Norfork in Baxter County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

Jacob Wolf House

Built 1829

Photographed by Mark Hilton, April 3, 2021

1. Jacob Wolf House Marker

New interpretive markers are expected to replace these 20 year old markers in 2022.

Inscription. In 1829, when Arkansas was a territory of the United States, Jacob Wolf donated the land and built this structure as the first permanent courthouse for Izard County. Great competition existed among frontier settlers to secure the "seat of justice for their town as it was always accompanied by additional commerce. As a territorial legislator from 1827 to 1835, Wolf competed aggressively for this designation for his town, which he called Liberty. Here county government functions were transacted, and numerous regularly scheduled county and circuit court sessions were held several times a year. Wolf established a post office here called Izard Courthouse. John P. Houston, brother of American legend Sam Houston, served as the county clerk. Numerous early Arkansas lawyers served here as judges, prosecutors and defenders. In 1835 the territorial legislature voted to relocate the county seat to another site, and Wolf had the property deeded back to himself.

Jacob Wolf's German heritage and confident countenance have been preserved in the 1850's image of him (see left). His German influence is also seen in the expertly hewn,

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yellow pine legs of this two-story structure that features a first-level breezeway or "dogtrot." The logs spanning this breezeway are an exceptional thirty-two feet long. This leg building form, once common on America's frontiers, has now become rare. The structure has been restored under a Courthouse Restoration Grant provided by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and administered by Baxter County judge Joe Bodenhamer. Tommy Jameson, of Jameson Architects, P. A., served as the preservation architect for the project.

Jacob Wolf was born in 1786 in North Carolina and moved to Kentucky prior to immigrating to Arkansas. He was the father of sixteen children and five stepchildren. He was a blacksmith, carpenter, merchant and farmer as well as a legislator. Shortly after he purchased this land in 1824, he built a dwelling house, detached kitchen, slave cabins, barn, blacksmith shop and store before he constructed the courthouse. The courthouse is the only original structure remaining today. After the removal of the seat of justice, Wolf moved his family into the structure, and it served as their family home until his death in

Jacob Wolf House Marker is to left of flagpole in distance. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, April 3, 2021

2. Jacob Wolf House Marker is to left of flagpole in distance.

1863.

Erected by Arkansas Humanities Council; Department of Arkansas Heritage.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1829.

Location. 36° 12.63′ N, 92° 17.207′ W. Marker is in Norfork, Arkansas, in Baxter County. It is at the intersection of Arkansas Route 5 and Wolf Street on Arkansas Route 5. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 13775 Highway 5, Norfork AR 72658, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Arkansas’ Ozark Plateau.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Ozarks.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Jacob Wolf House Historic Site (here, next to this marker); a

The Jacob Wolf House with "dogtrot" in center. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, April 3, 2021

3. The Jacob Wolf House with "dogtrot" in center.

different marker also named Jacob Wolf House (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Jacob Wolf House (within shouting distance of this marker); Old Military Road (approx. 5.9 miles away); Mountain Home Cemetery (approx. 9.9 miles away); Skirmishes Near Mountain Home (approx. 10.2 miles away); Mountain Home Commercial Historic District (approx. 10.2 miles away); City Hall (approx. 10.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Norfork.

Also see . . . Encyclopedia of Arkansas article on the Jacob Wolf House. (Submitted on April 12, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)

Credits. This page was last revised on April 22, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 12, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 524 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 12, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.