[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9894]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                      TRIBUTE TO DR. RUTH HAWKINS

 Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 
contributions of Dr. Ruth Hawkins, the director of the Arkansas State 
University Heritage Sites program. Her commitment to preservation, 
history, and tourism earned her the Arkansas Historical
Association's Lifetime Achievement Award.
  This is the latest in a list of accolades for her dedication to 
preserving places of historical significance in Arkansas. Her vision 
for telling the story of the State through restoration promotes an 
interest in the history and heritage of Arkansas and the people who 
have been blessed to call it home. She has been called an Arkansas 
preservation hero.
  The Heritage Sites program preserves and promotes significant 
locations in the Arkansas Delta.
  Dr. Hawkins played an instrumental role in restoration projects that 
are putting communities in Arkansas on the map. She led efforts to 
restore and open the Historic Dyess Colony: Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, 
which has made a small town in Arkansas a tourist destination. In the 2 
years since it opened, the site has attracted people from all 50 States 
and about 30 countries. It is helping improve the economy of the 
Arkansas Delta.
  Dr. Hawkins has led efforts to restore other history sites in the 
State include the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Cultural Center in 
Piggott, the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum in Tyronza, and Lakeport 
Plantation in Lake Village.
  Her commitment to preserving historic sites allows Arkansans of all 
ages to experience educational opportunities that would otherwise be 
unavailable. These unique lessons unlock the natural and cultural 
heritage in the region, deepening knowledge and understanding of the 
area.
  I congratulate Dr. Ruth Hawkins on her achievements as the director 
of the Arkansas Heritage Sites Program and her efforts to preserve 
Arkansas's unique history. Future generations of Arkansans and 
Americans will be able to learn about this history of the Natural State 
because of Dr. Hawkins passion for preservation.

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