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.
Part 6
The 1940s storefronts featured tan-colored glazed brick on the upper façade with a pattern created by black glazed brick and red brick in header courses (small end of the brick facing out). The upper façade of 206 N. Spring has been painted.
Vacant lot at the southeast corner of Spring & Court—
This lot was occupied by the two-story, wood-frame Murray Hotel. The hotel had a full-length, two-story front porch. When was it demolished?
Newton County Courthouse—
The Newton County Courthouse was built in 1939-1942 to replace the 1902 courthouse, which was destroyed by fire in 1938. The new courthouse was constructed with Works Progress Administration labor and built with locally- quarried limestone. Like many courthouses from this era, the Newton County Courthouse features some retrained Art Deco-style details in the cast-stone above the front door (zig-zags, geometric patterns). The building retains its original metal-frame hopper windows. See WPA plaque on façade. The WPA was part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, which consisted of programs to put people to work during the Great Depression.
East on Hwy. 7 (Court St.)
Gould Jones Building, 1947; now Emma’s Museum of Junk (north side of Court St.)—
Built in 1947 by Gould Jones using glazed brick, regular brick, and red flagstones. It housed the Gilbert Pool Hall on the west (left) side and possibly the revenue office on the other side.
Gorden’s Motel (now the Gordon Motel)—
Gorden’s Motel was here by the 1950s and possibly earlier. After Hwy. 7 was paved from Pelsor to Jasper, tourism increased in the Newton County seat. A 1950s postcard for Gorden’s Motel advertised the following: “Tile baths, panel ray heat, box springs & inner spring mattresses. ‘Cleanliness’ is our motto.”
More next week.
