Gone, but not forgotten: Walks through History

Visitors to Jasper might want to know more about its history. There are several markers on buildings in the historic business district, but for a better understanding about what was, or still is, take a walking tour of the town with this helpful guide that was published almost a decade ago by Rachel Silva of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program.

Jasper Commercial Historic District
Begin at the Newton County Library, south of town on Hwy. 7 (Stone St.) April 12, 2014
By: Rachel Silva
Intro
Good morning, my name is Rachel Silva, and I work for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, which is a state agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Thank you for coming, and welcome to the “Walks through History” tour of downtown Jasper! I’d like to thank the Newton County Library for co- sponsoring the tour, and I’d like to thank Teresa Hayes, Sarah Long, and Crystal Magie (“Ma-gee”) with the library and Joseph and Janet Morgan with the Arkansas House Inn & Café for their help.
For any architects in the audience, this tour is worth 2 hours of HSW continuing education credit through the American Institute of Architects. See me after the tour is you’re interested.
The Jasper Commercial Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2010 and encompasses the historic commercial core of Jasper (courthouse square and surrounding streets). The Newton County Courthouse and Newton County Jail were individually listed in the National Register in 1994, and they are also included in the historic district boundary. Finally, the Gould Jones Reservoir was listed in the National Register in 1998.

Brief History of Jasper
Newton County was created in 1842 from part of Carroll County. By the early 1840s, Jasper was established as a trading post along the Little Buffalo River, then known as Hudson’s Fork of the Buffalo River. Jasper became the Newton County seat in 1843. The origin of the town’s name is uncertain, but one popular story says that postmaster John M. Ross picked the name after comparing a local rock formation to jasper, one of twelve precious stones referred to in the Book of Revelation.
Jasper became a boomtown in the late nineteenth century as a result of the timber industry. Sawmills processed the area’s plentiful oak and cedar trees (used to make stave bolts for barrels as well as pencils) and employed hundreds of men. The Jasper Commercial Historic District is anchored by the WPA-built Newton County Courthouse and features several distinctive rough-cut stone buildings. Because of its location near the Buffalo National River, Jasper’s economy relies heavily on tourism. Outdoor enthusiasts and elk watchers visit the town each year.
Interesting facts—Arkansas contributed a stone for the Washington Monument, and it came from near present-day Marble Falls in Newton County.
Newton County’s population in 1900 was about 12,500, but it is currently only 8,500.
Newton County has never had a mile of railroad track constructed through it, and there are no stoplights in the county either.

More next week