[title subtitle=”words Catherine Frederick with Amy Adams, Executive Director, The Bonneville House”][/title]
In 1974, the City of Fort Smith established a local ordinance to protect and preserve the architectural integrity of the Belle Grove Historic District. The District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, reflects a variety of architectural styles and is the city’s oldest neighborhood. The Bonneville House is located in the Historic District, which covers a twenty-two-block area adjacent to the downtown area in Fort Smith. Do South® reached out to Amy Adams, Executive Director and Funds Development Coordinator, to learn more.
DS: Tell us about the mission of The Bonneville House.
Our mission is to preserve, protect and maintain the Bonneville House and its rich history. In doing so, we can share a beautiful piece of Fort Smith’s history with our local community and continue to provide our community outreach programs.
DS: In what ways is The Bonneville House involved in our community?
We offer many community outreach programs as a way of giving back to our community. Our volunteer program allows students and professional adults the opportunity to network and build on their professional development while serving a good cause. We also support local non-profit organizations by offering our venue for fundraisers at a discount rate. We are involved with our local shelters, foster families, and the Fort Smith Public School System to offer underprivileged children the resources they need with programs like our Back to School Supply Drive and Santa Night.
DS: What are the benefits of membership and how can our readers learn more?
Our members receive rental discounts to use our venue and they also get to attend members only social events. We rely heavily on the funds that we receive through membership each year and thanks to our members we are able to preserve a true icon in Fort Smith history. We have several options for membership from our associate level for college students and young professionals, to our vendor and corporate levels for local businesses. For more information, visit our website, bonnevillehouse.com, and click on “membership.”
DS: Are there volunteer opportunities at The Bonneville House?
Absolutely! We are always in need of volunteers. We have many opportunities for our community to volunteer, both on the front end and behind the scenes. We host around nine community events each year.
