Present Structure Cost
$2,500,000; Took 17 Years to Build
Evolution of Arkansas’s state
capitol buildings from the frame two-story home of the last territorial
legislature in 1835 to the beautiful $2,500,000 building which houses
the present state government is shown in the accompanying pictures.
Records reveal that the last
session of the territorial legislature was begun October 5, 1835, in
what was known as the old “Henderliter” house located at what was then
Mulberry and Cumberland streets. Of two stories, the house was first
built of logs and later “weather boarded” with framework.
It was constructed years
before 1835 by Jesse Hinderliter, a German, who operated a grocery store
and made his home in the old dwelling.
The “Henderliter” home is
still standing on the northwest corner of Third and Cumberland streets.
Prior to establishment of the
territorial legislature in the Henderliter house, the first session of
the legislature in Little Rock was held on October 1, 1821, in a
two-room frame house, erected by Amos Wheeler on the site where now
stands the Arkansas Democrat building.
However, the building became
so dilapidated in 1831, that “rain fell from the roof of the state
capitol building upon the head of the judge who swore in members of the
Arkansas general assembly,” and the statesmen were forced to move to the
Henderliter building.
It was in the old Wheeler
building that a $6 appropriation was made to buy firewood to keep the
building warm during a winter session, after the speaker of the House of
Representatives had dug down in his pocket for money for wood during the
first meeting in the frame house.
In his first message to the
general assembly on October 13, 1829, Gov. John Pope, standing in the
dimly lighted halls of the old Henderliter house, urged the necessity of
acquiring better quarters by the legislature, and on March 2, 1831,
President Andrew Jackson approved an act of Congress authorizing
appropriation of 20 sections of public land for construction of a state
capitol building.
The old state capitol, now
known at the State War Memorial building by Act 385 of the 1921
legislature, was authorized by Congress in January, 1832, and work on
the structure and grounds was started in 1833. Construction proceeded
through the next three years when the exterior of the main building was
completed. Plastering and inside finishings were finished in time to
permit occupancy by the first state legislature, which assembled
September 12, 1836. The entire work was not completed however, until
1840.
Total cost of the building,
the proceeds of which were derived from sale of lands donated by the
federal government, and appropriation of state funds, was $158,379. The
old Capitol was vacated in 1911, and the first session of the general
assembly convened in the new capitol in that year; however, all offices
were not moved to the new edifice until more than a year later.
The building was begun
during the tenure of Governor Pope. Plans were drawn by Gideon Shryock,
Lexington, Ky., architect, who designed the Kentucky capitol building.
George Weigart, a Kentuckian, superintended the work, and the brick and
stone work was done by Thorn and Cook. The work of landscaping the
grounds, setting out the trees, and building walkways was directed by
W.W. Stevenson, superintendent of public buildings, in 1840, when the
tract was enclosed by a heavy iron fence which still stands.
In 1877, the coat of arms of
the state, which had been used on the Arkansas building at the
Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, was placed on the front of the
central building over the main entrance, and the fountain which was also
used a the national exposition was set up in the center of the grounds.
The new capitol was
completed at a cost of slightly more than $2,000,000, after about 12
years of effort in which it was made the storm center of least three
heated campaigns for governor.
The building program was
first initiated I 1899 during the administration of Governor Dan W.
Jones and the first Capitol Commission was created by the Legislature in
that year. It was composed of the governor and representative from each
of the six congressional districts. The foundation was built after an
appropriation of $50,000 had been made and the incoming legislature in
1901 was asked to provide additional funds to continue father building
operations.
Governor Jeff Davis had been
elected in that year on an anti-capitol platform. A new capitol
commission was then created, and an appropriation of $1,000,000 made for
completing the building. But for the next two years, due to
“unsatisfactory conditions,” work was stopped.
Subsequently, the 1903
legislature instructed that the work proceed. New commissioners were
appointed. Governor Davis vetoed the bill, but the legislature repassed
it over his veto. A contract was then awarded on August 13, 1903, to
Caldwell & Drake of Columbus, Ind., for erection of the building on the
completed foundation at a cost of $947,846. George R. Mann, who was
chosen as architect by the first group of commissioners, retained that
position.
During 1904 and the ensuing
two years, confusion on account of the death of John S. Little and
occupancy of the governor’s office by Lieut. Gov. X.O. Pindall, work was
again at a standstill on the new capitol, and by the time the 1907
legislature met new complications hindered the program and the
legislature refused the request of commissioners for more funds with
which to complete the building.
No further work of
importance was done until George W. Donaghey was elected governor on a
“complete the capitol” program. After several months of legislative
skirmishing Governor Donaghey was given complete charge of the building
operations. He appointed John I. Moore of Helena, R.F. Foster of
Rison, Charles L. Thompson and H.L. Remmel of Little Rock as his
assistants in carrying forward the work. Cass Gilbert of New York was
selected as architect, and he caused a survey to be made of all work
done. He recommended that the entire interior of the building be
removed and rebuilt. This was done.
The entire building was
finished in 1916, or 17 years after it was first begun.
