The Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation released their list of endangered sites adding 14 this year that are in need of restoration. Three of the sites are in Northeast Louisiana, including the Palace Theater in Jonesboro.

This entertainment venue was built in 1925 and was updated to its current style of Art Deco (and some Spanish Colonial Revival) shortly after in the 1930s when stucco was applied to its facade. It has been vacant for decades, but recently the Greater North Louisiana Community Development Corporation has been working to return National Register landmarkt back into an entertainment attraction again.

Founded in 1979, the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation (LTHP) advocates, promotes and preserves historic places representing our diverse culture. This helps communities restore their identity as these buildings are part of the unique fingerprint they have on them. Brian Davis, the LTHP Director, explains the process.

“We decide which ones were able to hopefully help by doing some advocacy work and providing more technical services to those sites and their owners,“ said Davis.

Once selected, they visit the sites and speak to the owners to see if it has a possibility to be restored.

“We really do a deep dive on the site’s their owners, their needs, the threats that they’re faced and seeing if there are historic tax credits like state or federal tax credits, other grants or anything else like that that may be able to help fund these projects and get them back in good shape,” said Davis.

To see the full llist of endangered sites selected for 2022 click here.