Russellville in Pope County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

Fire of 1906

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 22, 2023

1. Fire of 1906 Marker

Inscription. Late in the afternoon of January 17*, 1906, [see note below] a fire started in the Chronister Brothers grocery. Three hours later, twenty-two buildings, valued at two-hundred-fifty thousand dollars, were in ashes. Half of the central business district, housing barbers, an undertaker, jewelers, grocers, tailors, druggist, furniture and hardware merchants and clothiers was destroyed. Within six months, most of the buildings were rebuilt. This photograph was taken facing north from south of Main Street. It indicates the extent of the damage.

Erected by Pope County Historical Association.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Disasters. A significant historical date for this entry is January 15, 1906.

Location. 35° 16.719′ N, 93° 8.126′ W. Marker is in Russellville, Arkansas, in Pope County. It is at the intersection of West Main Street (U.S. 64) and North Commerce Avenue, on the right when traveling west on West Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101 N Commerce Ave, Russellville AR 72801, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Arkansas River Valley

and in the Cherokee Heritage Region.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

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 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: J.L. Shinn Building (within shouting distance of this marker); First Christian Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Wilson House (approx. 0.4 miles

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away); J. Madison White (approx. 0.7 miles away); Pope County in the Civil War / Pope County Militia War (approx. 1.9 miles away); Washburn Cemetery (approx. 2.3 miles away); Military Road Marker Stone (approx. 2½ miles away); Exploring the Arkansas (approx. 2½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Russellville.

Regarding Fire of 1906. The date on the marker is incorrect. The fire actually occurred two days earlier, on the night of Jan. 15, according to contemporary newspaper accounts.

Also see . . . The Downtown Russellville Fire of 1906. Russellville voted to create a fire department in 1905 and was waiting for firefighting equipment to arrive when the blaze broke out. (David Cullen, About the River Valley magazine, posted Dec. 1, 2021) (Submitted on June 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 22, 2023

2. Fire of 1906 Marker

Aftermath of the 1906 Fire image. Click for full size.

Unknown; posted by Mike Goad via Flickr (Public Domain), 1906

3. Aftermath of the 1906 Fire

Credits. This page was last revised on June 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 335 times since then and 59 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.