BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) – An Arkansas panel has recommended that a Confederate statue remain on the National Register of Historic Places even after it is moved from a public space to private property.
The statue of an unnamed Confederate soldier has been in downtown Bentonville since 1908 and listed on the national register since 1996.
On Wednesday, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program State Review Board voted unanimously to support keeping the distinction after it is moved, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
The Arkansas division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, which owns the statue, announced in June that it would be moved to James H. Berry Park following discussions with community leaders. A move date has not been announced.
State Historic Preservation Officer Stacy Hurst will send the recommendation to the National Park Service in Washington, D.C. Approval normally takes 30 to 45 days, Melissa Whitfield, spokeswoman for the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, has said.
She warned that moving a monument could cause it to lose its listing because the context of place is often what qualifies it for the register.
“We want to follow the process correctly to protect the historical significance,” said Joey McCutchen, who represents the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
Any move could affect the monument’s integrity, specifically with respect to its location and setting, according to the National Register of Historic Places’ continuation sheet submitted to the state.
The relocation of this statue comes at a time when efforts to remove images and symbols of the Confederacy are taking place across the country. Shame of Bentonville, a local group, protested for the monument’s removal.
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