 |
| Arson rumored for destruction of first courthouse |
|
| Question: The present Boone County Courthouse is not the original one. Can the museum provide a picture and information about the first building? Was it in the same location of the present courthouse? |
| Answer: The first courthouse was built in 1870-1871, a little over one year after Boone County was formed from territory taken from the east side of Carroll County and a small strip on the west side of Marion County. The location of the first courthouse and the present one has remained the same through the years. |
| The old courthouse was surrounded by a number of walnut trees, planted by Sheriff Mack Rowland in the 1880s. Sometime around the turn of the century, a metal fence replaced the original plank fence around the court park. Later, an iron fence was built, and a section of that fence is on display in the museum. |
| On July 5, 1908, a fire destroyed the first courthouse. Ten days later, insurance agent James A. Flinn paid a claim of $2,500 and Schweitzer & Glass Company paid $1,250, with another of their insurance policies paying an additional $1,250. A reward of $1,000 was quickly offered with the following statement issued: |
| "Whereas, the Courthouse of Boone County, Arkansas, was burned on the morning of July 5th, and |
| "Whereas, certain evil disposed persons have intimated that the burning was instigated by the people of Harrison for the purpose of procuring a better courthouse, and |
| "Whereas, certain other evil disposed persons have suggested that it was instigated by the people of Bellefonte, with a view to a removal of the county site to that point, and |
| "Whereas, the citizens of Harrison do not believe that either of these unjust suggestions are true or worthy of the consideration of the good people of Boone County, as we believe that the fire was accidental, but with a view to having the matter fully investigated, the citizens of Harrison have, and do hereby offer a new reward of one thousand dollars for the arrest and conviction of anyone connected with the burning of the said courthouse" |
Citizen's Committee
We hereby guaranteed the payment of said sum.
People's Bank
Gordon's Bank
Citizen's Bank |
| A mid-summer session of the Boone Circuit Court convened the following Monday to determine if the courtroom could be legally used for assembly. The docket included 35 criminal cases, of which the papers had been saved from the fire. In 60 common law cases docketed, nearly all the legal papers were destroyed. |
| On October 10, 1908, a resolution was unanimously adopted providing for the early erection, upon the old site in the public square at Harrison, a fire-proof courthouse building, including all the modern conveniences of steam heat, water, etc., and not to exceed $35,000. Active work on the new courthouse began on November 7, 1908 - some 38 years after the county began the construction of the former courthouse. |
| W. W. Jernigan was county judge in 1870, and from reliable sources, it is shown that the cost of the original courthouse was in the neighborhood of $15,000. At that time, there were no brick or brickmakers in the county, but a brick kiln was put in operation and the material was ready for the courthouse walls by the time the foundation was finished. |
| Another note of interest I found: when the cornerstone was laid, there were only three small buildings on the public square, and the courthouse operations were obscured by the timber and thickets, which at that time covered the entire area of the present court park (from Clyde Newman's notes). |
| In 1870, $15,000 was a lot of money - but $35,000 in 1908 was a staggering amount, and County Judge J. B. Curnutt and the Quorum Court made a decision that provided our county with a courthouse that has lasted for decades and will continue to do so for decades to come. |
| In 1915, the iron fence was replaced by concrete posts with chains connected to the posts. By 1920, as autos began to appear more regularly downtown, the chain fence was finally removed because car owners complained about the chain catching their new automobile fenders. |
| Now there are curbs with sidewalks and beautiful floral islands adorning each corner of the court park. But one must wonder what the court park would look like surrounded by the old iron fence. |
| Stop by the Heritage Museum and see the section of iron fence that once graced the court park. The museum houses three floors of memorabilia and artifacts of days gone by in Boone County. Open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., we invite you to come share your county's rich history. |
| This column appears Fridays in the Harrison Daily Times. Mail questions to Boone County Heritage Museum, P. O. Box 1094, Harrison, AR 72601. Marilyn Smith can be contacted at bchm@alltel.net |
|
|
 |
|
|
