New Edinburg Commercial Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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New Edinburg Commercial Historic District
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| Location | AR 8, New Edinburg, Arkansas |
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| Area | 5.3 acres (2.1 ha) |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/craftsman, et al. |
| NRHP reference No. | 01001118 |
| Added to NRHP | October 22, 2001 |
The New Edinburg Commercial Historic District is a special area in New Edinburg, Arkansas. It includes the old downtown part of the town. This district has ten important buildings along Arkansas Highway 8. These buildings were built between about 1898 and 1940. In 2001, this area was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as a place important to history. At that time, many of the buildings were empty, showing how the town had changed over the years.
Contents
What Was New Edinburg Like?
New Edinburg was never a very big town. Its population was always less than 200 people. But it was a busy place for its size!
A Look at the Old Businesses
When the town was at its busiest, the center had many different shops and services. There were:
- Six general stores, where people could buy almost anything.
- A cafe for meals and snacks.
- A hotel for travelers.
- A blacksmith shop, where metal items were made and repaired.
- An automotive service garage for cars.
Important Buildings and Their Stories
Many of the buildings in the district have interesting histories:
- The old hotel was built around 1879. It welcomed guests until 1910, when it became a home.
- The blacksmith shop is a simple wooden building with a metal roof. It was built around 1936 and used by two different blacksmiths.
- The service station was built in 1940. In 2001, it was being used by the local volunteer fire department.
- The cafe building dates back to about 1928. However, it doesn't count as an "original" historic building for the district. This is because its front was changed a lot in 2000.
The General Stores
The general stores were very important to the town.
- The Parrot Grocery Store is one of the oldest buildings. People say it was once a Methodist church before being moved around 1900. Then it became a store. Like most stores, it had wooden siding and a metal roof.
- Two other stores, the Hamaker-Hearnsberger Store and the Parham Store (both from around 1920), had special covers over their fronts for cars. The Parham Store even had old gasoline pumps!
- There is also one house in the district. It is a brick house built around 1948.
