[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 23 (Wednesday, March 6, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E277-E278]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          A NATIONAL TREASURE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. MIKE ROSS

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 5, 2002

  Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I wish to honor and congratulate a good friend 
and constituent on a well-deserved recognition for his unique and 
exemplary commitment to preserving our nation's architectural and 
cultural heritage.
  For over 30 years, Parker Westbrook has dedicated himself to 
promoting the preservation and rehabilitation of countless buildings, 
parks, museums and monuments throughout the nation. In Arkansas, he is 
affectionately and aptly known as ``Mr. Preservation.'' An active 
member of many states and local preservation foundations, commissions, 
and councils, Parker's efforts can be observed in numerous places 
throughout the state, perhaps most notably in the historic town of Old 
Washington, Arkansas, which briefly served as the state capital.
  Parker spent many years in Washington, D.C. working here on Capitol 
Hill for several members of Arkansas's congressional delegation. His 
contributions to historical preservation began in 1968 while he was 
serving as an aide for the last United States Senator J. William 
Fulbright. At that time, Parker purchased and restored an old Quaker 
cottage in Waterford, Virginia, for which he received the Excellence in 
Restoration award from the Loudon County Chamber of Commerce.
  His passion for restoration and preservation continued when he 
returned to Arkansas in the mid 1970s. In the 1980s, he helped create 
the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas and helped pass an 
initiative that provides over $3 million per year for preservation in 
the

[[Page E278]]

State of Arkansas. Later, President Clinton appointed him to the 
National Park System Advisory Board and twice named him to the 
President's Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
  Friends and colleagues described Parker as dedicated and committed to 
``volunteerism.'' His leadership in preservation serves as an example 
to all of us at a time when our country faces new challenges that 
demand greater community involvement and public service.
  Fittingly, in honor of his decades of work and dedication, the 
National Trust for Historic Preservation has recently bestowed upon him 
the prestigious National Preservation Award and declared him a 
``National Treasury.'' Parker Westbrook is a ``national treasure,'' a 
true champion of a noble cause. His accomplishments will undoubtedly be 
admired and appreciated by this and future generations for many years 
to come.

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