Location: Harrison, Ark.
County Chair: Nita Cooper
History and Services: With the help of a modern office facility and a land donation, the Boone County Extension and 4-H Center in Harrison, Ark., is a premier example of the U of A Extension service fulfilling their mission.
The physical facility is different from most offices. It is a stand-alone office complex located on 40 acres on a mountain top overlooking Harrison. Several agribusiness and community leaders had a vision for a center that would promote agriculture, foster learning, provide ample space and an opportunity for the public to learn more about agriculture and the numerous programs extension offers.
The vision for the center received a huge boost when Joe and Esta Lee Pattie donated the 40-acre mountain top tract to the Boone County Extension. There was an old steel barn on the site which had been built back in the 1950s with steel pipe from the oil and gas industry, so it was solid. One of the first projects was to renovate the barn with new sheet metal and remodel some of the interior stalls to make it more conducive to modern day livestock handling. The livestock barn hosts several showings each year and provides 4-H members with hands-on livestock working.
“The donation of the land by the Pattie’s was huge,” said Nita Cooper, Boone County Extension Chair. “It got the ball rolling and the community really came together with a vision for the new office complex. We have been in it four years now.”
Once the land donation was complete, community organizations, working hand in hand with the Boone County Quorum Court started to work on the office complex. The dream of a new Extension office and 4-H center was about to become reality.
“It was amazing to watch this unfold,” Nita said. “So many groups and individuals put so much time, money and effort into this project. Boone County Farm Bureau, Kiwanis Club, the Boone County 4-H Foundation, and of course the Quorum Court – I know I left out some – but they all came together and made this happen.”
The 3,000 square-foot office building is equipped with a large conference room and the latest audio/visual technology for numerous presentations for family consumer science, leadership resources, health and fitness, as well as economic development, just to name a few. However, as impressive as the office building is, it is the vast outdoor resources that complement the center. In addition to the livestock barn, a picnic pavilion is located on the grounds. To facilitate the county’s 4-H shooting club a shooting range is located on the south end of the property. An archery range is currently under construction. A large outdoor classroom provides hands-on experience for 4-H members and Master Gardeners alike to improve their growing skills.
