Baxter County Courthouse facts for kids
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Baxter County Courthouse
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Arkansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | Courthouse Square, Mountain Home, Arkansas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1941 |
| Built by | Works Progress Administration |
| Architect | T. Ewing Shelton |
| Architectural style | Art Moderne |
| Part of | Mountain Home Commercial Historic District (ID10000348) |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000658 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 26, 1995 |
| Designated CP | June 15, 2010 |
The Baxter County Courthouse is an important building in Mountain Home, Arkansas. It's where the main offices for Baxter County government are located. This courthouse was built in 1941 and is a special part of history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 because of its historical importance. The building replaced an older courthouse that was on the same spot. The old one was considered unsafe in 1939.
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A Look Back at Baxter County's History
Baxter County was created on March 24, 1873. It was formed from parts of four other counties in Arkansas. The main town for the county government, called the county seat, was set up in Mountain Home. This town was on a high area between the North Fork River and the White River. At first, the county government used the Jacob Wolf House in Norfork. Today, this old building is the oldest standing county courthouse in Arkansas, built in 1811.
Why a New Courthouse Was Needed
In 1939, County Judge R. M. Ruthven said the old county courthouse was unsafe. He also said it was too small for all the county's needs. Judge Ruthven had also helped build the Cotter Bridge in Baxter County. This bridge, opened in 1928, helped bring more business to the area.
A state law from 1912 said that county seats could not move if their main building had three stories. To make sure Mountain Home stayed the county seat, the courthouse was planned to be three stories instead of two. Judge Ruthven hired T. Ewing Shelton, an architect from Fayetteville, Arkansas, to draw up plans for the new building.
Building the New Courthouse
Voters approved the plans for the new courthouse. However, some people from Gassville and Cotter wanted the county seat to move to their towns. These towns had more people at the time.
In the 1940s, Baxter County was going through a tough economic time. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was helping with projects in the county. The WPA was a government program that created jobs during the Great Depression. Mountain Home was a small town with few jobs and not many paved roads. Many farmers in Baxter County left their farms during this time.
Construction on the Norfork Dam began in 1941. The Bull Shoals Dam started being built in 1947. The courthouse project was approved by the state as a WPA project. Construction began in August 1941 after the old courthouse was taken down.
Opening the New Building
The new Baxter County Courthouse opened for county business in August 1943. It held all the county offices, a courtroom, and even space for lawyers to rent. The county library was also located there. Today, some of these offices have moved to other buildings.
