NEWS RELEASE – Washington County Historical Society
March 20, 2026
Contact: Dave Edmark
479-530-7241
dedmark@uark.edu

Headquarters House Museum shutters debut April 11

The Washington County Historical Society has invited the public to join Fayetteville Mayor Molly Rawn and City Council members to the Headquarters House Museum shutter project ribbon cutting from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at 118 E. Dickson St. Historically accurate, custom-built shutters will return to the museum for the first time in over 60 years.

WCHS will honor all those who generously donated to the shutter project along with project catalyst Carolyn Lewis Newbern, who first wrote to the historical society in 2021 asking that they add functional shutters to the Greek Revival structure as existed when the Tebbetts lived at 118 E. Dickson St.

Upon the Newberns’ return to their hometown of Fayetteville, Carolyn contacted WCHS past president Lee Anne Wiederkehr to present her matching fund idea. The Shutter Committee was formed with Wiederkehr as chair, Brynda Pappas and Maylon Rice. With Newbern’s help, the committee contacted potential donors who met the challenge with $49,845 raised.

Of special note, Tommy Lewis, Tim Lewis and Debbi Mohler with their spouses gave $7,000 in memory of Tom and Margaret Lewis. The Perennial Garden Club of Fayetteville generously contributed $4,000 and Mary Beth Hughes gave $2,500. Dr. David and Betty Nichols and Linda Pinkerton each gave $1,000. This effort encouraged Carol O. and John Mitchell to give $2,500 to begin window restoration work. The Mitchells were among 74 generous preservation enthusiasts who helped make this project a reality. These generous donors will be honored in perpetuity on a plaque displayed inside Headquarters House Museum next to the donors who funded the house purchase in 1967.

In addition, WCHS will honor local carpenter Jake Hollimon, All FAB, Inc., for putting heart and soul into building custom shutters with “through mortise and tenon joints,” an historically accurate and durable method. The stained finish was recommended and applied by painter Gustavo Becerra to wear better. The Shutter Committee opted to use local craftspeople as was done when the Tebbetts' house was built in 1853 as well as keep the funds in the local economy. Remaining funds will be utilized to endow future shutter maintenance and partially fund the garden per the wishes of Newbern, who volunteers as a Master Gardener at the museum.

(Photo shows Headquarters House Museum as it appeared when shutters adorned it before 1925.)