Architecture School Dedicates Young Gallery

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Paul Young III (B.S.B.A., 1962) Family Trust recently gave a generous gift to the University of Arkansas School of Architecture in honor of Paul Young Jr. In recognition of the gift, the space in Vol Walker Hall now known informally as The Large Gallery will be formally named the Paul Young Jr. Gallery to memorialize the life and career of a long-time Fayetteville architect. Young served as the architect for several well-known buildings in Northwest Arkansas including the Washington County Hospital in 1948, the University of Arkansas Law School in 1951 and the university’s Delta Gamma House - now University House - in 1958.

“We are very pleased to receive this gift, which will help us continue to enrich education for our students,” said Jeff Shannon, dean of the School of Architecture. “The family’s gift not only recognizes their father’s contributions to architecture, but also testifies to their support for the design professions.”

Paul Young Jr. was born in Gilmer, Texas. After graduating from Little Rock Public Schools and Washington University, he was employed by the National Park Service where he assisted in the design of the original five Arkansas state parks. In 1933, he was assigned to Devil’s Den State Park as supervising architect. He formed the architectural firm of Paul Young and Associates in 1937 in Fayetteville. For the next 48 years, Young designed many of the schools, churches, commercial, industrial and residential structures in the area, including the Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville.

Young was a member of the American Institute of Architects and the Arkansas State Board of Architects. The 1955 New Orleans Convention of the American Institute of Architects conferred upon him a certificate of merit for community service in recognition of outstanding service to his community above and beyond his normal function of professional practice. He served as director of McIlroy Bank and Trust from 1946 to 1989, and he was a member of Central United Methodist Church, where he was chairman of the Official Board and Board of Trustees.

Young died in March 1996. His wife, Helen Appleby Young, died in May 2006. The couple had four sons, Paul Young III of Dallas, Thomas C. Young of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Robert S. Young of Miami, and the late Charles Young.