Eureka Springs in Carroll County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

The Western District Courthouse

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., April 9, 2012

1. The Western District Courthouse Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Eureka Springs was incorporated on Valentine's Day in 1880. At that time, the only courthouse was in the county seat of Berryville, some 12 miles to the east. This was a great distance at the time, the roads were bad, and the King's River had to be forded if it was passable. As a result, the citizens of Eureka Springs petitioned for their own courthouse, and in 1883, the Arkansas General Assembly enacted legislation to create the Western Judicial District of Carroll County. In 1906 Claude A. Fuller was elected mayor of Eureka Springs. A rented room was being used as a courthouse and the town wanted a new one. The problem was to get the Quorum Court, composed of all the Justices of the Peace in the county, to approve an appropriation for the purpose of building the courthouse. The night before the matter of the appropriation was to come before the Court, Mayor Fuller discovered that two Justices of the Peace from the Western District of the county were absent, and he needed their votes. He telephoned the Chief of Police in Eureka Springs and instructed him to go out on horseback, leading two horses for the justices to use, and bring the absent

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ones in. The following morning at 5:00, the Chief of Police and the two reluctant justices rode into Berryville. When the Court met and the matter was put to vote, those two justices made it a tie. Tom Fancher, the County Judge broke the tie by voting for the appropriation, and that is how Eureka Springs obtained its courthouse. It was designed and constructed of native limestone by W.O. Perkins and Son in 1908.

Erected by in Partnership with the Greater Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce and the Community Development Partnership.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Government & Politics. A significant historical year for this entry is 1880.

Location. 36° 24.051′ N, 93° 44.327′ W. Marker is in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in Carroll County. Marker is on Main Street (State Highway 23) north of Benton Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 44 South Main Street, Eureka Springs AR 72632, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Civic Center (a few steps from this marker); Civil War Healing (within shouting distance of this marker); Bank of Eureka Springs Community Room (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Chandler Mall Buildings (about 300 feet away); "Mud" Street and "Underground Eureka"

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., April 9, 2012

2. The Western District Courthouse Marker

Looking northeast

(about 300 feet away); Bank of Eureka Springs (about 400 feet away); The Southern Hotel (about 500 feet away); The Basin Bath House (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Eureka Springs.

Also see . . . City of Eureka Springs Official Site. (Submitted on October 1, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

The Western District Courthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., April 9, 2012

3. The Western District Courthouse

Credits. This page was last revised on August 16, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 1, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 652 times since then and 158 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 1, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.