Daniels honored at NCQC meeting

By Staff, 07/12/18 9:28 PM

PRESCOTT – Before the July meeting of the Nevada County Quorum Court got started the Jack Daniels Family of Bodcaw was recognized.

Justice of the Peace George Smith recognized the family, presenting them with a plaque, as being ambassadors for Nevada County everywhere they go. Jack Daniels, he said, is a native of Hope, and a pianist and musical director for David Phelps. His wife, Sunny, and their six children, own and operate the Miracle Farm at Bodcaw where they grow organic vegetables and have a Halloween festival each year.

Judy Duke, curator of the Nevada County Depot and Museum, updated the court on the process for getting the old Nevada County Jail on the National Historic Register. She said the building is old enough to qualify and she’s in the process of finding out who the architects were along with the builders. Once this is done, a determination of eligibility will be done with someone from Little Rock coming down within 30 days to physically assess the building and let her know if it qualifies. If it doesn’t qualify for the national register, she continued, it could qualify for the Arkansas Historic Register, which is less stringent.

At this time, the condition of the roof isn’t known, but what’s there is an addition. If there’s structural damage, she said, it would be disqualified for the national register. She said windows have been bricked as well, but the county could get money from the Arkansas Historic Register to put the building in original condition and try to get on the National Historic Register again.

JP Bob Cummins said a lot of cleanup work has been done around the old jail, which has also been power washed and looks better. He said Charlie Lawrence has been contacted to get a bid on the fence to make it look like the one at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission facility in Perrytown.

Lawrence was awarded the bid to do the woodwork and windows, and has been told they have to be in original condition, which means no aluminum or storm windows can be installed. Nevada County Judge Mark Glass said Lawrence submitted a bid of $1,120 for the windows and $3,000 for the fence. There are 14 windows in need of being repaired or replaced.

The question was raised as to whether the concertina wire atop the fence was needed. Larry Miller, chief deputy with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, said it was because the county doesn’t want people getting in and possibly tampering with evidence, or supplies, once they’re stored in the building.