Fayetteville Historic Square

The Fayetteville Historic Square (usually shortened to Fayetteville Square or just The Square), in Fayetteville, Arkansas, includes the original Fayetteville post office, the Old Bank of Fayetteville Building, the Lewis Brothers Building, the Mrs. Young Building, and the Guisinger Building. These buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.[1] There are several more recent buildings located on the Square.

Old Post Office
Old Post Office, located in the center of the Fayetteville Square
LocationCity Square, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Coordinates36°3′44″N 94°9′35″W
Arealess than one acre
Built1911
ArchitectJames Knox Taylor
Architectural styleClassical Revival, Renaissance
NRHP reference No.74000503 [1]
Added to NRHPAugust 27, 1974

The historic district is defined by Center Street on the north, Mountain Street to the south, Block Avenue to the west and East Avenue to the east. The block within these one-way streets contains the Old Post Office, and formerly, the County Courthouse.

Old Post Office

The Old Post Office, built in 1911, is the centerpiece of the Historic Square. The lot contained the Washington County Courthouse until 1905, when a new structure was built 1½ blocks away.[2] The building has been renovated and now serves as office space and a startup hub.[3]

Old Bank of Fayetteville Building
Old Bank of Fayetteville Building

The Old Bank of Fayetteville Building, sometimes called the Eason Building, anchors the northwest corner of the Historic Square. Built in the Queen Anne and Romanesque revival styles, the building held the Bank of Fayetteville and First National Bank upon their merger in 1915.[3] The modern Bank of Fayetteville, located across the street in the Lewis Brothers Building, was founded in 1980, and has no affiliation to the Bank of Fayetteville of the 1915 merger.

Lewis Brothers Building
Waterfall in front of the northwest corner of the Old Post Office.
The Lewis Brothers Building currently holds the Main Branch of the Bank of Fayetteville.

The Lewis Brother Building located directly south of the Old Bank Of Fayetteville Building was constructed in 1908. Built in the Queen Anne and Classic revival styles, the building housed the Lewis Brothers Hardware Store from 1912.[3] The hardware store has since closed, and the building now contains the main branch of the modern Bank of Fayetteville ( founded circa 1980, and unaffiliated with the original Bank of Fayetteville ). The brick exterior of the building was filmed in the television program Evening Shade.

Mrs. Young Building

The Mrs. Young Building, built in the Italianate style in 1887, is one of the older building on the Square according to National Register of Historic Places information.[1]

Eponym

Mrs. Young and her husband came from Illinois in the 1870s. She was a photographer, and her husband was a travelling dental surgeon. She purchased a lot for a home in 1881. After receiving a divorce in 1883, Mrs. Young built a two-story studio on the town square in 1887. The second floor was home to her photography studio. The first floor was, at various times, a grocery and a bank. With the money from her business plus the rent, she was able to retire.[4]

Guisinger Building

The Guisinger Building is located in the southeast corner of the Fayetteville Historic Square. Built in 1886, the building consists of brick walls, a marble base, and pressed tin ceilings.[3] It was constructed by William Crenshaw, a Fayetteville native in the hardware business. Now housing a law firm, the building was recently remodeled.

Non-NRHP listed buildings on the Fayetteville Historic Square

The University of Arkansas Global Campus offices are located on the northeast corner of the square. The East Square Plaza constitutes the east side of the Square. The east half of the south edge of the Square hosts the Fayetteville Town Center. The building was constructed in 2001

Two blocks west of the Square on Mountain Street is the Fayetteville Public Library (Blair Library).[5]

Parking on the Square

Parking is free for any consecutive two hours within a four-hour time period, despite nearby Dickson Street's 2010 change to pay parking. Nearby pay lots are available for Square patrons who plan on staying over two hours.[6]

Events
  • The Fayetteville Farmers’ Market - Saturdays April-November, includes around 60 vendors selling a wide variety of locally-grown flowers, produce, meats, eggs, baked goods, plants and arts and crafts.
  • Lights of the Ozarks - November-January Fayetteville Parks and Recreation workers spend over 3,300 hours decorating the Downtown Square with over 400,000 lights.
  • First Thursday - On the first Thursday of the month, the city’s historic downtown square transforms into an outdoor arts district featuring visual artists who create items in a variety of mediums.
  • Trick or Treat on the Square - On October 31st trick-or-treaters and their families can visit booths by business owners on the square and representatives from city departments to trick or treat.
  • Fayetteville Film Fest - Hosted each October for films and filmmakers entering the marketplace, the festival includes full, 3-day schedule of panels and other events designed to complement nearly 80 film screenings.
  • Block Street Block Party - Every May, Block Street Avenue turns into a local party. With 5 outdoor beer gardens, over 60 local bands and 150 vendors.
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See also


References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. Tony, Wappel (2005). "History of the Historic Washington County Court House". Flashback. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  3. "Fayetteville City Plan 2025 – Appendix B, Historic Structures" (PDF). Flashback. 2010. p. B-2. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 1, 2011. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  4. Flashback (Volume 52, #1 ed.). Washington County Historical Society. 2002.
  5. "Fayetteville Public Library Earns National Award". Fayetteville Public Library. June 13, 2005. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  6. "Square Parking". The City of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Archived from the original on August 15, 2011. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
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