Old State House (Little Rock, Arkansas)

Last updated

Old State House
Exterior of the Old State House, Little Rock, Arkansas -- Roman Eugeniusz.jpg
The south façade of Old State House
Old State House (Little Rock, Arkansas)
Former namesArkansas State House
Alternative namesOld State House Museum
General information
StatusUsed as a museum
Architectural style Greek Revival
Address300 W. Markham St.
Town or city Little Rock, Arkansas
CountryUnited States
Coordinates 34°44′56.3″N92°16′21.5″W / 34.748972°N 92.272639°W / 34.748972; -92.272639
Current tenantsOld State House Museum
Construction started1833 (1833)
Completed1842 (1842)
ClientState of Arkansas
OwnerState of Arkansas
Design and construction
Architect(s) Gideon Shryock
George Weigart
Website
oldstatehouse.com
NRHP reference No. 69000037
Significant dates
Added to NRHPDecember 03, 1969 [1]
Designated NHLDecember 9, 1997 [2]

The Old State House, formerly called the Arkansas State House, is the oldest surviving state capitol building west of the Mississippi River. It was the site of the secession convention, as well as the fourth constitutional convention when delegates agreed to ensure voting rights for freedmen and establish public education.

Contents

History

Construction

House of Representatives Chamber Arkansas State House of Representatives Old State Capitol Building Museum.jpg
House of Representatives Chamber

Commissioned by Governor John Pope, the State House was constructed between 1833 and 1842. [3] Architect Gideon Shryock, who previously designed the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort, chose a Greek Revival style for the building. The original design was too expensive for the territory, so Shryock's assistant George Weigart changed the plans and oversaw construction. The Arkansas General Assembly moved into the building while construction was ongoing. On December 4, 1837, in the first session of the General Assembly, Speaker John Wilson killed Representative Joseph J. Anthony in a knife fight on the floor of the state House of Representatives.

American Civil War

Unionists prevailed at an initial, March 1861, secession convention after the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln. However, after South Carolina fired on Fort Sumter and Lincoln called up troops, on the morning of May 6, 1861, a second secession convention assembled at the State House. After intense debate, an ordinance of secession passed with five opposing votes. Four opposing delegates relented after unanimity was urged. Isaac Murphy, a delegate from Madison County, held out despite enormous pressure. After the Union victory at the Battle of Bayou Fourche in September 1863, Federal troops occupied the building for the rest of the war.

Reconstruction Era

Drawing of the State House in the 1870s, during the William R. Miller administration AmCyc Little Rock - state capitol.jpg
Drawing of the State House in the 1870s, during the William R. Miller administration

After the American Civil War ended, the State House was the site of another constitutional convention to determine whether Arkansas would accept the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, permit suffrage for black males over 21, and create public schools for both black and white children. After contentious debate, the proposals were approved in a new constitution that emerged in February 1868, and was ratified in March. Also during Reconstruction, the State House was an object of contention in the so-called Brooks–Baxter War, and was fortified during that struggle. The cannon "Lady Baxter" still remains on the State House grounds. As part of the Arkansas exhibit for the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, a three-tiered fountain sat in front of the States exhibit building. The following year in 1877 the fountain was placed on the state house grounds. A recast of the original fountain now sits in its place. In 1885, an iron statue of the Three Graces, representing Law, Justice and Mercy, was placed atop of the State House, however it was removed in 1928. [4] [5]

Changing use

Childs play carriage artifact Old Capital Building Museum Artifact.jpg
Childs play carriage artifact

The building served as a state capitol until the new capitol building was constructed in 1912. For a time it was used as a medical school. Afterwards, it served as an Arkansas war memorial and was used as an office building for federal and state agencies, as well as a meeting place for patriotic organizations. In 1947 the General Assembly approved acts designating the State House as a museum. The front entrance was the site of President Bill Clinton's presidential campaign announcement on October 3, 1991, and the site of his election night celebrations in both of his campaigns for the presidency on November 3, 1992, and November 5, 1996, respectively. [6] The building underwent major renovation in 1996, and it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1997. [2] [7] The building continues to serve as a museum with exhibits related to Arkansas history and culture. Permanent collections include battle flags, the inaugural gowns of the First Ladies of Arkansas, art pottery, and African-American quilts. Special exhibits are staged periodically as well.

Interior

Floor plans

Floor plans of the Old State House
Old State Capitol Building, Markham and Center Streets, Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR HABS ARK,60-LIRO,1- (sheet 2 of 27).tif
Foundation
Old State Capitol Building, Markham and Center Streets, Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR HABS ARK,60-LIRO,1- (sheet 3 of 27).tif
First Floor
Old State Capitol Building, Markham and Center Streets, Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR HABS ARK,60-LIRO,1- (sheet 10 of 27).tif
Second Floor
Layout and room names as of 1933

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isaac Murphy</span> 8th Governor of Arkansas

Isaac Murphy was a native of Pennsylvania, a teacher and lawyer who moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas with his wife and child in 1834. He continued to teach and also became active in politics. Murphy is best known as the only delegate to have repeatedly voted against secession at the second Arkansas Secession Convention in 1861.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Meade Fishback</span> 17th governor of Arkansas

William Meade Fishback was a lawyer and politician who served as the 17th Governor of Arkansas from 1893 to 1895 and U.S. Senator-elect for Arkansas. He also served in the Arkansas House of Representatives. He was a Unionist and served in the Union Army. He was a delegate at Arkansas' 1874 Constitutional Convention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augustus H. Garland</span> American lawyer and politician

Augustus Hill Garland was an American lawyer and Democratic politician from Arkansas, who initially opposed Arkansas' secession from the United States, but later served in both houses of the Congress of the Confederate States and the United States Senate, as well as becoming the 11th governor of Arkansas (1874–1877) and the 38th attorney general of the United States (1885–1889). He wrote several books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Historic Washington State Park</span> 101-acre Arkansas state park in Hempstead County, Arkansas

Historic Washington State Park is a 101-acre (41 ha) Arkansas state park in Hempstead County, Arkansas in the United States. The museum village contains a collection of pioneer artifacts from the town of Washington, Arkansas, which is a former pioneer settlement along the Southwest Trail. Walking interpretive tours are available throughout the 54 buildings. Washington served as a major trading point along the Southwest Trail, evolving into the Hempstead county seat and later the capital of Arkansas from 1863 to 1865 when Little Rock was threatened during the Civil War. The original plat of Washington was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 as the Washington Historic District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal</span> Historic property and museum in Arkansas, United States

The Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal, also known as the Main Building of the U.S. Arsenal at Little Rock, or Headquarters Building of the Little Rock Barracks, is the home of the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. It is also a part of the MacArthur Park Historic District, in Little Rock, Arkansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White House of the Confederacy</span> Historic house in Virginia, United States

The Second White House of the Confederacy is a historic house located in the Court End neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia. Built in 1818, it was the main executive residence of the sole President of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis, from August 1861 until April 1865. It currently sits on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Capitol</span> State capitol building of the U.S. state of Virginia

The Virginia State Capitol is the seat of state government of the Commonwealth of Virginia, located in Richmond, the state capital. It houses the oldest elected legislative body in North America, the Virginia General Assembly, first established as the House of Burgesses in 1619.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alabama State Capitol</span> State capitol building of the U.S. state of Alabama

The Alabama State Capitol, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the First Confederate Capitol, is the state capitol building for Alabama. Located on Capitol Hill, originally Goat Hill, in Montgomery, it was declared a National Historic Landmark on December 19, 1960. Unlike every other state capitol, the Alabama Legislature does not meet there, but at the Alabama State House. The Capitol has the governor's office and otherwise functions as a museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William T. Sutherlin</span> American politician

William Thomas Sutherlin was a tobacco planter, distributor, industrialist, Confederate quartermaster and politician. He served as mayor of Danville, Virginia (1855-1861), as its delegate to the Virginia Secession Convention of 1861 and later for one term in the Virginia House of Delegates (1871-1873) Sutherlin's plantation home became the temporary residence for President of the Confederate States of America Jefferson Davis and his Cabinet from April 3 – April 10, 1865, the week before Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Courthouse.

Gideon Shryock was Kentucky's first professional architect in the Greek Revival Style. His name has frequently been misspelled as Gideon Shyrock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old State Capitol (Kentucky)</span> United States historic place

The Old State Capitol in Kentucky, also known as Old Statehouse, was the third capitol of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The building is located in the Kentucky capital city of Frankfort and served as home of the Kentucky General Assembly from 1830 to 1910. The current Kentucky State Capitol was built in 1910. The Old State Capitol has served as a museum and the home of the Kentucky Historical Society since 1920. It has been restored to its American Civil War era appearance and was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1971 for its exceptional Greek Revival architecture, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Virginia Independence Hall</span> United States historic place

West Virginia Independence Hall is a historic government building at 1528 Market Street in downtown Wheeling, West Virginia, United States. It was built in 1860 under the supervision of architect Ammi B. Young for the federal government as a custom house, post office and courthouse. It is architecturally significant for its innovative uses of wrought iron as a framing material, and is historically significant for its role in the American Civil War. It housed the Wheeling Convention (1861), as well as the West Virginia Constitutional Convention (1863), which resulted in the separation of Unionist West Virginia from Confederate Virginia. This made it the only state to secede from a Confederate state during the war. The building was originally built as the custom house for the Western District of Virginia, and later became the center of government for the Restored Government of Virginia from 1861 to 1863, with Francis H. Pierpont serving as its governor. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1988. The building is now a state-run museum, housing exhibits on West Virginia history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas in the American Civil War</span> State of the Confederate States of America

During the American Civil War, Arkansas was a Confederate state, though it had initially voted to remain in the Union. Following the capture of Fort Sumter in April 1861, Abraham Lincoln called for troops from every Union state to put down the rebellion, and Arkansas and several other states seceded. For the rest of the civil war, Arkansas played a major role in controlling the Mississippi River, a major waterway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Confederate State Capitol building (Arkansas)</span> Historic property and museum in Arkansas, United States

The Confederate State Capitol building in Washington, Arkansas was the capital of the Confederate state government of Arkansas, during 1863–1865, after Little Rock, Arkansas fell to Union forces in the American Civil War. It is located within Historic Washington State Park, and is a National Historic Landmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Mississippi State Capitol</span> United States historic place

The Old Mississippi State Capitol, also known as Old Capitol Museum or Old State Capitol, served as the Mississippi statehouse from 1839 until 1903. The old state capitol was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. In 1986, the structure was designated a Mississippi Landmark and became a National Historic Landmark in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Arkansas</span> U.S. state

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the U.S. state of Arkansas:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas Militia in the Civil War</span>

The units of the Arkansas Militia in the Civil War to which the current Arkansas National Guard has a connection include the Arkansas State Militia, Home Guard, and State Troop regiments raised by the State of Arkansas. Like most of the United States, Arkansas had an organized militia system before the American Civil War. State law required military service of most male inhabitants of a certain age. Following the War with Mexico, the Arkansas militia experienced a decline, but as sectional frictions between the north and south began to build in the late 1850s the militia experienced a revival. By 1860 the state's militia consisted of 62 regiments divided into eight brigades, which comprised an eastern division and a western division. New regiments were added as the militia organization developed. Additionally, many counties and cities raised uniformed volunteer companies, which drilled more often and were better equipped than the un-uniformed militia. These volunteer companies were instrumental in the seizure of federal installations at Little Rock and Fort Smith, beginning in February 1861.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Little Rock, Arkansas, US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curran Hall</span> Historic house in Arkansas, United States

Curran Hall, also known as the Walters-Curran-Bell House, is a historic house at 615 East Capitol Street in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was built in 1842 for Colonel Ebenezer Walters. The single story house is built in the Greek Revival style with Doric pilasters at the entrance way. Two auxiliary buildings, constructed at about the same time as the main building, were moved and attached to the rear of the house in 1891.

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. 1 2 "Old State House, Little Rock". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. September 26, 2007.
  3. "Old State House Museum". C-SPAN . January 23, 2001. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  4. "Encyclopedia of Arkansas". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  5. "Three Graces Statue Arrives – Old State House". Daily Arkansas Gazette. February 11, 1886. p. 8. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  6. "Old State House Museum". Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  7. Cynthia DeHaven Pitcock (July 29, 1997). "National Historic Landmark Nomination: Old State House" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved June 22, 2009.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) and Accompanying 42 photos, exterior and interior, from 1996–1997  (7.95 MB)

Further reading