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FEATURE
A Treasure Lonoke County judge is dedicated to preserving historic courthouse.
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Story and photos by Holly Hope Arkansas Historic Preservation Program
he 1928 Lonoke County Courthouse in Lonoke is the third seat of government for the county. When it was built, The Lonoke Democrat stated it would probably be adequate for the “next fifty years.” In fact, it has outlasted the previous buildings by several decades. Little Rock architect H. Ray Burks designed the Lonoke County Courthouse in the Neo-Classical style. The red brick veneer of the building was complimented with limestone details, including cartouche keystones, full-height Doric columns, urn balustrades, paneled friezes, and Art Deco ornamentation. Each elevation of this public building is exuberantly articulated, resulting in an impressive classic presentation appropriate to a seat of government. Lonoke County was created from Pulaski and Prairie counties in 1873. That same year the town of Lonoke was appointed the county seat, making it the only city in Arkansas by the same name as the county. An existing two-story frame house 30
was used as the official Lonoke County courthouse in the year of formation. A fire in 1881 destroyed the structure, so the county rented several spaces, including a funeral home, for official business. In 1884 the Circuit Court selected a commission to propose a new courthouse. An architect was hired, and a two-story brick building with Italianate influences was completed in 1885 for $15,000. By the 1920s, the courthouse had deteriorated and the county had outgrown the building. The Lonoke County Quorum Court approved new construction for a courthouse and jail in 1924, and a formal contract for the construction of the county’s third courthouse was executed in 1927. The Courthouse Commission approved Burks’ plans in 1925 and notice was let for construction bids. Nov. 15, 1927, was scheduled for the formal ground breaking and a holiday was declared. The laying of the cornerstone took place on May 14, 1928. Sen. Joseph T. Robinson of Lonoke County was the featured speaker for an estimated crowd of 2,000 people who were entertained with singing, speeches, and circling airplanes. COUNTY LINES, SPRING 2019
