Garland County Courthouse
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
Recent Additions
HISTORY OF BUILDING'S DEVELOPMENT
The Garland County Courthouse is a brick, Renaissance-inspired structure that is both architecturally and historically significant. The courthouse is four stories tall and five bays in width and is one of the largest and finest Neo-Classical Revival structures in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Hot Springs is the county seat of Garland County; and, at the time of the completion of the courthouse in 1905, the city was one of the nation's premier health resorts. In 1976 the Arkansas State Review Committee reviewed survey information which was prepared by the staff of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program on all of the surviving county courthouses in the state. After reviewing the survey information, the State Review Committee rated the architectural significance of each courthouse; and they rated the Garland County Courthouse as being among the most significant of Arkansas' courthouses. The courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
County government, headquartered in the county courthouse, forms the basis of representative democracy in Arkansas. The Garland County Courthouse has served as the seat for county government in Garland County for more than eighty years and is a significant visual reminder of the political history of the county.
The Garland County Courthouse is a rectangular structure with central bays projecting from both its north (entrance) and south elevations. Two relatively small and compatible additions, that date from 1930 and 1977, join the courthouse on its south and west elevations. The building was severely damaged by a fire in 1913. Both its roof and interior were reconstructed after the fire. The courthouse retains the integrity of its 1905 and 1913 construction periods because few alterations have been performed on the building since the fire.
Among the noteworthy features of the courthouse is a domed cupola which centers the roof and which is sustained by eight Ionic columns. Balustrades are located at the eastern and western extremities the roof. The cornice is a full entablature. Each corner of the building is articulated by pediments that are supported by two story Ionic pilasters.
The windows of the third story are capped with arched hood molds, broken by keystones. The second story windows are pedimented and feature ancons. The brick of the first floor is laid in a pattern that produces a rusticated effect.
Erected beneath the cupola in the T-shaped central hall are four large arches ninety inches wide and fifty-eight inches thick; identical arches placed at right angles to one another are found on each of the successive floors. All halls intersect under these arches. A magnificent marble staircase rises from just inside the front entrance; Its black iron railings and banisters complement the black and white marble wainscoting. The width of the stairs up to each landing is twice that of those above the landing where staircases alternate from one side of the landing to the other up to the third floor. A portrait of George Washington hangs under the facing arch on the first floor and a portrait of Augustus Garland under the arch on the second floor. A plaque traces Garland1s service from his membership in the Confederate Congress to his post as United State Attorney General in Grover Cleveland's cabinet.
Each of the two, third floor courtrooms retains Its original ceiling with a ten-foot square ornamental plaster scroll in Its center. The cove ceiling in the Circuit Courtroom, formed by a five-foot curved cornice with elaborate gilded plaster molding at the wall and ceiling, is rare for an Arkansas courtroom. The eight chandeliers in this courtroom have ornate plaster decorations and hang from long brass chains. Set beneath a balcony decorated with similar plaster ornamentation, the bench has a brass rail the sparkles above the carpet of royal blue color well-suited to the white walls and dark wood trim. Both courtrooms have similar massive bars with turned wood balusters and elaborate inlaid benches and reredoses.
In size and appearance, the Garland County Courthouse Is one of the
finest and is the largest Renaissance Revival structure in Hot Springs, a resort city of
36,228 located in the Ouachita Mountains of south-central Arkansas. The building is one of
the largest and oldest of Arkansas' county courthouses.
In 1905 the old Garland County Courthouse, located downtown, was a victim of a disastrous fire which destroyed more than twenty blocks of the city of Hot Springs. Later in the same year a new Courthouse was constructed at the corner of Hawthorne and Ouachita. The corner stone was laid August 15, 1905, by the Grand Lodge (AF&AM), Free and Accepted Masons of Arkansas. The building was completed in 1906 at a cost of $155,000. Fire proof vaults were installed so that records and deeds would be safe. Many records were destroyed In the 1905 fire.
In 1906, permission was given to a women's organization, Fort-Nightly, for use of a large room at the east end of the fourth floor. This became a regular meeting place for that women's organization.
In August, 1910, Jacob “Jake” Houpt was shot during a gun fight battle while serving as Sheriff of Garland County. The battle started in the Sheriff's office which led to a chase, resulting in the injury of Sheriff Houpt. Sheriff Houpt died August 20, 1910, in a local hospital.
On September 5, 1913, the Courthouse was again severely damaged by another calamitous fire, which not only gutted the newly constructed Courthouse, but also swept through fifty blocks of the city of Hot Springs. In spite of the fire the masonry-concrete frame was able to still remain standing.
The last legal hanging took place in Garland County on June 2, 1913, at the west end of the courthouse. A boxed-in scaffold was constructed to conceal the execution from the public. At this time the jail was located at the west entrance.
In 1930 a new jail was built in the southeast portion of the
courthouse. In 1986 the jail and Sheriff's department relocated to a $3.7 million, free
standing facility to the west of the courthouse.
In 1974 an addition to the west wing of the courthouse added more county business offices and an entrance to facilitate the handicapped. The cost of the new addition was in the vicinity of $282,000 to $287,000. The new addition was completed in December of 1975, during the administration of County Judge Howard Newkirk. The general contractor was Floyd Sutton Corp. The architectural firm was the Associate Architectural Engineers and Planners of Little Rock. The electrical engineering firm was Kaufman Electric.
In March of 1978 renovation of the building began under the administration of County Judge W.J. ”Bill” McCuen and included such improvements as the replacement of the concrete floors in the restrooms with new concrete floors and the addition of grab bars to each handicapped toilet stall. Electrical panels on the first floor were reworked and the first floor walls were refinished. A new suspended ceiling and lights were added to the building and its grounds included the planting of grass, painting, and the construction of a drive leading to an entrance on the east side of the former jail.
The County Courtroom, the County Clerk's Office, and the Revenue Office were also altered in 1978. The alterations to these rooms consisted of installing suspended ceilings, refinishing walls, reworking electrical panels by adding central heat and air conditioning, and laying carpet. The total cost of the 1978 renovation of the Garland County Courthouse amounted to $113,118.00. The general contractor was Hill and Cox Incorporated. The architect was Donald R. Loyd of B & F Engineering.
Under the administration of County Judge Bud Williams, the courthouse has experienced numerous changes and improvements. Garland County received an Arkansas Historic Preservation Grant in 1983 to restore the domed cupola of the courthouse. In 1979, it was discovered that a flagpole on the top of the dome had collapsed through the rotted roof supports. The pole was subsequently removed in 1981, and the floor area underneath the cupola was cleaned. Some patching was also performed on the dome; however, it~continued to leak. With local funds and historic preservation funds, Garland County rebuilt the wooden structure of the dome, constructed a new copper one1 installed screened windows, and made provisions for ventilation of the domed area. In addition, a lightning rod was installed where the flag pole had been located. Garland County restored the dome with copper, which was the same material used in the construction of the old dome. Osmose treated lumber was used in the reconstruction of the dome to prevent the kind of rotting which had occurred previously. No chemicals or treating was added to the dome so that it will "turn" naturally over the years. The total cost of the cupola restoration project was $25,678.30 which included construction costs, architectural fees and miscellaneous expense. Bernie Lieder was the project architect and Dollar Sheet Metal served as general contractor. Both firms were Hot Springs concerns.
In 1984, the Chancery Courtroom and Judge's Chambers located in the third floor of the Courthouse were renovated at an estimated cost of $55,000 to $60,000. Central heating and air conditioning were installed, carpeting added and the old, hanging electrical fixtures in the courtroom replaced with chandeliers. The ceilings in the courtroom and the chamber areas were repainted. A dropped ceiling between the courtroom and the judge1s offices was removed exposing the original carved wooden headers above the doors leading into the entrances of the courtroom and offices. This contributed significantly to restoring the original appearance of these entrances. Bernie Lieder also served as project architect for this job. Smith Construction of Hot Springs was the general contractor.
The Sheriff’s Department moved from its office area on the first floor of the courthouse in January 1986 to a new $3.7 million, free-standing facility located west of the courthouse. This lead the way to a series of relocations and improvements within the courthouse.
During 1987, the old sheriff’s office and jail was renovated at a cost of approximately $200,000 for use by the County Clerk1s office. Voter registration which was previously housed in the basement of the courthouse was moved Into this area as well. This brought all departments of the County Clerk1s office Into one area and gave voter registration a higher profile. The move also provided for better utilization of personnel in this office. The basement area below the County Clerk's office which previously served as the Sheriff1s Criminal Investigation Division was developed Into office space for the Child Support Enforcement Unit and the Office of Emergency Services/Civil-Defense. Both of these offices were previously housed in-quarters away from the courthouse. Cell walls were torn out in the upstairs area of the jail and this space was refurbished for use as a storage area. Burt Taggart & Associates of North Little Rock was the project architect and Dream Builders of Ferndale was the general contractor.
The following year, the old County Clerk’s office on the second floor was converted into a new courtroom and chambers for the new Circuit/Chancery Court which was created by Act 846 of 1987. This work was accomplished at a cost of $100,000. Part of this courtroom included the upper half of a vault previously used by the Clerk. The lower half of the vault was converted into a meeting room of the first floor. Arnold & Stacks was the project architect and Cox Corporation was the general contractor. Both are Hot Springs concerns. In December 1988, the Prosecuting Attorney's Office moved into the basement of the courthouse at the location previously used by Voter Registration. A limited amount of remodeling was done to prepare this space.
One final element which established the significance of the Garland County courthouse is the setting of the building. The courthouse rests on a large, tree-covered tract, which is partially enclosed by a wrought-iron fence. Buildings on the streets bordering the courthouse appear to have a construction date contemporary with the 1913 reworking of the courthouse.