Old Post Office Building and Customhouse

The Old Post Office Building and Customhouse is one of the finest examples of Italian Renaissance architecture in Arkansas. Originally built in 1881, notable features include an exterior with a rough sandstone first floor and a smooth ashlar stone up on the upper floors, and a four-story central pavilion with arches containing decorative crests, urns, and foliated designs. Today, the building houses a U.S. Bankruptcy Court and an office of the U.S. Marshall Service. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

The supervising architect of the U.S. Treasury Department, James B. Hill, designed the building. Interestingly, the architectural plans still exist and are perhaps the oldest surviving designs in the state. Construction began in 1876 and was completed in 1881. It was built to fill a growing need in the city for federal services. Post office operations were located on the first floor and a variety of federal government offices occupied the second floor, including the Collector of Internal Revenue, the office of the Federal District Judge, and the U.S. District Attorney's office. Additional office space and rooms were located on the third and fourth floors. These were used by juries, judges, and the local office of the U.S. Marshall. The building was expanded on the north side in 1897. This new addition contained a bigger mail sorting space and a courtroom. Two wings were added in 1908, increasing the building's total size to 16,000 square feet.

Post office operations and the court moved into new buildings in 1932. Other federal agencies remained, however, including the Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station. The federal government decided to vacate the building entirely in 1975 and ownership was transferred to the Arkansas Commemorative Commission. The building was renovated and used by the University of Arkansas Law School until 1992. The federal government reacquired the building and renovated and built rear wings in 1994 and 1997, respectively.

"Old Post Office and Courthouse, Little Rock, AR." U.S. General Services Administration. Accessed July 29, 2021. https://www.gsa.gov/historic-buildings/old-post-office-and-courthouse-little-rock-ar#overview.

Richardson, Gene. "Old Post Office and Courthouse." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. May 7, 1973. https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/media/26143423/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_AR/73000388.pdf.