Searcy Municipal Courthouse

The Searcy Municipal Courthouse is one of the few examples of Italian Renaissance-designed public buildings in Arkansas. It was built in 1914 and originally operated as the city's first post office. The two-story building features a low-pitched hipped roof with wide overhanging eaves supported by large brackets, three large windows on the main entrance side of the building, and pilasters topped by Roman capitals beside the windows. The courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

The courthouse was built in the midst a prosperous period in Searcy and the building reflects the city's status as an important economic center. However, although Searcy was a growing and thriving community in the early 1900s, it was still a small town and it did not actually qualify for a federal postal facility. At the time, there were 2,000 residents, only six postal employees, no mail delivery system, and the total amount of postage receipts was only $8,000, which was considered too low to justify building a post office (in 1913 Congress passed a law stating that postage receipts were required to be at least $10,000).

Despite the town not meeting these requirements, Congressman Stephen Brundidge led the successful effort to convince Congress to approve the funding ($40,000) for the post office in Searcy. As a result, Searcy became the second smallest town in the country to have a such a facility. By 1916, however, Searcy's postal receipts amounted to more than $14,000, which more than vindicated the decision to build the post office. It operated until the mid-1970s and it appears that the building became a courthouse shortly after.

Bayles, Jill. "Searcy Municipal Buildings." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. July 20, 1992. https://www.arkansasheritage.com/docs/default-source/national-registry/WH0037-pdf.