Historic V.C. Kays House
The Home of A-State's First President
Built in 1936 on the Arkansas State University campus, the Tudor‑style Kays House was the home of the institution’s first president, Victor Cicero Kays. During his 33‑year tenure from 1910 to 1943, the university endured and grew through significant challenges, including two world wars, the Great Depression, and a devastating fire in 1931 that destroyed the school’s main building.
Threatened with demolition in 2012 and listed among Arkansas’s Most Endangered Historic Places, the house was ultimately saved through advocacy efforts led by faculty, alumni, and supporters of the university. Fully restored today, the Kays House preserves the legacy of President Kays and reflects the broader political and educational history of Arkansas. The site also recognizes the close partnership between Kays and U.S. Senator Hattie Caraway of Jonesboro—the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate—whose leadership helped keep the college open during the Great Depression.
A Visit with Governor Mike Beebe
In September 2014, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe announced that he would donate his eight years of gubernatorial papers, video, photographs and memorabilia to the university. The Kays House restoration includes a re-creation of his gubernatorial office within the Kays House.
Governor Mike Beebe's Donation
In September of 2014, Governor Mike Beebe, a 1968 graduate of Arkansas State University and past chairman of its Board of Trustees, announced that he would donate his eight years of gubernatorial papers, video, photographs and memorabilia to the university.
Governor Mike Beebe's Recreated Office
On February 22, 2018, Governor Mike Beebe paid a visit to his re-created office in the restored V. C. Kays House.
Governor Mike Beebe's Thoughts
Governor Mike Beebe commented on his re-created State Capitol Office in the newly
renovated Kays House.
Video by Gary Jones.