Casey House

The Casey House, the oldest existing house in Mountain Home (Baxter County), is a pioneer home built in the “dog-trot” style. The house is unusual, principally for the materials used in its construction. It was the home of Colonel Randolph D. Casey, who is considered one of the first citizens of Mountain Home. The Casey House was accepted into the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

Built in the pioneer dog-trot style, which is named for the breezeway that offers dogs protection from the elements, the Casey House has two large rooms on either side separated by an open breezeway through the middle. Architecturally, the Casey House is unusual in that clapboard siding sheathes the exterior and wide flush-boards line the central breezeway. A shed roof shades a wide verandah crossing the front, which is an extension of a wood-shingled gable roof. The symmetrical facade is divided by the central breezeway. Each of the two rooms has a single front entry with a transom over its paneled door. Most pioneer homes built in this style were constructed entirely of rough-hewn logs. The Casey House, however, was built with milled lumber over the log framing. The interiors are lined in flush-board over paneled wainscot, and transoms top the paneled doors.

In about 1855, Colonel Randolph D. Casey built this home as his residence. Casey had served in the 124^th Tennessee Militia, where he earned the rank of colonel. He was involved in moving the Cherokee tribe to the Indian Nation. He also was Baxter County’s first representative to the state legislature after the county was formed in 1873. On the same lot as his house, Casey built the first store on Mountain Home square, a store that was later used as the town’s first post office and also the site of the first court in Baxter County.

The Casey House is today owned by Baxter County and maintained by the Baxter County Historical and Genealogical Society.

For additional information:
Andrewson, Jane Messick, ed. History and Families, Baxter County, Arkansas. Paducah, KY: Turner Pub. Co., 2003.

“Casey House.” National Register of Historic Places nomination form. On file at Arkansas Historic Preservation Program.

Messick, Mary Ann. History of Baxter County, 1873–1973. Mountain Home, AR: Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce, 1973.

Bill Norman
Little Rock, Arkansas