Henry R. Koen Forest Service Building

The Henry R. Koen Building Russellville Supervisor's Office was built in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. This two-story building is equipped with a basement and constructed with sandstone and dark stained wood. Its Rustic style is an urban version of the style best associated with the CCC. This design was provided by a treasury department architect. The building shows the dedication of both the people and the politicians living in Arkansas to keep Arkansas the "natural state."

The Henry R. Koen Building's historical significance is tied to the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC was a portion of the New Deal Programs established in 1933 by Franklin D. Roosevelt to help bring the United States out of the Great Depression. The CCC employed single men around the ages of 18-25. These men were tasked with improving America’s public lands, forests, and parks. Many enrolled in those work programs due to the scarcity of jobs and the promise of being fed. Education opportunities and good wages were offered to those who enrolled. The Civilian Conservation Corps was also non-discriminatory to people of color. The CCC was popular and had a huge impact on the United States. Many job sites were located in rural areas across the U.S.; however, The Henry R. Koen Building was an exception.

The Ozark-St. Francis National Forest is managed by forest services tasked with managing Arkansas's woodlands to the public benefit, like recreation and timber harvesting, and animal habitat conservation. The forest service and the national forests started with the CCC and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The Ozark-St. Francis National Forest prides itself in allowing families and individuals to safely enjoy the national parks within Arkansas. The Ozark National Forest covers more than one million acres of northwest Arkansas. For the southern portion, the forest runs along the River Valley and south to the Ouachita Mountains. The St. Francis National Forest was named after the St. Francis River and is located on the east central edge of the state.

The National Forest office was meant to house the main offices of the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest and some CCC administration. Presently the building is strictly used as the main office for the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest. The Supervisor of the Ozark National Forest, Henry R. Koen influenced the building's construction. Without his efforts the Civilian Conservation Corp would have been unlikely to build the office in an urban setting, preferring more rural areas. An Arkansas native, Koen worked for the Sylamore Ranger District. Later in his life he successfully expanded the administrative infrastructure significantly.

The building represented Koen's vision of a coordinated of system management. The money required for the building’s construction was secured from Congress by David Dickson Terry, a U.S. Representative from Arkansas. D.D. Terry also was present for the building’s dedication ceremony on May 2^nd, 1939. In May 1979 the building was named after Henry R. Koen in honor of his contributions to the office and to the National Forest. The building was listed in the National Register of Historical Places in 1989.

The building is a reminder of government and environmental conservationists working together to preserve Arkansas’s natural beauty for everyone to enjoy.

Supervisor's Office History, United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Accessed November 22nd 2021. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/osfnf/about-forest/?cid=STELPRDB5211865.

The Civilian Conservation Corps, National Park Service. February 8th 2018. Accessed November 22nd 2021. https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-civilian-conservation-corps.htm.

Forest Information, United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Accessed November 22nd 2021. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/osfnf/home/?cid=fsm8_042910.