The Johnson County Courthouse in Claaksville is a three-story masonry edifice constructed of brick…read moreand rusticated concrete blocks. It features an Italian Classical Revival front with a seven-bay projecting portion. Ground-floor windows and entrances are situated in round-arch openings, whereas upper-level windows are rectangular sash, arranged in bays articulated by pilasters. It was erected during the Great Depression with Federal Emergency Administration funds and is the county's third courthouse. The Johnson County Courthouse at the time was about sixty years old and the county's residents recognized a chance to secure a new courthouse. The new courthouse was named Project 7431 by the PWA. Haralson & Nelson, an architectural firm in Fort Smith (Sebastian County), developed blueprints on November 30, 1934, and contractors Lineburger & Feaser finished the building in 1935. The finished building was praised as one of the most impressive courthouses in the state, with many seeing it as a symbol of local pride. Since its construction in the 1930s, the interior has remained mostly intact. Polished granite floors in halls and stairways, as well as paneled oak doors, are common in New Deal-funded constructions. The courtroom's walls are adorned with pilasters, while the ceilings have moldings made of similarly stained wood. It is well worth a visit if you're in Clarksville! [Review 2309 of 2024 - 372 in Arkansas - 23324 overall]

Upon the creation of Conway County in 1825, the Cadron settlement (about 15 miles down the Arkansas…read moreRiver to the east) served as the initial seat of government. After several moves, the county seat was finally established in Morrilton in 1883. Frank W. Gibb, an architect from Arkansas, created the current courthouse, which was finished in 1929 after the previous one burned down in 1927. Although there are elements of the Green and Roman styles, the Italian Renaissance is also seen in the design. The four-story structure, which is made of light brown brick and cream-colored stone, adheres to the type of classicism that was popular for public buildings in the 1920s. The upper three levels of the recessed central five bays are fronted by flanking pilasters and four imposing Ionic columns. A brick parapet and a conspicuous entablature complete the structure. Inside, the courthouse boasts one of Arkansas's nineteen surviving New Deal murals, titled "Men and Rest", painted by Richard Sargent in 1939. This mural depicts rural life with three men taking a rest break in front of a wagonload of hay. In the scene's background are a meadow, a barn, and another wagon. Check it out! [Review 2362 of 2024 - 410 in Arkansas - 23376 overall]

Just driving through the area and this caught our eye and decided to check it out to break up the…read moredrive. A lot of folks doing some fishing here. We enjoyed the scenery of the dam. Nice walk down there and back up the hill. Great quick stop

Standing in front of the Johnson County Courthouse, this marker points out some of the early…read morehistory of the area and explains why this area grew so quickly. There is street parking in front of the courthouse. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "The first anthracite coal was mined near here on the land of E.B. Alston by a Mr. Walker in 1840. Sample of coal were taken to Little Rock and examined by William E. Woodruff, who pronounced it superior to that found in Pennsylvania. Mr. Walker went east to get men who were skilled in mining. In 1841, $150,000 worth of coal was ready for shipment by boat." It is marker number C-23 and it was erected in 1936 by the Arkansas Centennial Commission and the Arkansas History Commission. [Review 2311 of 2024 - 374 in Arkansas - 23326 overall]