Hot Springs in Garland County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

101 Central Avenue

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 15, 2024

1. 101 Central Avenue Marker

Inscription.
Constructed circa 1900 and one of last that has not experienced remodeling. Terra cotta capitals and copper cornices. Housed the Chamber of Commerce mid 40’s. Ledwidge Drive In Mortuary. Bordello & rooms above.Wheatley Property

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1900.

Location. 34° 31.097′ N, 93° 3.314′ W. Marker is in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in Garland County. It is on Central Avenue (State Highway 7) 0.1 miles north of Canyon Court, on the right when traveling north. The marker is mounted at eye-level, directly on the subject building, near the center of the front/west facade. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 115 Central Avenue, Hot Springs National Park AR 71901, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Arkansas’ Ouachita Mountains.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

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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 walking distance of this marker: Whittington Park (here, next to this marker); Hot Springs' Resort Beginnings (within shouting distance of this marker); 122 (within shouting distance of this marker); 126 (within shouting distance of this marker); “An Open Log Cabin and a Few Huts” (within shouting distance of this marker); Hot Springs' First White Settler (within shouting distance of this marker); The Ostrich Farm (within shouting distance of this marker); Hot Springs' First Bathhouse (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hot Springs.

Regarding 101 Central Avenue. Contributing property, Central Avenue Historic District, National Register of Historic Places № 85001370, (as HS-57, 111-121 Central Avenue).

From the National Register Nomination prepared by Julie Vosmik and
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 15, 2024

2. 101 Central Avenue Marker
The marker is mounted at eye-level on a brick pilaster near the center of the front facade. The terra cotta capital and copper cornice are visible at top of this photo.
Jeff Lewellen, 6/8/1984:
Representative of the materials popular at the turn-of-the-century, this two-story commercial building is constructed of dark red and brown brick with terra cotta detailing and two copper cornices. The unusually long facade is divided by pilasters into sections, each with a stair entrance and two storefronts. Five double-hung twelve-over-one windows are paired in the center section, whereas the fenestration of the flanking sections consists of five single windows of the same type. The pilasters have terracotta capitals and terminate at the height of the window heads. Paired brackets above each capital support the copper cornice, above which is a low parapet with terracotta coping. The three stair entrances have remained unaltered. A copper cornice is positioned above the storefront transoms, the majority of which are covered.
This building on the east side of Central Avenue contains some of the last first floor store fronts on Central Avenue that have not experienced major remodeling or modernization. The building was constructed circa 1900 and has been the site of several different stores, restaurants, and shops. The most notable tenant was the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce ·who had offices at 113 and 115 in the mid-1940's. The upper floor has long been used as furnished apartments. The building's store fronts remain the best examples of the simpler commercial store fronts used in Hot Springs around the early 1900's.

Also see . . . Central Avenue Historic District (Wikipedia).

101 Central Avenue Block / Hill Wheatley Block<br>(<i>center section</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 15, 2024

3. 101 Central Avenue Block / Hill Wheatley Block
(center section)

Excerpt: The Central Avenue Historic District is the historic economic center of Hot Springs, Arkansas, located directly across Central Avenue from Bathhouse Row. Built primarily between 1886 and 1930, the hotels, shops, restaurants and offices on Central Avenue have greatly benefited from the city's tourism related to the thermal waters thought to contain healing properties. Built in a variety of architectural styles, the majority of the buildings constituting the district are two- or three-story structures. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

(Submitted on January 12, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

101 Central Avenue Block / Hill Wheatley Block image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 15, 2024

4. 101 Central Avenue Block / Hill Wheatley Block

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 15, 2024

5. 101 Central Avenue Block / Hill Wheatley Block

Looking east across Central Avenue from the north end of the building.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 28, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 12, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 302 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 12, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.