Judge Isaac Parker's Courthouse

Introduction

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The federal courthouse is not a tourist attraction and is still in operation. This was the courthouse where famous Judge Isaac Parker practiced law. Isaac Parker is famous for bringing law to the furthest extents of American territory(at that time) and notorious for his use of hanging as a punishment. Hence his moniker 'The Hanging Judge.'

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Front View of the Court House where Judge Isaac Parker practiced law

Judge Isaac Parker was known as the hanging Judge since he was the judge who hung the most people in American history

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The four story Judge Isaac C. Parker Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse was constructed in 1936 and planned by architect Louis A. Simon. The courthouse was the primary location from where United States law was enforced in the Arkansas territory.

At the time this court house enforced law in the frontier of the American government at times punishing criminals that resided within the Indian territory.

Judge Isaac Parker, The Hanging Judge, was the most famous arbiter of law that presided in this courthouse. Although Isaac Parker was born in Ohio on October 15, 1838 he soon moved to Missouri to pursue a career in law.

Judge Isaac Parker presided over 13.490 cases over 74,000 square miles, 9,454 of such cases resulted in conviction and 160 people in those cases were sentenced to death. This record gave Isaac Parker his nickname. The Hanging Judge.

Sources

“Isaac Charles Parker (1838–1896),” March 19, 2019. https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/isaac-charles-parker-1732/.

“Judge Isaac C. Parker Federal Building and Courthouse.” GSA, May 19, 2020. https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/regions/welcome-to-the-greater-southwest-region-7/buildings-and-facilities/arkansas/judge-isaac-c-parker-federal-building-and-courthouse.

“Speeches of Judge Parker.” National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed November 20, 2020. https://www.nps.gov/fosm/learn/historyculture/speeches-of-judge-parker.htm.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3860109,-94.4265041,3a,75y,304.07h,89.64t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sCboKnZP0_DqpY8RjB13LCQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656