Lake Leatherwood Park – Eureka Springs AR

Description

“This nomination seeks to recognize the entire property comprising Lake Leatherwood Park as a National Register Historic District.  Previously, Lake Leatherwood Dam and Recreational Facilities, consisting of the bathhouse and the picnic shelter, were listed individually in the National Register on August 12, 1992.  Since that time, additional AHPP survey efforts through the initiation of the Eureka Springs Parks Commission have revealed a large number of additional buildings, structures, and sites within the park that were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps as well as resources dating before and after the CCC period.  It is being nominated under Criteria A, C, and D with local significance…”

“The Lake Leatherwood Dam and Recreational Buildings were constructed by the Works Progress Administration under the direction of the recently-established Soil Conservation Service with Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) labor.  The work was commenced in 1938 and completed by 1940.  The lake and the associated dam were constructed in part as a recreational project, the point being to create a fresh water lake for canoeing, sailing, fishing and swimming for the local residents; toward that end, the CCC also constructed the bathhouse and barbecue pit approximately one mile to the south, on the lake’s western shore, as part of a picnic area.  However, the Lake Leatherwood dam was also built as a soil and erosion control project, with the goal of preventing the continuing loss of woodland and potential housing sites at the northern end of West Leatherwood Creek.”