Historic Batesville
A Brief History of Batesville
Before Arkansas was even a state, Batesville was a busy commercial and governmmental center. Although the Osage originally owned and lived on this land they ceded the territory to the United States in l808, jus five years after the Louisiana Purchase.
By l8 10, the area that would become Independence County had its first permanent Anglo settlers. These pioneers, looking for adventure and new opportunities, traveled up the White River or by wagon down the "Arkansas" or "National" road heading for the southwest. Judge James Woodson Bates probably trav- eled this same road in I 820, when he left St. Louis to set up a law office at Arkansas Post, where he soon became the first delegate to Congress for the Arkansas Territory.
At the same time, great plans were being made for Poke Bayou, a little settlement on the White River. On February 4, 1821, land to be platted as the town of Batesville was deeded over to four permanentcitizens serving as trustees for the new county seat incorporating the site of Poke Bayou. By 1823, when Judge Bates moved to the town named by then in his honor, to set up another law office, Batesville was already a thriving community. Being one of the earliest towns in Arkansas, it plated an important role in the area, supplying settlers with groceries, liquor, and provisions in exchange for furs. The best known innkeeper and purveyor of spirits in the little town was one Robert Bates, an illiterate lrishman of great popularity. Some folks even believe that old "Bobby" rather than the dignified Judge was the real inspiration for the name of the town.
Batesville continued to grow in its setting on the White River, named Riviere Blanche by the French for its pure water. Because the river was a regular route for commerce, it naturally brought men and women of culture to the town, including one Captain Phillip Pennywit and his steamboat the "Waverly" ore cold January day in 1831. It was the first of many steamboats to make the long joumey up river.
Culture and education have always been important to the citizens of Batesville, and by the I 840s they had already established the first incorporated educational academy in the state, a newspaper, a library, several churches, a Masonic Lodge and a state bank. It was the site of the first State Conference for Methodists and was already the birthplace for the first of three Arkansas Govemors to come from Batesville.
Because of its geographic location in the state, it was only natural that during the Civil War, both Union and Confederate troops visited Batesville. Troops were raised for both sides after Arkansas seceded on May 6, l86l , yet the war had relatively little effect on the area. Batesville experienced a post-war boorn in lumber, mercantile trade, mining and agriculture. Many of the homes and businesses which arose in this era still form the heart of the community today.
National historic districts
A. Barnett Brothers - ln 1886, three brothers - Jim, Charles, and lra Nelson Barnett - opened a mercantile store in Batesville. Three generations of brothers by the same names operated the business until it was sold in recent years. This building was built in 1903-04. Although the lower facade has been altered through the years, the upper story still retains the original buff brick accented with local limestone trim. A 1979 renovation put brick back on the lower facade, with a matching sidewalk, and a striped cloth canopy was installed. The relatively unaltered interior retains its decorative pressed tin ceiling. * B
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B. Hail Dry Goods Building - S. A. Hail went into a dry - goods business here in 1879 in an existing one-story sandstone building with arched windows similar to several other Main Street structures. He later added the second and third floors, the latter in 1925. At that time the facade was also covered with brick. The Hail family continued to operate in the building until 1980. ln l994 the interior of the first floor was restored to its original appearance, exposing the ornate pressed-tin ceiling and the Batesville marble steps at the entry.
C. Maxfield Building - Built in 1876 by Theodore Maxfield as a general merchandise store, this business remained in the Maxfield family for over a century, One of the oldest surviving downtown structures, the building is of hand - shaped native sandstone blocks and originally had arched windows on the two upper stories. This style of building prewailed in Batesville throughout the 1 880s and can be seen on lower Main storefronts. Although the exterior has been stuccoed, the interior features a pressed in ceiling. *
D. Maxfield Crosby Drug Store - This building was constructed by Theodore Maxfield in 1883 as an addition to his mercantile store next door. Built of sandstone, with arched windows on the second floor like its neighbor, it housed the dry goods department. Although recently bricked and renovated, it was known for years as the site of Crosby Drug Store and was home to downtown's last soda fountain. *
E. Goodwin Drugs - These stores and the one on the corner next door are some of downtown's oldest surviving spaces. Known as "the Case Block," they were constructed about 1870 by Sarah Case, widow of George Case, who built many of Batesvilles early homes. They originally had arched windows and doorways in the storefront. *
F. Menard Grocery Store - Long home to the Menard grocery, this building is also interesting for the painted Coca-Cola advertisement on the Central Avenue side. Its fine facade, distinguished by its decorative brickwork and Italianate window trim of pressed tin, has remained relatively unchanged. The pressed-tin ceiling is still in the interior. * B
G. Melba Theatre - Built in 1940, this theatre is chielly interesting lor its neon-lighted marquee and the restrained Art Deco lines of its upper facade.
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H. Adler Hall - This site has long been an important one in Batesville. The three-story Batesville institute stood here until destroyed by fire in 1858. it was replaced by a second institute which also burned in 1 880. These buildings contained shops, lodge halls, libraries, and public rooms. Prominent Jewish merchant Simon Adler owned the second institute building, and after its destruction, he built this fine building with its brick and cast iron front. ln the keystone over the second story central window are Adle/s initials. Such detail as the brick corbelling and the ropeturned window frames distinguish the upper facade, now missing its original parapet. The central windows originally opened onto a small balcony matching the parapet in design. This was the first structure in Batesville to be built according to plans and specifications, these having been drawn up in St. Louis. The building originally housed a store, a bank, and a large public room known as the Opera Hall, which was the setting for many entertainments.*
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l. People's Savings Bank - Built in 1892, this little structure is noteworthy for its use of limestone on a street dominated by sandstone and brick. The sole example of the Romanesque style in Batesville, its large rusticated blocks brm the wall and arched windows of the front, with six contrasting arched terra cotta panels above. The original brackeled cornice with finials has been removed, and glass bricks have been added in the windows. The pressed-tin ceiling can still be seen inside. The stone sidewalk in front of this building is the only one remaining downtown. This structure is the oldest surviving bank building in Batesville, although is has been used lor other purposes lor many years.*
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J. Marvin Hotel - ln 1884, builder Oliver Cason incorporated an 1881 store building into T.R. Taylo/s new holel.. Originally three stories, the building lost its top floor and galleried porch to a 1903 fire. An attached kitchen at the rear is apparently original. The arches over the ground floor windows are of special interest as perhaps the finest local stonework before 1 900, *
K. The Minikin Stores - Although built al different times, these buildings were both constructed lo house George M. Minikin's stores. The upper one, built in 1879, was a dry goods store while the lower 1886 store sold groceries, most likely liquor since 19lh century saloons were known as groceries. By about 1890 a door connected the buildings. While the store has been little changed, the grocery's facade was substantially altered when it became part of a Coca-Cola planl.*
L. Rutherlord Hall - Built in 1887 by Jesse Bartlett, this building may have been used to display the buggies, harnesses, and saddles associated with Bartlett's livery stable located elsewhere in the block. ln 1 891 the building was sold to James Rutherford, and the following year it was being used as City Hall. Around the turn of the century it became known as the Hardy and Wanen Saloon, and the second floor auditorium was known as Rutherford Hall. ln the early 20th century an auto dealer displayed cars upstairs, driving them up a long internal ramp. The scored slucco covering the hand-haryn sandstone blocks may be original, an attempt to irnitale more sophisticated, smoothly-finished limestone. This structure served as the courthouse in 1892 during construction of a new county building, *
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M. lndependence County Courthouse - Designed by Little Rock architectsWittenberg and Deloney, the 1940 courthouse is the best local example of the Art Deco sty1e. Built of the local marble, this is the third courthouse on this site, The original county courthouse stood on lower Main where the railroad embankmenl is, but flocding there inspired construction at this site of a new brick courthouse in 1 857. ln 1894 an ornate Victorian edilice of three stories replaced the simple earlier building, but it was torn down in 1939 to make way lor the present building, which was a WPA project. The Confederate monument was designed and executed by Otto P{eiiler, a local craltsman, for the lawn ol the Victorian courthouse. The bell is from the 1857 courthouse and also hung in the 1894 building. *
N. City Drug -Built in 1894 by J. W. Fletcher, this building housed a drug store for over 1 00 years. The unallered second story is downtown's best exarnple ol an 1890s storefront, showing the shift from the earlier predominance of sandstone to brick. Limestone provides an atlractive contrast around the windows and in the belt courses, and the brick corbelling and paired tin decorative caps above the windows suggest a Gothic influence. *
O. Dowdy Building - Designed by the Little Rock architect Theo Sanders about 1918, this building blends red brick with the local sandstone for a dramatic appearance. Rusticaled stone quoins and window surrounds contrasl in both texture and color with the smooth dark brick ofthe upper facade. It originally housed the local telephone company. *
P. R.D.Williams Store - Built around 1884 by Mr. Williams, uncle to the Barnett brothers who lounded the department store, this housed a general mercanlile slore which the brothers took over under their own name in 1886, Home to a number ol different businesses through the years, it was attractively remodeled after a maior fire in 1983.*
Q. LandersTheatre- This handsome building was conskucted in 1907 as an "opera house" and has a stage now partially blocked by the movie screen. The interior Art Deco wali sconces, which date {rom the 1930's, Ieature nude female figures. The neon marquee is a later addition to the tapestry brick lacade.:t
R. Regional Library - Constructed in 1904, lhis fuilding originally housed the Bost office and the Batesville division of lhe federal court {or the Eastern District of Arkansas. When lhose lederal olfices moved into larger quarters, the building was purchased and restored by lndependence County lor use as offices and the library. Built of brick trimmed with the local marble, this substantial structure is typical of small-town federal buildings. Heavy dentil work at the eaves and bulis- eye dormers in the tin roof complement lhe severe facade. The spacious interior has solid oak doors and woodurork. * B
S. Pioneer Cemetery - The heirs of Flichard Searcy set aside land lor this cemetery in 1835. lt was the town's main burial ground until 1872, when Oaklawn Cemetery was established.