NP8): npn l l rn lnay dmmlnmtlon nf Indkldurl ltrtl6g CPR (l7) hu b r t rquntmd

R pnvl~umly llrtd In thr Nltlonal Rlrghter pnvlourly datmrrnlmd rllglblr by thr N8tlond Rmglsbr dnlgnr td I, Natlonrl Hlatorie bndmrrk. w a r d e d by Hlrtorlc Ammrlcrn BulldEng8

. - t ~ e v N o r t h v e s t e t o i -. streets, thence It-esterly one bbck t o the Northeast corner of Seventh and Brown, thence NortherIy to-a point formed by the intersection with a perpendicular line running dong the South edge of Sixth Street, thence Easterly to the intersection with the western edge of Johnson, thence Southerly to the point of beginning. (NW 114 of NE 114 of SE 1 /4 of Section 5 , Township 1 North, Range 12 West, Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas,)

a s w #mtlmr.tlon Ihmt

This boundary includes all of the property bistorfcally assodated with this resource.

11. Form Pnpamd By mmf i l t i e t l a rk Chrirt. Publicfnformation O f f i w r -

organIzotIon r kansas H i s t o r i c P c e s e r v a t f s n date n ~ + aan rtw & numbsr 225 East Mixkhan. S u l t ~ 3 0 0 1 . 1 . ~ h w ( 5 0 1 j - 9 3 4 6 CQ Little Rock atatr 3 . rlp d 72201

Wnfted States Departmsnt af the Interior National Park Sewice

. lational I of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

7 1 Saction n u m b Page

Summary

Thc h m r PMH Athletic Field includes a steel-beam suppo~ p o d a n a t e p d s t a n d with zgasomy laid cubblcstone walkways in tb: southcast corner of the property and dong tbe mt-base h e on the cast side of the field Thm is a masonry laid fieldstone warn f~untain with a low, threc-scctioncd waU rsllfiwnding it and a ooncrtte and fieldstone W a g e culvert mwwsed by a e bxidge just outside the west side fence. The field is munded by mtains a non-contributing batting cage on the cast side of the fieEd a m W-u VI-IICIS ~1 the northeast corner.

fieldsto a chain- s ,.**A.

me and ,link fen ., Lf-#.-

mmt ce and ( LA- :-

Elaboration

The tamar Pmm Atblttic FieId is a regulation-sized basebdl field with an angular W-shaped plan and a steel-kam mrpporzecE, pwre8 concrete gmdsmd to whish m m recent wooden benches have been added and a metal shed roof. There is an access b a y and catwalk on

k the west end of the gmdstand The entrance faces southeast and has slant-roofed interior hallways heading east and north. A concession stand, bathmum, equipment mms and drtsshg rrxnns lie off of the hallways.

t A field of ~nasonry laid cobblestone lies befm he ensiancc elevation. Uasomy laid cobblestone walks follow the fmt- and third-base lines on the cast and south sides of the baU€leld.

The entmcc elevation includes an archad tunnel e n t r a ~ x with a centrally pivoted chain-link door and glazed b h k tiIe on zht lower @on.

The original dugouts on the south and east legs of the grandstand have beta filled in witb cinder blmks and lam d d d sM-roofed buzlpem sit on the field in front of those positions.

A conmete and fieIdstonc M g fountain sits new the nonhst amer of the field. lt is wrromded by a Iow concrete and stone wall that is separated into t h segments.

On the west end of the fieI& OlptPidC the lefi-field fenct, is a p m d -te culvert with masonry set fieldstone walls. It is travetsd by'a masmy arch bridge about mthirds of the way to Brown Street.

UnRad Stutsa Department of the Interlor National Park Service

.Jational Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

8 1 m i o n number Page

summary Critdon C, local significancc

Tbc Lamar P m Athletic Field is ;a regulation baseball field featuring a red-barn mppmd, p ~ d conme grandstand that sunrives in its migind location as the earliest site associated with tbc Boys' Club in Little Rmk

Elaboration 1

The Boys'CIub movement starud in 1860 with the founding of the Bashaway Boys' Club, which provided supervised after-schml acdvities and leadership training for disadvantaged h y s in W o r d , am. Thaz club, and all those that followed, were "dedicated to helping boys h o m e productive, responsible citizens" by fmching g d citizenship, pmicipating in community and youth kztemlent campaigns, and through tlctivi.tits messing physical fitness md mental and manual skills. The clubs, which remain nonsectarian in mnaol, leademhip and m m h h i p , art typically located in .or ntar densely populated mas. Membership fees are kept low so no boy will k turned away fm lack of money.

h 1906, 53 separate: dubs moss the U.S. joined together as the Boys Qub Federadon of M c a The name of the group was changed to the Boys' Club of hueria in 1931, and that organization was fmmally c h m d by Congress In 1956. W e they s h e a national identity, a h individual Boys Club is guided by Its own bard of directors. The national hadquartets is in New York City; them are eight regional offices that guide and assist Iwal operations,

Lide Rwk's Boys' Club has its roots in 8 "Newsboys' Club" foundad m u d 1912 when a group of young mcn Id by TJ. Craighead h w c d lmal YMCA faditits on Wdnesday nights xo help Imal "heroes of the s e t s " seek better lives. Up to 150 "urchinsH showed up to use be Y facilities most Wednesdays. (Clraighcad, the h t executive director of the Little

I Rock Boys' Club, remained m i v t in the organization throughout bis Me, finally miring as a regional d k m in 1959.)

The "Newsboys' Club" then kcme tfie "Citizenship Club," a group d c c h ~ ~ I to "bemtng smt boys of the city," and from this organization nht Little Rock Boysmub was h.

The Little Rock Boys' Club officially btgm July 14, 1914, when an orgmimtiond m b g was held Thru meeting was suptrvisbd by John Melpofdtr, who had managed the Indianapolis Boys' Club for seven ytars.

There was a trtle n d for a Boys' Club in Link Rack which factd a grwving juvcniIt delinquency problem in the absence of mandatory schooling and adequate recreational facltitics, (It. was not until 1917 Ahat the Statt of Arkansas pwtssed a man- schml law. That law

UnRed State8 Department of the Interfor National Park Senrice

.lational Register of Historic Places t Continuation Sheet

Section number 8 2

Page

reqnircd parents or guardians of children aged 7 to IS to send their children to a public, private or pmhiaf school fur at least 314 of dx length of the mnmm schml term in the disaict in which they resided or h e a $10 fine for tach violation. 'Weak-minded" children and those whose hbr was ncctgsary for the support of a widowed &er were exempt from the provisions of thc law.) Lx>cal youths "had formed gangs and were commitring depdations here and there," including gambling, dsinking and petty thitrwy.

Aftcr the club w&s organizad, volunteer workers sought to btfdcnd the gangs of rambuctious youths, The youngsters were initially guspicious, but gmdudy came ;to accept membtrship in the club and to invitt their friends take par^ in activities.

After getting the y m g gang m e m h to come te the club, the voIunteer workers would break the youths up Inm teams, which would then dect captains and engage in "games of ma@ and skill with other groups."

"In other wetds, they u- the very gangs htu which the boys- had f d tbtmse1ves and through the use of the leach properly d h c t d the adtivities of thc gang members, thus welding with force the same m p o n which the b y s had used to hams society," an Arkansas Democrat areicle explained.

The club was an immdiate success, h m society's point of view. Thc Id probdw officer mpmed n 50 perccnt drop in juvenile delinquency after the first monh the program was h qxmition.

'Xhc Boys' Club had a financially shaky first yew, but the locaZ Elks Ldge stq@ in the second and proposed to finance the club for a year. Aher that, it apparently was =If- sustaining through dues, fund-raisers, and donations.

By 1916, the Boys* Qub o f f d an employnmt bujeau that helpad m t m h find jobs and p r i n ~ g equipment that enabled the youths to issue publicahis.

The Littlc Rock Boys* Club grew rapidly. It left its miginid homt gt tht old Presbytmim Church at Fifth and S( t916 and m a d to the Fulk Building at 317 West Markham, where tfiert would be )ace for its I50 mwlbtrs. By 1921, it was hoping to acquire

1 tven lmgm quarters that w w d allow lodging of somt boys. The club had grown "ftom a small organization with PO bquipnmt md a few boys to an, organization with equipment fos carpentry and, printing classes, a splendid library, weU-cquipped meeting and game nmm and a complete gymnasium" It had 6511 m e m b .

In 1924, the Boys* Club q u i d the Concdh Club at 8th and Scott, buying the 30,000- square-foot structure for $42500 in donated funds. Boys' Club oEcials, who had m e . some

Unhd Stat- Department of the fnterior National Park Service

,Vattonal Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

8 Section number

3 Page

1F p n W mh away far lack of gpact at thc piEviws facilities, p d i c t e d the new site wodd allow mtmbwship of up to 1,500 children.

The Concardia Club buiIding was razed by f%e in 1929, but undaunted Qub leaders vowed so build a new one an the aarm site. The strumire was finished by 1931, Ysing $150,000 in funds donated in what Executive Director J.W. 'BiIly" Mitchell described ss "one of the first, black bepression years," The original Little Rock Boys' Club, later mnamed in MitcheU's honor, rtmaind in that building until moving to facilities adjacent to the Eamar P m Athletic Field in 1978. building was designed in a Colonial Revival sryle by the Thompson, San&rs and Ginmhio pamenhip in 1930. It was listed on the NationaI Register of Historic Places 12s22r82 as part of the Charles Thompson thematic listing.)

W e the Little &k Boys' Qub was the fixst in the RdasEd Csunty, others foU& A North Little Rwk Boys' Club was affiliatzd in 1923; nlnt years Iam it had acquired spacious rtccommodations at 419 1i2 Main S w t and basted 7W tnernkrs. By 1967, there were three clubs in Little Rwk Tbt original, at 801 Scott;, the South End Boys' Club at 721 W. 33rd; and the h b a r B o y s w u b at 1624 Ringo. There were two clubs in Nonh Little Rock: The North Littfe Rock Boys"ub at 13th and Main and the East End Boys' Qub at 5th and Palm

b By 1979, !he t b c Urtle Rmk Boys' CIubs had msved to their present Icmtims: Buy Mtche11 Boys' Club, built in 1978 at 3107 W. Capitol; James H Pcnick Boys' Club, also built in 1978, gt 1201 kisurt. Lane, just west of University Avenue on 12th SWC and William E. Thrasher Boys' Club, which opened in 1972, at 3301 S. Statc. The Mitchell Club had 2-80 mcmkn, Penick had 1,084 and Thrasher had about l,W membtrs. 'The moves reflect the clubs' decisions to follow growth patterns and move tn residential arcas when the boys are," a 1979 newspaper article explained

One of hllwcther events of the early y m of &e Uttlc Rock Boys' Qub wats consauction of the h m a r Pozter Athletic Field.

Lamar P m was tht m OfMr. d Mrs, QL. Parccr oflittle Rock, h Aug. 17, 1913. He was educated in Little Rock's pnbb schools, attended Little Rock High Schml, and graduated from Sewance Militmy Academy in Tennessee in 1932. P m was a jnniur at Washington and Lbe University in Virginia when he was Wed May 12, 1934, in m automobile accident between Lexingbn md Smunton, Va.

The h d for r k ball field, which is loeaobd in what was then wtsm Little Rwk, was donated to the Little Rock Boys Club on the first h v e r s q of his death, which coinddentdg fell on Mothds Day. The donors mme Porter's mother, his aunt, Mrs. JD, Jardan, a d his bruther, Jim S. Porter.

Unlted State8 Department of tha Interlor National Park Senics

Aational Register of Hlstoric Places Continuation Sheet

Tbc 10-am plot is by Capital Ave, on the n a h , B m SM on thc west, Johnson S m t on the east and Seventh Smet to the south. It is located i~ an a m that w a s targeted for park puposes in a 1930 plannjng survey by John NoIen, a mtionally r e n o d city p h e r and landscape architect who was dismayed by thc lack of mmational facilities in Ijstle Rock. It lies about one mile the 1936 population centm, which Nolerr said was

I iwad at Twelfth and Batmy Streets. When the donation was madc, the Little Rwk Boys' Club m e d 2,554 b y s and 739 girls, who were to k p t e d use of the facilities at ceztain times.

Consmction on the field by the federal Warks Progess Administration btCgan in Fall 1934, and it m k 18 months foc the complex rn reach mp1etion. It tmk 400 wwlrmtn "stvetal weeks" to clear ms, stump and underbrush £ram the w& site; a p.mment mew of la) workmen labored on the project the mnahder of the th. The project was deemed finished Apnl22,1937, though work still remained on levelling tennis courts and cleaning the grounds.

The total cast of the project was; $122,244.53. The f & d p m m e n t prwided $108,710.82 for the project.

When the complex was complete, it held a lighted mftball d i m d with m-d wiring, four lightad tennis courts, a regulation baseball diamond, a 1,500-seat grandstand complete with club rooms, shower and 1- rooms, =st m and a concession atand It was k t used by Boys* Club teams in the summer of 1936; by 1937, it was also k ing used by City Leagues and American Legion ocams.

The pperty also held aa apparatus m a with wings, sl idts and jungle gyms; a slnall chilchn's play area that included h m & , small slides and kindergarten tables; a play area

I) for older children with facilities for bandcrafts and quiet games; and other anas with COW .

for shuffle bard, marbles, h m e shoes, handball, volley bd, and table termis, as well as picnic areas md a "stage far dramatics."

The field was lighted for softball, but the h night heball was held at ramRr Porter Field in August 1941. (Yomg's Tm of North Little R d beat Craig" sf little Rock, 3-2.) This game was considered an q m i m n t since the field was lighted for softball only. h 1949, the field was lighted for baseball. The Wwld Series of Softball was held thm fiat year,

Throughout its history, the Little Rock Boys' Club pmiuced'some outstlinding ballplayers, including New York Y a - s catcher and manager Bill Dickey and Pat Seeey, an outfielder with the Chicago White SOX M y one, homer, played at lamar Porter Athletjc Field - the outstanding Baltimore Moles third bastman and Hall of Fgme m t m k B m k s Robinson.

UnRd State8 Dspattmsnt of the Interlor National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

8 5 W F o n number Page

Qn the d o n of the 50th mmiversary of the Boys Clubs of Ammica, m Arkansas D c m t editorialist m u d "Nobdy b o w s how many youngsters these clubs have saved from misspent, unhappy lives. The numkr must be very p a t . " Thc little Rock Boys' Club, which tmk juvenile delinquents ftom the s t m t and instilled in them the W s of hard work, fair play and good citizenship, did its s h e in proving that mtemcnt.

The Lamar Porter Athletic Field, as thc only site ~~g h m tht early d a y s of the Little Rock BoysTIub, is most closely asswiarcd with the roots and bIstwy of hat group.

Untted State8 Department of the Interlor National Park Service

,Jational Reglster of Historic Places %ontinuation Sheet

C 9 1 W i o n number R -

k d o n , Dr. Dallas T., Annals of Arkansas 1947. Tie Historical Word Association, H o p k i n d s KY, M e Rock, AR P. 406.

Who Was Who in America, Vol. 1, 1897-1942. The A. N. Marquis Co., 1942, Chicago.

Little Rock Associated Amatem, Baseball Encyclopedia of the Ijtt3t Rwk City h g u t 1928- 1957, pamphlet by R&rick N. Dew.

Wd Or* Boys' Club to nigh^" July 14, 1914 Arkansas De-t

"Boys Club Issues New Publication." Aug. 13, 1916 Arkansas Gazette. I

"LEttlt Rock Boys' Club One of the Most h p s s i v e in Sovtb, to f i v e New Home." Noy. 6, 1921 A r h s a s Dcmocfat

"New Laal Boys' Club" July 27, 1924 Arkansas Dmmat

"North Sidle Boys' Club Boon a> P m t s as Well as Youngmfs." Aug. 21, 1932 Arkansas Gazette.

7amr Pmkr Athletic Field, Gift to Club in Tribute to His MtmoryP May 12, I935 Aikansas Gazem.

Wig PIaygrwnd far Boys' Club as Memorial to Lwal Youth," May 12, 1935 Afkmsas D e m t.

"Mcwrrial Athletic Field of LinZe Rock Bays' Qub is Now R d y fur Use," May IS, 1937 Boys Club Bdetin.

L "Greater Little Rock Boys' Clubs Exemplify American Idta of Molding Natim's Y d n March 27, 1949 Arkansas Gazette.

'Arbmas Bays' Clubs Celebrate 50th YaL" Jan. W , 1956 Arkansas Demmt

UnRad Status Qepartmant of the Interlor National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

9 2 -Ion number Page

"50th Year of Boys' Club." Jan. 36, 1956 Arkansas Dtm~crat,

b Tive W k i Boys'Clubs Pmvide Plan Designed for Juvenile Decency." April 9, 1967 Arkansas Democrat'

"One of Founden of WE BoysWub, Its 1st Diaps By for Vis i~" September 19, 1967 Arkansas Gazette.

"Boys' Qubs at LR More Than Just Rmwion." Jan. 14, 1979 Arlcansas Gazette.