Queen Anne Mansion to be featured at National Preservation Conference

This year, owners of The Queen Anne Mansion, Steve and Lata Lovell, have been asked to spearhead an educational session on Nov. 1 at the meeting which will convene in Spokane, Wash., on Oct. 31-Nov. 3 with a theme of "Beyond Boundaries."

Entitled "Preservation and Use of Historic Sites Through Innovative Business Models," the session will provide insights and ideas to participants based on the conversion of the Mansion into a Private Residence Club. It is an innovative business model which may well have application to other historic homes and structures that could be converted for that use.

"A Private Residence Club is an ideal way for one owner of a historic property to share the daily enjoyment of that property with a number of other likeminded individuals," noted Steve Lovell, the co-owner of The Queen Anne Mansion. "This model is designed to ensure the preservation and local community relevance of the property over the long term." The new use for the Mansion dovetails with the National Trust's interest in encouraging use of historic sites as more than just monuments or museums.

The conference invites participants to discover and explore preservation's role in cities, towns and rural communities. Sessions address how to expand the role of preservation in revitalizing cities, combating sprawl, creating jobs, saving energy, preserving landscapes and building community. The theme explores how to better work with traditional and new partners to increase preservation's relevance in modern communities.

The goal is to move preservation deeper into the consciousness of Americans of all ages, backgrounds, and outlooks.

The Lovells have spent the past several years meticulously restoring the historic, 12,000-square-foot Queen Anne Mansion. Having opened it to the public as a museum and event space in 2010 and 2011, they have evolved its use into what will be known as The Queen Anne Mansion Preservation Trust Inc., a Private Residence Club.

Appealing to those with a passion for turn-of-the-century architecture and antiques, the amenity-rich experience of owning at the 1891 Mansion recaptures the gentility, graciousness and civility that are so often missing from daily life in the 21st century.

Located at the entrance to historic downtown Eureka Springs, The Queen Anne Mansion is convenient to dining, shops and nightlife, as well as the surrounding lakes, rivers and state parks. A jewel of the Ozarks region of Northwest Arkansas, Eureka Springs is home to more than 400 artists and was recently named one of the "Top 25 Small Cities for Art" in American Style Magazine.

Eureka Springs boasts one of "America's Greatest Main Streets" according to Travel & Leisure, while neighboring Bentonville is the only U.S. destination mentioned in Travel & Leisure's "12 Hottest Travel Destinations for 2012." This coincides with a boom in tourism and development in Northwest Arkansas following the opening of the $1 billion Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in nearby Bentonville. More than 800,000 visitors are drawn to Eureka Springs -- a town of just 2,200 residents -- each year.

For more information on The Queen Anne Mansion Preservation Trust Inc., a Private Residence Club, contact Steve and Lata Lovell, The Queen Anne Mansion, 115 W. Van Buren, Eureka Springs, AR 72632; info@ownthequeenanne.com; www.ownthequeenanne.com.