Crossett Municipal Auditorium

Located in the small timber industry town of Crossett (Ashley County), the Crossett Municipal Auditorium is a publicly owned space designed to serve both the local school district and the city. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 2007.

Since the founding of the town in the 1890s, multiple public facilities have served the Crossett community—all funded by the Crossett Lumber Company, the wood products business that created the town. By the early 1950s, the community needed an appropriate gathering spot for school events, as well as public presentations and meetings. To fill this gap, the Crossett Lumber Company pushed the city to construct an auditorium. This was part of a plan to increase the population of the town from what was then 5,000 to more than 25,000.

With an initial donation of $125,000 from the Crossett Lumber Company, the plans for the auditorium called for a facility that would serve the town for decades to come. The construction of the building cost $158,484, but that total did not include finishing costs, such as plumbing, electrical, and heating. Construction took place in the spring of 1954. Upon completion, the Art Moderne–style building was put to immediate use and hosted a number of performances during the 1954–1955 season.

Constructed of gray brick, the southeast-facing building is topped with a flat tar roof. To allow for better acoustics, the building is wider at the front than at the rear. The building is accessed by a set of red concrete steps, flanked on both sides by planters. Three sets of double doors offer entry into the space. Above the doors are three awning windows, and the entryway is covered with large limestone squares, contrasting with the gray brick. Windows and a set of glass double doors are located on the northeast side, and a similar combination is located on the southwest side, with an additional door that leads backstage. The rear includes a rolling door for easy access to the stage.

The interior includes seating for 1,009 and is designed to give every seat a direct line of sight of the stage. Other interior details include ticket booths, a lobby at the entrance, and dressing rooms located beneath the stage. A box office and restrooms are also present, along with a lighting booth.

The auditorium is located directly north of the Crossett High School Building, and the two structures were initially connected by a covered walkway. The high school no longer stands, but the walkway is still present. The former site of the high school is now occupied by Crossett Middle School.

Although the attempt to increase Crossett’s population to 25,000 did not succeed (it topped out at 6,706 in 1980), the auditorium remains in use in the twenty-first century, being an important part of the experience of children in the Crossett School District, as well as residents of the community. Various concerts, beauty pageants, and the crowning of the local homecoming queen are all held in the building.

For additional information:
“Crossett Municipal Auditorium.” National Register of Historic Places registration form. On file at Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, Little Rock, Arkansas. Online https://www.arkansasheritage.com/docs/default-source/national-registry/as0106-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=8a95f13f_0 (accessed October 17, 2024).

David Sesser
Southeastern Louisiana University