Crossett Municipal Building

Located in the small town of Crossett (Ashley County), the Crossett Municipal Building is a purpose-built structure designed to house multiple city offices. The Art Deco–style building, located at 307–309 Main Street, was constructed in 1954 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 2007.

Founded as a company town to support the Crossett Lumber Company, Crossett participated in a study by a planning firm in 1953 to create a city plan for a projected population of 25,000, although the population at that time was less than 5,000. Part of the plan called for a comprehensive reorganization of existing city services in one location. In 1953, city departments operated from various buildings across the town. An election held the previous year to approve a $200,000 bond to build a municipal building failed by thirty-five votes.

A campaign to approve the bond issue in a second election began in 1953. The second election proved to be successful and saw the approval of the bond issue for the construction of the building and the purchase of a new fire truck.

The building consists of three distinct sections, all connected. The north end originally contained the public library. The interior of this portion is lit by skylights and clad in blond wood. The library moved out of this area in the mid-1960s, and the city police department began utilizing it. The center portion of the structure contains various city offices, including those for the mayor, city judge, treasurer, and police chief. A municipal courtroom is also located in this portion. The south end of the building houses the city fire department. By bringing all of these departments together in a single location, the city consolidated services for the citizens and saved money.

The brick building rests on a continuous concrete foundation and is topped with a flat roof. A decorative pyramid roof with a cupola is located in the center of the structure. Facing west, the building includes three main entrances. The north entrance is accessible via double glass doors and includes a limestone frieze that reads, “LIBRARY,” the original occupant of that section. The center portion of the building also includes double glass doors and is topped with a limestone frieze that reads, “CROSSETT MUNICIPAL BUILDING.” The south portion includes a limestone frieze with the words “FIRE DEPARTMENT.” Access to that end of the building is gained through a door on the south end. The south end also includes multiple vehicle bays for firetrucks.

Multiple skylights are present in the building, and other original interior features include granite windowsills in the courtroom and fresco reliefs. Some updates were made over the decades, and two additions at the rear of the structure give additional room to the police and fire departments. These additions closely match the original building.

For additional information:
City of Crossett. https://www.cityofcrossett-ar.com/ (accessed March 5, 2026).

“Crossett Municipal Building.” National Register of Historic Places registration form. On file at Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, Little Rock, Arkansas. Online at https://www.arkansasheritage.com/docs/default-source/national-registry/AS0107-pdf (accessed March 5, 2026).

David Sesser
Southeastern Louisiana University