Old State House (Little Rock, Arkansas)
| Old State House | |
|---|---|
 The south façade of Old State House | |
 | |
| Former names | Arkansas State House |
| Alternative names | Old State House Museum |
| General information | |
| Status | Used as a museum |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Address | 300 W. Markham St. |
| Town or city | Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 34°44′56.3″N 92°16′21.5″W / 34.748972°N 92.272639°W |
| Current tenants | Old State House Museum |
| Construction started | 1833 |
| Completed | 1842 |
| Client | State of Arkansas |
| Owner | State of Arkansas |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Gideon Shryock George Weigart |
| Website | |
| oldstatehouse | |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000037 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | December 03, 1969[1] |
| Designated NHL | December 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.
History
Construction
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,
Reconstruction Era
After the
Changing use
The building served as a state capitol until the
Interior
Floor plans
See also
- David O. Dodd Memorial
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Arkansas
- List of the oldest buildings in Arkansas
- MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Little Rock, Arkansas
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ a b "Old State House, Little Rock". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. September 26, 2007.
- ^ "Old State House Museum". C-SPAN. January 23, 2001. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- ^ "Encyclopedia of Arkansas". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ "Three Graces Statue Arrives – Old State House". Daily Arkansas Gazette. February 11, 1886. p. 8. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- ^ "Old State House Museum". Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ 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
- Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. AR-32-1, "Old State Capitol Building, Markham & Center Streets, Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR"
- O'Donnell, William W. (1987). "Prelude to The Civil War Quadrennium". The Civil War Quadrennium: A Narrative History of Day-to-Day Life in Little Rock, Arkansas During the American War Between Northern and Southern States 1861–1865 (2nd ed.). Little Rock, Ark.: Civil War Round Table of Arkansas. pp. 1–14. LCCN 85-72643– via Horton Brothers Printing Company.
External links
- Official website
Geographic data related to Old State House (Little Rock, Arkansas) at OpenStreetMap
