Title: Evangeline Archer's Letters to the Editor and Such (1955 – 1979) – Part 1 of 5

Letters to the Editor can reveal the heart and spirit of a person and remind us of the issues of the day. This five-part series contains many of Evangeline Archer’s Letters to the Editor. All are from the Northwest Arkansas Times.

Oct 17, 1955
[Longitudinal Slums]
To the Editor:
(extracted from the end of her letter)
No criticism is here intended of the well-run and attractive places of business which are appearing in such numbers, nor of the improved highway facilities so necessary for increasing traffic.
But can anyone deny that some stretches of our highways are “longitudinal slums,” made so by junk yards, billboards, and the willful destruction, for no reason, of areas of beauty?Or does anyone feel that we have made full use of the advantages which nature has so lavishly provided?
Sincerely,
Evangeline Archer

May 1, 1959
[Treeless Paving]
To the Editor:
(excerpts from her letter)
I’d like to express for my mother, Mrs. Pratt, her appreciation of the interest shown by hundreds of people in her dogwood tree. Most of the visitors found their way to the tree without difficulty, but some, I’m afraid, did not; my apologies to those I could not reach to tell them. Being traffic director to the tree kept me busy for days, but it was a welcome task. I recommend association with a tree for meeting nice people.
The thought naturally followed that there probably is a tremendous amount of unheard and unfelt interest in civic beautification, and that if Fayetteville could set itself, as one of its goals, that of becoming the most beautiful town in the area and work toward that goal for a period of, say, 100 years, it could become famous in that state, and even in the nation.
The problem of the destruction of civic beauty may seem insoluble, but I do not believe it is. The trouble comes, it seems to me, in thinking of business and beauty as being incompatible, and in the short-sightedness of some subdivision developers.
Quote: “How many acres of solid paving can a community stand without loss in property values? Not loss in beauty alone, but in adverse change of climate in the immediate area – rapid rain runoff, lower water tables? Each new acre of treeless paving is another admission that “progress” and ugliness go hand in hand.”
All this may seem to have no bearing on the dogwood tree, but it has, really.
Evangeline Archer

Mar 5, 1963
[Save the Buffalo]
To the Editor:
Once more the Buffalo River has brought attention to the state of Arkansas in a national magazine – this time Sports Review Fishing.
In the current issue Ben Ferrier calls the river “wild-watered, serpentine, dangerous in spots, hauntingly beautiful. Its unsurpassed scenic grandeur is little touched by the inroads of civilization. The Buffalo needs no more access roads, no playgrounds, no picnic grounds, no concessions. It should be left just as it is. Those who would mutilate, flood out and destroy this priceless last stretch of natural wild beauty in the name of ‘development’ and ‘improvement’ must be stopped before it is too late.”
Ozark Society, Inc.
TO SAVE THE BUFFALO RIVER
Mrs. L. Archer
Secretary

Aug 31, 1964
Ozark Society Re-elects Present Slate of Officers at State Meet
The present slate of officers was re-elected at the annual meeting of Ozark Society held during the weekend at Mather Lodge at Petit Jean State Park. Officers, re-elected by the more than 50 persons attending the conference, are Dr. Neil Compton, Bentonville, president; Craig Rosborough, also of Bentonville, vice president; Geoge Kinter, Fayetteville, treasurer; and Mrs. Laird Archer, also of Fayetteville, secretary.
The assembly room was lined with photographs, pamphlets, and items of information on the Buffalo River, activities of the society and conservation in the state and elsewhere.
Raymond Nelson, superintendent of Pea Ridge National Military Park, was guest speaker and reported attendance at this new park has increased rapidly since its opening and told of plans for its continued future development.
Members of the U.S. Forest Service staff showed colored slides of recent recreational developments within the state’s national forests and related plans for the future.
Blanchard Springs Cavern was described and pictures shown. This extraordinary cavern is not open to the public at this time. Cave explorations by experienced speleologists along the Buffalo River were identified and illustrated with slides.
Representatives of the 11-Point River Association presented a documentary film on the 11-Point in which residents of the area explained their reasons for opposition of the proposed Walter Valley Dam on that river.
National Park Services personnel read the provisions of the bill for the recently established Ozark National Riverways in Southern Missouri which encompasses the Current and Jacks Fork Rivers and explained tentative proposals for similar provisions for the Buffalo.
Three new Ozark Society color films illustrating the Buffalo River, recreational areas in the national forests, and wild flowers of the region were shown.
Dr. Compton spoke on plans for enlarged activities of the society in extended conservation work and the promotion of outings for the knowledge and enjoyment of the Ozark-Ouachita area.

Nov 21, 1964
[Summary of Hearing at Marshall about Buffalo River]
To the Editor:
The hearing at Marshall on Wednesday, held in the large armory building, opened to a full house with many standing. By late afternoon, the crowd had dwindled considerably, with rain and fog making driving difficult.
The dam proponents, represented by numerous individuals and organizations in Marshall, and some from Newton and Searcy counties, expressed largely the point of view that the proposed Gilbert dam would result in economic advantages in employment, industrial development, water supply, and so on.
The economic study made by the National Park Service, was completely discredited by one speaker as of no value whatsoever, and the Ozark Society members as being people of great wealth. Most speakers for the dam were more moderate, dwelling on the present poverty of the area and the prosperity which they expect to accompany the construction of the proposed reservoir.
Representatives of the National Park Service were present to state their recommendation for Buffalo National River and to deny the compromise implied in the public statement made by the Corps. The Bureau of Sports Fisheries and Wildlife and the Forest Service representatives spoke for preservation of the river.
Dr. Neil Compton, for Ozark Society, commented on the three sources of benefit claimed for the impoundment – flood control, power generation, and recreation, calling attention to the map showing reservoirs surrounding the Buffalo area and to photographs of drawdowns on existing reservoirs displayed along the wall. He also spoke for greater consideration for the welfare of those whose farms lie within the area to be flooded.
Dr. Compton concluded with quotations from organizations and individuals in support of Buffalo National River and mention of numerous national, state, and local organizations not appearing publicly, but which have filed statements with the Corps.
Ed Stegner of Kansas City spoke for the Conservation Federation of Missouri, an organization which gave vigorous support to the preservation of the Current and Jacks Fork in Missouri as Ozark National Riverways. Also from Kansas City were representatives of the Ozark Wilderness Waterways Club who commented on the growing scarcity of float streams and wilderness qualities in the entire area.
The League of Women Voters of Arkansas gave a statement for the National Park, as did the Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs, and the State Audubon Society. The Upper Eleven Point River Association, a group of farmers and homeowners strongly opposing the drowning of their property by a dam on that river, was represented by two speakers from Pocahontas and one from Corning.
H. Charles Johnston, chairman of the Little Rock area Ozark Society, addressed his talk particularly to the people of Marshall, pointing out the diversification which Buffalo National River would give to recreational resources and suggesting that another reservoir would fact strong competition, whereas natural rivers are scarce. He also charged the Corps withheld pertinent public information needed prior to the hearing, so that fully informed judgement was not possible from either point of view.
Farmers on the land to be flooded by the reservoir said that, in their judgment, the people of Marshall were the “outsiders,” that they want neither the park nor the dam, but forced to choose would prefer the park.
At several points throughout the hearing Colonel Maynard, chairman, following statements by dam opponents, made his own comments in support of the Corps proposal.
Evangeline Archer

#SaveMarkhamHill #PreserveFayetteville #KeepFayettevilleForested #MarkhamHillHistory

(photo of Buffalo River by Teresa Turk; go to Friends of Markham Hill on Facebook for all photos corresponding to this story)