Sixteen Before Eight
As the sign reads:
The Craighead County Courthouse of 1886
For years after the completion of the Courthouse, it was considered an "attractive and imposing" building. This frontal view shows the Courthouse shortly after it was built. Visible is the ornamental iron fence, clean brick, original roofing and landscaping.
By 1930, the courthouse was considered an "eyesore." Photographs from this time period show the decline in care and condition. Gone are the decorative fence and trees, the brick facade is dirty and tall grass appears unkempt.
Efforts to replace the 1886 Courthouse with a "modern" building began and in 1933-1934 the old courthouse was dismantled and its materials were sold off to help fund construction of the Courthouse. Below are some of the original shingles.
This bell, cast in Troy, New York, was originally mounted in the 1886 Craighead County Courthouse where it tolled the hours of the day. It was removed when the courthouse was dismantled in 1933, and sold to Charles E. Robinson for $10.05.
For years it was used on his large farm as a plantation bell to signal work hours and emergencies to workers.
The bell was donated to Arkansas State University Museum in 1977, by Sarah Moore Robinson and Thomas Robinson in memory of their father, Charles Edwin Robinson.
For WHom the Bell Tolls
Sometime the mechanism of the clock became disordered, and the striking gear went "haywire." At times it would not strike at all. At times it would strike as many as 25 times. There is a story about a somewhat intoxicated citizen who was weaving by the court square late one night, when the clock went on one of its striking rampages. He stopped and counted the strokes of the bell. After he counted 20, he headed for home, mumbling, "got to hurry home. It's later than it ever has been."
Stuck, Craighead County Historical Quarterly 4:2
A Slice of History - 1886
Judge W.H. Cate presided over court in the new Craighead County Courthouse court room by September 23, 1886.
J.R. Taylor is listed as mayor.
A.C. Broadway resigned as Marshall of Jonesboro.
in the September election, Lynch & Hillis tied for Justice of the Peace in Jonesboro.
Mr. Cowle was the local blacksmith.
A.S. Nash & Son was selling 13 lbs of "good sugar" for $1.09, an apple brandy at Berger's Saloon sold for $2.00 and cotton sold for 12 1/2 cents a pound. A hotel could be purchased for $3,000 and timber land sold for $5 an acre.
Excerpts from The Jonesboro Eagle
Sixteen Before Eight
As the sign reads:
The Craighead County Courthouse of 1886
For years after the completion of the Courthouse, it was considered an "attractive and imposing" building. This frontal view shows the Courthouse shortly after it was built. Visible is the ornamental iron fence, clean brick, original roofing and landscaping.
By 1930, the courthouse was considered an "eyesore." Photographs from this time period show the decline in care and condition. Gone are the decorative fence and trees, the brick facade is dirty and tall grass appears unkempt.
Efforts to replace the 1886 Courthouse with a "modern" building began and in 1933-1934 the old courthouse was dismantled and its materials were sold off to help fund construction of the Courthouse. Below are some of the original shingles.
This bell, cast in Troy, New York, was originally mounted in the 1886 Craighead County Courthouse where it tolled the hours of the day. It was removed when the courthouse was dismantled in 1933, and sold to Charles E. Robinson for $10.05.
For years it was used on his large farm as a plantation bell to signal work hours and emergencies to workers.
The bell was donated to Arkansas State University Museum in 1977, by Sarah Moore Robinson and Thomas Robinson in memory of their father, Charles Edwin Robinson.
For WHom the Bell Tolls
Sometime the mechanism of the clock became disordered, and the striking gear went "haywire." At times it would not strike at all. At times it would strike as many as 25 times. There is a story about a somewhat intoxicated citizen who was weaving by the court square late one night, when the clock went on one of its striking rampages. He stopped and counted the strokes of the bell. After he counted 20, he headed for home, mumbling, "got to hurry home. It's later than it ever has been."
Stuck, Craighead County Historical Quarterly 4:2
A Slice of History - 1886
Judge W.H. Cate presided over court in the new Craighead County Courthouse court room by September 23, 1886.
J.R. Taylor is listed as mayor.
A.C. Broadway resigned as Marshall of Jonesboro.
in the September election, Lynch & Hillis tied for Justice of the Peace in Jonesboro.
Mr. Cowle was the local blacksmith.
A.S. Nash & Son was selling 13 lbs of "good sugar" for $1.09, an apple brandy at Berger's Saloon sold for $2.00 and cotton sold for 12 1/2 cents a pound. A hotel could be purchased for $3,000 and timber land sold for $5 an acre.
Excerpts from The Jonesboro Eagle