Poinsett County Courthouse

Erected in 1918, Poinsett County Courthouse is an outstanding example of Classical Revival architecture and for this reason is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built of concrete walls faced with gray stone, it features two large entrance porticos with Corinthian columns, arched windows, and an octagonal clock tower. The building also incorporates elements of Roman, Palladium, and Colonial Revival architectural styles. The courthouse continues to serve as the seat of county government.

Thanks to its central location in the county, Harrisburg became the county seat in 1856, taking the title from the town of Bolivar located three miles to the north. The second county courthouse (the first in Harrisburg) stood on land donated by a man named Benjamin Harris Sr. (the town was named after him). A small two-story brick building, it was also used as a school, church, and real estate office. In 1873 a fire destroyed it but the next courthouse was built in 1874 using the walls of the old building that remained. The new courthouse was used until 1917 when it, too, burned down. To prevent this from happening again, the county decided to construct a fireproof building. The county also wanted something impressive in appearance to symbolize the important status the county had achieved by that time.

Craig, Jared. "Poinsett County Courthouse." Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Last Updated October 22, 2020. https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/poinsett-county-courthouse-9349.

Story, Kenneth. "Poinsett County Courthouse." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. November 3, 1989. https://www.arkansasheritage.com/docs/default-source/national-registry/PO0002-pdf.