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Old Post Office
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Old Post Office, located in the center of the Fayetteville Square
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| Location: | City Square, Fayetteville, Arkansas |
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| Area: | less than one acre |
| Built: | 1911 |
| Architect: | James Knox Taylor |
| Architectural style: | Classical Revival, Renaissance |
| Governing body: | Local |
| NRHP Reference#: |
74000503 [1] |
| Added to NRHP: | August 27, 1974 |
The Fayetteville Historic Square (usually shortened to Fayetteville Square or just The Square) is a place in Fayetteville, Arkansas that includes the original Fayetteville post office built in 1911; the Old Bank of Fayetteville Building, the Lewis Brothers Building constructed in 1908, the Mrs. Young Building built in 1887, and the Guisinger Building. The listed buildings located on the Square are listed in the National Register of Historic Places,[1] although there are several more recent buildings located on the Square.
The district is defined by the blocks adjacent to Center Street on the north, Mountain Street to the south, Block Avenue to the west and East Avenue to the east. The block contained within these one-way streets contains the Old Post Office (and formerly the County Courthouse).
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The Old Post Office, built in 1911, is the centerpiece of the Historic Square. The lot formerly 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 a restaurant and private club.[3]
The Old Bank of Fayetteville 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 Bank of Fayetteville has since moved, its main branch is now located across the street in the Lewis Brothers Building.[4]
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 upon the family's purchase of the property in 1912.[3] The hardware store has since closed, and the building now contains the main branch of the Bank of Fayetteville. The brick exterior of the building was filmed in the TV show Evening Shade.
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]
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, and 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 with the first floor being rented to various tennants such as a grocerey and earlier a bank. With the money from her business plus the rent, she retired and continued to rent the building.[5]
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.
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. Constructed in 2001, the Town Center hosts weddings, business events, and various special events throughout the year. For events, the Town Center will close the Municipal Parking Garage for use by event patrons.
Two blocks west of the Square on Mountain Street is the Fayetteville Public Library (Blair Library). The LEED certified building was built in 2004 and named Library of the Year in 2005.[6]
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.[7]
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