The
Carroll County Western District Courthouse was opened in 1908.
Though the existing courthouse in Berryville was adequate, the
need for a second county courthouse was emphasized by the flooding
of the Kings River, which isolated the rapidly growing population
of Eureka Springs from necessary County records. In addition,
it seems clear that from its inception, the courthouse was also
intended to house the City Offices of Eureka Springs. Resolutions
passed in 1905 by the County and 1906 by the City specifically
define an understanding between City and County that provides
for the City to be given office space in exchange for the deeding
of lots and allocation of funds to the County. Specific reference
is made in the original building contract to the "City Hall
floor, being the first floor," even before construction had
started. It should be noted that pursuant to a special meeting
of the Eureka Springs City Council in 1907 the deed and moneys
were applied without conditions on the deed. In any event, the
City donated the land and moneys to encourage the project and
the Quorum Court awarded the contract to W.O. Perkins and Son
at a bid of $17,000. In 1907 the work began on the construction
of a three story limestone gothic style building. The record shows
that both the County and the City began using the building by
1908 and have since jointly occupied the building. The City Offices
are housed in the semi-basement first floor, the County Offices
on the second floor and the Courtroom, which serves both City
and County, on the third. In 1923, the County acquired an additional
two lots North of the courthouse and adjacent to the City Auditorium.
A total of eight lots comprise the building site and adjacent
parking areas North and South of the building. In 2000, the building
facade was deeded to the State of Arkansas through the Arkansas
Historic Preservation Program. In 2001, the center tower restoration
project was completed and the Courthouse now appears as it did
in this 1908 photograph.