https://kiakimamuseum.org/files/original/4b0c4514ee97c3f342d459004cb79b16.pdf 1b3e475663a0b7fe3a9758f5a57ced81 PDF Text Text Old Kia Kima DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. PHOTOGRAPHS: Included in packet HISTORIC DISTRICT NAME: Old Kia Kima ADDRESS: 26 Kolo Dr. Cherokee Village, AR 72529 (Not a valid mailing address) OWNER INFORMATION: Old Kia Kima Preservation Association, Inc. The OKKPA is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit youth leadership and service organization (EIN # 710783653), registered as a Corporation in the State of Arkansas. NOMINATOR: Andrew Schrack - 9275 Ellen Davies Dr. Bartlett, TN 38133 - (901) 489-0406 OWNER PERMISSION: Letter from OKKPA Executive Board attached. CONSTRUCTION DATE: Opened in 1916. Structures built from 1918-1928 CRAFTSPERSONS: Unknown. ALTERATIONS: Camping lodges were restored in 2000. The Thunderbird Lodge was restored in 2002 and required an additional wall to prevent an eventual collapse. All restorations used the original native stones (the majority of the walls were still standing and the rest of the stones were still on the ground) and were completed by Williams Construction Co. Pictures from before and after the restorations are in the packet. SIGNIFICANT FEATURES: The architecture of the camp heavily uses native Arkansas fieldstone for constructing the walls. There are 16 lodges where campers stayed, a Waterfront staff cabin (the Rat’s Nest), and a two-story lodge (Thunderbird Lodge) that was the administration building (now a museum). SIMILAR BUILDINGS: Three other neighboring camps used similar architecture: Kamp Kiwani (a Girl Scout camp), Camp Miramichee (a YWCA camp), and Camp Cedar Valley (another Boy Scout camp). None are still operating and are all private property. A majority of the structures are gone. Pictures are included to compare architecture style. OUTBUILDINGS: Other structures on the property include a dining hall, bathhouse, several pavilions, and a few other “director” cabins HISTORY: Attached. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Deed of Sale from Victor A. Mayberry and wife to Bolton Smith, 11 April 1916, Sharp County, Arkansas. County Clerk’s Office, Ash Flat, Arkansas. Real Estate Tax for Section 9 Township 19 Range 5, 1916. Sharp County, Arkansas. County Clerk’s Office, Ash Flat, Arkansas. Chickasaw Council. Kamp Kia Kima (pamphlet). 1930. Edwin Dalstrom Papers. McWherter Library Special Collections. The University of Memphis. Memphis, TN Chickasaw Council. Report of Committees. 1929, 1938, 1939, 1940. Edwin Dalstrom Papers. McWherter Library Special Collections. The University of Memphis. Memphis, TN Chickasaw Council. Report of Committees. 1928. “Scouts to Fold Tents and Come Home Saturday.” Memphis Press-Scimitar 1927. Clipping: Edwin Dalstrom Papers. McWherter Library Special Collections. The University of Memphis. Memphis, TN Chickasaw Council. The Dedication and Official Opening of the New Kamp Kia Kima (pamphlet). 1964 Page | 1 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility 15. LEGAL PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: Note about the property: OKKPA originally owned four tracts while the Cherokee Village Road and Street, Recreational and Fire Department Suburban Improvement District owned a piece in the middle. In 2007 they traded three tracts north of Kolo Rd in exchange for the tract in the middle (which contained the old Dining Hall). That is why the legal description is broken into two sets. Tract C surrounds the first set not counting a border on Kolo Rd. A part of the North Half of the Southeast Quarter (N½SE¼) of Section 9, Township 19 North, Range 5 West of the 5th P.M. in Sharp County, Arkansas, being more particularly described as follows: Commencing at the NE corner of Lot 26, Block 1 of Kima 1st Addition to Cherokee Village, Arkansas; thence North 45 degrees East 127.19 feet; thence North 35 degrees 32 minutes East 32.00 feet; thence North 86 degrees 38 minutes East 196.84 feet; thence North 75 degrees 58 minutes East 142.85 feet; thence North 33 degrees 41 minutes East 187.59 feet; thence North 56 degrees 19 minutes East 69.87 feet to the point of beginning; thence South 32 degrees 51 minutes 47 seconds East 121.02 feet; thence South 22 degrees 09 minutes 59 seconds East 145.77; thence South 05 degrees 42 minutes 38 seconds East 150.75 feet; thence South 26 degrees 33 minutes 54 seconds East 131.00 feet; thence South 55 degrees 29 minutes 29 seconds East 97.08 feet; thence South 84 degrees 48 minutes 20 seconds East 110.45 feet; thence North 52 degrees 59 minutes 22 seconds East 81.40; thence North 12 degrees 48 minutes 15 seconds East 293.29 feet; thence North 11 degrees 18 minutes 36 seconds West 152.97 feet; thence North 26 degrees 22 minutes 53 seconds West 201.25 feet; thence North 10 degrees 02 minutes West 93.45 feet; thence South 64 degrees 02 minutes West 394.95 feet; thence South 56 degrees 19 minutes West 27.52 feet back to the point of beginning, according to a survey prepared by Willie G. Oyler, filed in Plat Cabinet “C” at page 260. Page | 2 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility History Boy Scouting began in America in 1910 when W. D. Boyce was inspired by a scout he met in England. It quickly spread across the states with the first camp opening in 1911, but it took several years to fully organize into the Boy Scouts of America. The Chickasaw Council in Memphis, TN was formed in 1916 to oversee several Boy Scout troops already present in the area. On April 11, 1916, Bolton Smith, an investment banker in Memphis, purchased 206.28 acres from Victor and Cora Mayberry in Sharp County along the South Fork of the Spring River for $2000 cash in hand. Parts of the original purchase were added on to and sold off throughout the years such as in 1940 when part of the riverfront was sold to nearby Girl Scout Camp, Kamp Kiwani. Bolton Smith was the first President of the Chickasaw Council and donated the land for use as a Boy Scout summer camp. The camp opened that year in 1916 as Kamp Kia Kima with "Kia Kima" being interpreted from the Chickasaw language as "Nest of the Eagles." The deed of Smith giving the land to the Council has not been recovered; however the Sharp County tax records for 1916 show Edward Everett as paying the taxes. Everett was the first Scout Executive (CEO) of the Council and the first Camp Director. Several Kia Kima documents from the 1920s refer to 1916 as being the first season of camp. Originally wooden lodges were built circa 1918 using wood donated by lumber men in Memphis. These housed campers while other lodges on the property housed directors and other staff members. These were later replaced by fifteen stone lodges that were completed in 1927 that form the main part of camp (known as the quadrangle). These were made out of native Arkansas Fieldstone and were screened in with timber roofs. Another stone lodge was donated in 1928 bringing the total to sixteen. In 1928 a two story headquarters building, called the Edward M. Salomon Lodge (and later the Thunderbird Lodge), was built followed by a stone “hospital” in 1929 all in the same style. By 1930 there were 22 permanent buildings on the property and 19 were made of native stone. Other stone structures included the pump-house and the “Rat’s Nest,” a cabin overlooking the river for the Waterfront staff (who were called the “River Rats”). These native stone structures were characteristic of the area and are different than other NRHP architecture examples present in the area. Most modern architecture utilizes the flat faces of the stones in order to minimize the amount of stones used and keep costs down. The architecture at Old Kia Kima instead stacked the stone and it served as the actual wall itself. This made the walls more durable which accounts for why they still stood years later without any upkeep. This stone style was also present at the other three summer camps in the area: Kamp Kiwani (Girl Scouts), Camp Miramichee (YWCA), and Camp Cedar Valley (Boy Scouts, East Ark Council). A few Camp Miramichee structures remain as privately owned rental properties. Camp Cedar Valley and Kamp Kiwani do not exist anymore. Kia Kima is the only one that remains with all the original stone structures restored. Kia Kima was forced to close in 1940 for several years over the course of World War II due to the rising cost of transportation from Memphis. For a few years the Council still employed a Camp Director to live at the camp to maintain it and to facilitate any troops that came on their own. During this time the camp was also leased to the Eastern Arkansas Council to use as their own summer camp, however they then declined to purchase it citing the financial burden it would place on their council. In 1947 a group of ex-Scouts formed the Kia Kima Klub with the purpose of raising the funds to reopen the camp in 1948. Kia Kima reopened with attendance rising greater than ever. Kia Kima had a large impact on the development of the local economy. Hardy grew to prominence as a tourist town and Kia Kima helped introduce thousands of Memphians to the area. It, along with Camp Miramichee, attracted the other two camps (Kamp Kiwani and Camp Cedar Valley) to the area. In the Hardy Downtown Historic District (NRHP #95001121), there is a Hardy History Fence which has a mural depicting Page | 3 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility the visual history of the area. On it Kia Kima is represented by a Boy Scout in a canoe. One of the biggest impacts the camp had on the surrounding area (besides bringing large tourist traffic every summer) was introducing John A. Cooper, a developer from West Memphis, AR to the area. In 1946 Cooper bought land in the area for a vacation home for his family after having previously visited when bringing his sons to Kia Kima. Cooper went on to form the Cherokee Village Development Company in 1953 and began buying a lot of land to rapidly form the retirement community that became Cherokee Village, AR. It could be argued that without Kia Kima, the development of Cherokee Village would not have happened as quickly or even at all. Less than ten years after the opening of Cherokee Village it had already outgrown the area and there was still more demand for houses. John Cooper then approached the Chickasaw Council to propose a land swap for the adjacent Kia Kima. In return he would give a much larger tract upriver and would construct roads, lake, a well, dining hall, administration building, and several other buildings. Cooper reported that the stone buildings at Kia Kima would not be able to be salvaged and moved because of their stone walls. Kia Kima moved and opened in the new location in 1964. Kia Kima is still in operation at the new property today as Kia Kima Scout Reservation. After the original property closed, Cooper developed on some of the outer areas of the camp, but mostly left the main area untouched. The structures fell into disrepair and largely turned into a local dumping ground. In 1993 four former Scouts returned to the old camp and were inspired to restore and preserve it. Boyce and George Billingsley purchased the 43 acres that made up the main core of the camp and donated it to the group which then was formed into the non-profit Old Kia Kima Preservation Association. The OKKPA began restoring the different buildings on the property and opening it up for groups to use. In 2000 the stone lodges were restored using the original stones still found on site. The Thunderbird Lodge was restored in 2002. Engineers advised that the front wall of the Thunderbird Lodge would collapse if an outside support was not added. Therefore a stone semi-circle was added that houses a staircase and was topped with a balcony. This addition still used the native Arkansas fieldstone, but a difference in style is obvious. The original walls have the previously mentioned stacked stone. The addition though uses the modern style of using the flat faces of the stone to form a veneer. This is usually done as it requires less stone is and is less expensive. Other developments to the camp include a new cooking pavilion, bathhouse, and a campfire ring. Most of the structures have been modernized on the inside, but still contain the original architecture. Old Kia Kima has been open for use by youth groups since 2002. Page | 4 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Old Kia Kima Preservation Association Jim Bottrell – President 409 Airway Ln Belton, MO 64012 October 2, 2014 Andrew Schrack Dear Andrew: On behalf of Old Kia Kima Preservation Association allow this letter to grant permission to proceed with registering Old Kia Kima as a historic site with the State of Arkansas. It is our desire to do this. Please, continue with what you are doing. At the September Board Meeting held on September 12, 2014, board member George Clarke Jr made the motion that we pursue this. It was met with acclamation by the members. It passed without any objection. I thank you for your interest in this matter. I appreciate all the time and effort you have put into this. We look forward to future development of it. Most respectfully, Jim Bottrell Page | 5 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Attached Pictures Figure 1 Kia Kima lodges (1929) ...................................................................................................................7 Figure 2 Scouts in front of cabin (unknown?) ................................................................................................7 Figure 3 Kia Kima lodges (1988) ...................................................................................................................8 Figure 4 Kia Kima lodges (1988) ...................................................................................................................8 Figure 5 Cabin 1 (Pre-Restoration) .................................................................................................................9 Figure 6 Cabin 2 (Pre-Restoration) .................................................................................................................9 Figure 7 Cabin 3 (Pre-Restoration) .................................................................................................................9 Figure 8 Cabin 4 (Pre-Restoration) ...............................................................................................................10 Figure 9 Cabin 5 (Pre-restoration) ................................................................................................................10 Figure 10 Cabin Front (2014) ....................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 11 Cabin Corner (2014) ..................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 12 Cabin Side (2014) .........................................................................................................................12 Figure 13 Line of Cabins (2014) ...................................................................................................................12 Figure 14 Cabin Fireplace (2014) .................................................................................................................13 Figure 15 Cabin Inside. Darker boards sitting above the beams are original boards with the original names that were recovered. (2014) ..........................................................................................................................13 Figure 16 Thunderbird Lodge (1929) ...........................................................................................................14 Figure 17 Thunderbird Lodge (1930) ...........................................................................................................14 Figure 18 Staff outside Thunderbird Lodge (unknown) ...............................................................................15 Figure 19 Thunderbird Lodge (pre-1963) .....................................................................................................15 Figure 20 Thunderbird Lodge (1988) ...........................................................................................................16 Figure 21 Thunderbird Lodge (1988) ...........................................................................................................16 Figure 22 Thunderbird Lodge pre-restoration (c. 2001) ...............................................................................17 Figure 23 Thunderbird Lodge (pre-restoration) ............................................................................................17 Figure 24 Thunderbird Lodge (2014) ...........................................................................................................18 Figure 25 Thunderbird Lodge. Note original stacked stonework on the left compared to modern stonework on right. (2014) .............................................................................................................................................19 Figure 26 Inside of Thunderbird Lodge, bottom floor. (2014)......................................................................19 Figure 27 Kia Kima "Rat's Nest" Waterfront Staff cabin. (2014) .................................................................20 Figure 28 Rat's Nest Side ..............................................................................................................................20 Other Examples Figure 29 Camp Cedar Valley staff cabin (1947?) ........................................................................................21 Figure 30 Kamp Kiwani cabins. Renovated into rental cabins after the camp closed. (Memphis Press-Scimitar - 1963) ..................................................................................................................................22 Figure 31 Hardy, AR tourist brochure showing cabins of the same architecture, Unsure of location, most likely Kamp Kiwani. (1939) .........................................................................................................................22 Figure 32 Former Camp Miramichee Dining Hall, now a private rental property (2014) ............................23 Figure 33 Camp Miramichee Staff Cabin, now a private rental property (2014) .........................................23 Figure 34 Camp Miramichee camper cabin, now a private rental property (2014) ......................................24 Page | 6 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 1 Kia Kima cabin (1929) Figure 2 Scouts in front of cabin (unknown?) Page | 7 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 3 Kia Kima lodges (1988) Figure 4 Kia Kima lodges (1988) Page | 8 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 5 Cabin 1 (Pre-Restoration) Figure 6 Cabin 2 (Pre-Restoration) Figure 7 Cabin 3 (Pre-Restoration) Page | 9 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 8 Cabin 4 (Pre-Restoration) Figure 9 Cabin 5 (Pre-restoration) Page | 10 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 10 Cabin Front (2014) Figure 11 Cabin Corner (2014) Page | 11 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 12 Cabin Side (2014) Figure 13 Line of Cabins (2014) Page | 12 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 14 Cabin Fireplace (2014) Figure 15 Cabin Inside. Darker boards sitting above the beams are original boards with the original names that were recovered. (2014) Page | 13 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 16 Thunderbird Lodge (1929) Figure 17 Thunderbird Lodge (1930) Page | 14 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 18 Staff outside Thunderbird Lodge (unknown) Figure 19 Thunderbird Lodge (pre-1963) Page | 15 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 20 Thunderbird Lodge (1988) Figure 21 Thunderbird Lodge (1988) Page | 16 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 22 Thunderbird Lodge pre-restoration (c. 2001) Figure 23 Thunderbird Lodge (pre-restoration) Page | 17 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 24 Thunderbird Lodge (2014) Page | 18 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 25 Thunderbird Lodge. Note original stacked stonework on the left compared to modern stonework on right. (2014) Figure 26 Inside of Thunderbird Lodge, bottom floor. (2014) Page | 19 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 27 Kia Kima "Rat's Nest" Waterfront Staff cabin. (2014) Figure 28 Rat's Nest Side Page | 20 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Other Examples of Architecture Style Figure 29 Camp Cedar Valley staff cabin (1947?) Page | 21 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 30 Kamp Kiwani cabins. Renovated into rental cabins after the camp closed. (Memphis Press-Scimitar - 1963) Figure 31 Hardy, AR tourist brochure showing cabins of the same architecture, Unsure of location, most likely Kamp Kiwani. (1939) Page | 22 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 32 Former Camp Miramichee Dining Hall, now a private rental property (2014) Figure 33 Camp Miramichee Staff Cabin, now a private rental property (2014) Page | 23 �Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Figure 34 Camp Miramichee camper cabin, now a private rental property (2014) Page | 24 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Kia Kima Publications and Papers Description An account of the resource Contains miscellaneous papers and publications by Kia Kima including promotional flyers, Camper Handbooks, staff materials, and program materials. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Old Kia Kima DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY 1. PHOTOGRAPHS: Included in packet 2. HISTORIC DISTRICT NAME: Old Kia Kima 3. ADDRESS: 26 Kolo Dr. Cherokee Village, AR 72529 (Not a valid mailing address) 4. OWNER INFORMATION: Old Kia Kima Preservation Association, Inc. The OKKPA is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit youth leadership and service organization (EIN # 710783653), registered as a Corporation in the State of Arkansas. 5. NOMINATOR: Andrew Schrack - 9275 Ellen Davies Dr. Bartlett, TN 38133 - (901) 489-0406 6. OWNER PERMISSION: Letter from OKKPA Executive Board attached. 7. CONSTRUCTION DATE: Opened in 1916. Structures built from 1918-1928 8. CRAFTSPERSONS: Unknown. 9. ALTERATIONS: Camping lodges were restored in 2000. The Thunderbird Lodge was restored in 2002 and required an additional wall to prevent an eventual collapse. All restorations used the original native stones (the majority of the walls were still standing and the rest of the stones were still on the ground) and were completed by Williams Construction Co. Pictures from before and after the restorations are in the packet. 10. SIGNIFICANT FEATURES: The architecture of the camp heavily uses native Arkansas fieldstone for constructing the walls. There are 16 lodges where campers stayed, a Waterfront staff cabin (the Rat’s Nest), and a two-story lodge (Thunderbird Lodge) that was the administration building (now a museum). 11. SIMILAR BUILDINGS: Three other neighboring camps used similar architecture: Kamp Kiwani (a Girl Scout camp), Camp Miramichee (a YWCA camp), and Camp Cedar Valley (another Boy Scout camp). None are still operating and are all private property. A majority of the structures are gone. Pictures are included to compare architecture style. 12. OUTBUILDINGS: Other structures on the property include a dining hall, bathhouse, several pavilions, and a few other “director” cabins 13. HISTORY: Attached. 14. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Deed of Sale from Victor A. Mayberry and wife to Bolton Smith, 11 April 1916, Sharp County, Arkansas. County Clerk’s Office, Ash Flat, Arkansas. Real Estate Tax for Section 9 Township 19 Range 5, 1916. Sharp County, Arkansas. County Clerk’s Office, Ash Flat, Arkansas. Chickasaw Council. Kamp Kia Kima (pamphlet). 1930. Edwin Dalstrom Papers. McWherter Library Special Collections. The University of Memphis. Memphis, TN Chickasaw Council. Report of Committees. 1929, 1938, 1939, 1940. Edwin Dalstrom Papers. McWherter Library Special Collections. The University of Memphis. Memphis, TN Chickasaw Council. Report of Committees. 1928. “Scouts to Fold Tents and Come Home Saturday.” Memphis Press-Scimitar 1927. Clipping: Edwin Dalstrom Papers. McWherter Library Special Collections. The University of Memphis. Memphis, TN Chickasaw Council. The Dedication and Official Opening of the New Kamp Kia Kima (pamphlet). 1964 15. LEGAL PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: Note about the property: OKKPA originally owned four tracts while the Cherokee Village Road and Street, Recreational and Fire Department Suburban Improvement District owned a piece in the middle. In 2007 they traded three tracts north of Kolo Rd in exchange for the tract in the middle (which contained the old Dining Hall). That is why the legal description is broken into two sets. Tract C surrounds the first set not counting a border on Kolo Rd. A part of the North Half of the Southeast Quarter (N½SE¼) of Section 9, Township 19 North, Range 5 West of the 5th P.M. in Sharp County, Arkansas, being more particularly described as follows: Commencing at the NE corner of Lot 26, Block 1 of Kima 1st Addition to Cherokee Village, Arkansas; thence North 45 degrees East 127.19 feet; thence North 35 degrees 32 minutes East 32.00 feet; thence North 86 degrees 38 minutes East 196.84 feet; thence North 75 degrees 58 minutes East 142.85 feet; thence North 33 degrees 41 minutes East 187.59 feet; thence North 56 degrees 19 minutes East 69.87 feet to the point of beginning; thence South 32 degrees 51 minutes 47 seconds East 121.02 feet; thence South 22 degrees 09 minutes 59 seconds East 145.77; thence South 05 degrees 42 minutes 38 seconds East 150.75 feet; thence South 26 degrees 33 minutes 54 seconds East 131.00 feet; thence South 55 degrees 29 minutes 29 seconds East 97.08 feet; thence South 84 degrees 48 minutes 20 seconds East 110.45 feet; thence North 52 degrees 59 minutes 22 seconds East 81.40; thence North 12 degrees 48 minutes 15 seconds East 293.29 feet; thence North 11 degrees 18 minutes 36 seconds West 152.97 feet; thence North 26 degrees 22 minutes 53 seconds West 201.25 feet; thence North 10 degrees 02 minutes West 93.45 feet; thence South 64 degrees 02 minutes West 394.95 feet; thence South 56 degrees 19 minutes West 27.52 feet back to the point of beginning, according to a survey prepared by Willie G. Oyler, filed in Plat Cabinet “C” at page 260. History Boy Scouting began in America in 1910 when W. D. Boyce was inspired by a scout he met in England. It quickly spread across the states with the first camp opening in 1911, but it took several years to fully organize into the Boy Scouts of America. The Chickasaw Council in Memphis, TN was formed in 1916 to oversee several Boy Scout troops already present in the area. On April 11, 1916, Bolton Smith, an investment banker in Memphis, purchased 206.28 acres from Victor and Cora Mayberry in Sharp County along the South Fork of the Spring River for $2000 cash in hand. Parts of the original purchase were added on to and sold off throughout the years such as in 1940 when part of the riverfront was sold to nearby Girl Scout Camp, Kamp Kiwani. Bolton Smith was the first President of the Chickasaw Council and donated the land for use as a Boy Scout summer camp. The camp opened that year in 1916 as Kamp Kia Kima with "Kia Kima" being interpreted from the Chickasaw language as "Nest of the Eagles." The deed of Smith giving the land to the Council has not been recovered; however the Sharp County tax records for 1916 show Edward Everett as paying the taxes. Everett was the first Scout Executive (CEO) of the Council and the first Camp Director. Several Kia Kima documents from the 1920s refer to 1916 as being the first season of camp. Originally wooden lodges were built circa 1918 using wood donated by lumber men in Memphis. These housed campers while other lodges on the property housed directors and other staff members. These were later replaced by fifteen stone lodges that were completed in 1927 that form the main part of camp (known as the quadrangle). These were made out of native Arkansas Fieldstone and were screened in with timber roofs. Another stone lodge was donated in 1928 bringing the total to sixteen. In 1928 a two story headquarters building, called the Edward M. Salomon Lodge (and later the Thunderbird Lodge), was built followed by a stone “hospital” in 1929 all in the same style. By 1930 there were 22 permanent buildings on the property and 19 were made of native stone. Other stone structures included the pump-house and the “Rat’s Nest,” a cabin overlooking the river for the Waterfront staff (who were called the “River Rats”). These native stone structures were characteristic of the area and are different than other NRHP architecture examples present in the area. Most modern architecture utilizes the flat faces of the stones in order to minimize the amount of stones used and keep costs down. The architecture at Old Kia Kima instead stacked the stone and it served as the actual wall itself. This made the walls more durable which accounts for why they still stood years later without any upkeep. This stone style was also present at the other three summer camps in the area: Kamp Kiwani (Girl Scouts), Camp Miramichee (YWCA), and Camp Cedar Valley (Boy Scouts, East Ark Council). A few Camp Miramichee structures remain as privately owned rental properties. Camp Cedar Valley and Kamp Kiwani do not exist anymore. Kia Kima is the only one that remains with all the original stone structures restored. Kia Kima was forced to close in 1940 for several years over the course of World War II due to the rising cost of transportation from Memphis. For a few years the Council still employed a Camp Director to live at the camp to maintain it and to facilitate any troops that came on their own. During this time the camp was also leased to the Eastern Arkansas Council to use as their own summer camp, however they then declined to purchase it citing the financial burden it would place on their council. In 1947 a group of ex-Scouts formed the Kia Kima Klub with the purpose of raising the funds to reopen the camp in 1948. Kia Kima reopened with attendance rising greater than ever. Kia Kima had a large impact on the development of the local economy. Hardy grew to prominence as a tourist town and Kia Kima helped introduce thousands of Memphians to the area. It, along with Camp Miramichee, attracted the other two camps (Kamp Kiwani and Camp Cedar Valley) to the area. In the Hardy Downtown Historic District (NRHP #95001121), there is a Hardy History Fence which has a mural depicting the visual history of the area. On it Kia Kima is represented by a Boy Scout in a canoe. One of the biggest impacts the camp had on the surrounding area (besides bringing large tourist traffic every summer) was introducing John A. Cooper, a developer from West Memphis, AR to the area. In 1946 Cooper bought land in the area for a vacation home for his family after having previously visited when bringing his sons to Kia Kima. Cooper went on to form the Cherokee Village Development Company in 1953 and began buying a lot of land to rapidly form the retirement community that became Cherokee Village, AR. It could be argued that without Kia Kima, the development of Cherokee Village would not have happened as quickly or even at all. Less than ten years after the opening of Cherokee Village it had already outgrown the area and there was still more demand for houses. John Cooper then approached the Chickasaw Council to propose a land swap for the adjacent Kia Kima. In return he would give a much larger tract upriver and would construct roads, lake, a well, dining hall, administration building, and several other buildings. Cooper reported that the stone buildings at Kia Kima would not be able to be salvaged and moved because of their stone walls. Kia Kima moved and opened in the new location in 1964. Kia Kima is still in operation at the new property today as Kia Kima Scout Reservation. After the original property closed, Cooper developed on some of the outer areas of the camp, but mostly left the main area untouched. The structures fell into disrepair and largely turned into a local dumping ground. In 1993 four former Scouts returned to the old camp and were inspired to restore and preserve it. Boyce and George Billingsley purchased the 43 acres that made up the main core of the camp and donated it to the group which then was formed into the non-profit Old Kia Kima Preservation Association. The OKKPA began restoring the different buildings on the property and opening it up for groups to use. In 2000 the stone lodges were restored using the original stones still found on site. The Thunderbird Lodge was restored in 2002. Engineers advised that the front wall of the Thunderbird Lodge would collapse if an outside support was not added. Therefore a stone semi-circle was added that houses a staircase and was topped with a balcony. This addition still used the native Arkansas fieldstone, but a difference in style is obvious. The original walls have the previously mentioned stacked stone. The addition though uses the modern style of using the flat faces of the stone to form a veneer. This is usually done as it requires less stone is and is less expensive. Other developments to the camp include a new cooking pavilion, bathhouse, and a campfire ring. Most of the structures have been modernized on the inside, but still contain the original architecture. Old Kia Kima has been open for use by youth groups since 2002. Old Kia Kima Preservation Association Jim Bottrell – President 409 Airway Ln Belton, MO 64012 October 2, 2014 Andrew Schrack Dear Andrew: On behalf of Old Kia Kima Preservation Association allow this letter to grant permission to proceed with registering Old Kia Kima as a historic site with the State of Arkansas. It is our desire to do this. Please, continue with what you are doing. At the September Board Meeting held on September 12, 2014, board member George Clarke Jr made the motion that we pursue this. It was met with acclamation by the members. It passed without any objection. I thank you for your interest in this matter. I appreciate all the time and effort you have put into this. We look forward to future development of it. Most respectfully, Jim Bottrell Attached Pictures Figure 1 Kia Kima lodges (1929) 7 Figure 2 Scouts in front of cabin (unknown?) 7 Figure 3 Kia Kima lodges (1988) 8 Figure 4 Kia Kima lodges (1988) 8 Figure 5 Cabin 1 (Pre-Restoration) 9 Figure 6 Cabin 2 (Pre-Restoration) 9 Figure 7 Cabin 3 (Pre-Restoration) 9 Figure 8 Cabin 4 (Pre-Restoration) 10 Figure 9 Cabin 5 (Pre-restoration) 10 Figure 10 Cabin Front (2014) 11 Figure 11 Cabin Corner (2014) 11 Figure 12 Cabin Side (2014) 12 Figure 13 Line of Cabins (2014) 12 Figure 14 Cabin Fireplace (2014) 13 Figure 15 Cabin Inside. Darker boards sitting above the beams are original boards with the original names that were recovered. (2014) 13 Figure 16 Thunderbird Lodge (1929) 14 Figure 17 Thunderbird Lodge (1930) 14 Figure 18 Staff outside Thunderbird Lodge (unknown) 15 Figure 19 Thunderbird Lodge (pre-1963) 15 Figure 20 Thunderbird Lodge (1988) 16 Figure 21 Thunderbird Lodge (1988) 16 Figure 22 Thunderbird Lodge pre-restoration (c. 2001) 17 Figure 23 Thunderbird Lodge (pre-restoration) 17 Figure 24 Thunderbird Lodge (2014) 18 Figure 25 Thunderbird Lodge. Note original stacked stonework on the left compared to modern stonework on right. (2014) 19 Figure 26 Inside of Thunderbird Lodge, bottom floor. (2014) 19 Figure 27 Kia Kima "Rat's Nest" Waterfront Staff cabin. (2014) 20 Figure 28 Rat's Nest Side 20 Other Examples Figure 29 Camp Cedar Valley staff cabin (1947?) 21 Figure 30 Kamp Kiwani cabins. Renovated into rental cabins after the camp closed. (Memphis Press-Scimitar - 1963) 22 Figure 31 Hardy, AR tourist brochure showing cabins of the same architecture, Unsure of location, most likely Kamp Kiwani. (1939) 22 Figure 32 Former Camp Miramichee Dining Hall, now a private rental property (2014) 23 Figure 33 Camp Miramichee Staff Cabin, now a private rental property (2014) 23 Figure 34 Camp Miramichee camper cabin, now a private rental property (2014) 24 Figure 1 Kia Kima cabin (1929) Figure 2 Scouts in front of cabin (unknown?) Figure 3 Kia Kima lodges (1988) Figure 4 Kia Kima lodges (1988) Figure 5 Cabin 1 (Pre-Restoration) Figure 6 Cabin 2 (Pre-Restoration) Figure 7 Cabin 3 (Pre-Restoration) Figure 8 Cabin 4 (Pre-Restoration) Figure 9 Cabin 5 (Pre-restoration) Figure 10 Cabin Front (2014) Figure 11 Cabin Corner (2014) Figure 12 Cabin Side (2014) Figure 13 Line of Cabins (2014) Figure 14 Cabin Fireplace (2014) Figure 15 Cabin Inside. Darker boards sitting above the beams are original boards with the original names that were recovered. (2014) Figure 16 Thunderbird Lodge (1929) Figure 17 Thunderbird Lodge (1930) Figure 18 Staff outside Thunderbird Lodge (unknown) Figure 19 Thunderbird Lodge (pre-1963) Figure 20 Thunderbird Lodge (1988) Figure 21 Thunderbird Lodge (1988) Figure 22 Thunderbird Lodge pre-restoration (c. 2001) Figure 23 Thunderbird Lodge (pre-restoration) Figure 25 Thunderbird Lodge. Note original stacked stonework on the left compared to modern stonework on right. (2014) Figure 26 Inside of Thunderbird Lodge, bottom floor. (2014) Figure 27 Kia Kima "Rat's Nest" Waterfront Staff cabin. (2014) Figure 28 Rat's Nest Side Other Examples of Architecture Style Figure 29 Camp Cedar Valley staff cabin (1947?) Figure 30 Kamp Kiwani cabins. Renovated into rental cabins after the camp closed. (Memphis Press-Scimitar - 1963) Figure 31 Hardy, AR tourist brochure showing cabins of the same architecture, Unsure of location, most likely Kamp Kiwani. (1939) Figure 32 Former Camp Miramichee Dining Hall, now a private rental property (2014) Figure 33 Camp Miramichee Staff Cabin, now a private rental property (2014) Figure 34 Camp Miramichee camper cabin, now a private rental property (2014) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2014 Arkansas Register of Historic Places: Old Kia Kima Determination of Eligibility Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Andrew Schrack Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Andrew Schrack Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Andrew Schrack Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014 Arkansas Register of Historic Places Buildings Old Kia Kima Preservation Association Stonework Architecture