De Queen and Eastern Railroad Machine Shop

The De Queen and Eastern Railroad Machine Shop, located in De Queen (Sevier County), was built in 1905 for repairing and maintaining train engines. It is one of the only buildings constructed during the early years of the Eastern Railroad Company and by 2019 was also the only remaining railroad shop in that area of the state. The shop was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 20, 1996.

A long, one-story building with brick masonry and tall glass windows on its façade, it is notable for its Italianate architecture, rare for buildings with an industrial use. Its large curved windows remain intact. On top of the building is a monitor roof with small windows for more lighting and airflow. Large steel beams hold up the ceiling. The only two modifications to the original construction are the addition of a small metal shed that projects from the building on the southern wall and a smaller brick shed on the western elevation. The building’s brick walls and metal roof are supported by a continuous brick foundation. Built-in work stations include large steel machines that stretch to the ceilings; these were used to make parts for the engines. The building was also used to house engines that were undergoing a refit.

Work ceased at the De Queen and Eastern Railroad Machine Shop shortly after World War II. The structure is slightly dilapidated, though stable, and the interior is largely unchanged. The building is owned by the railroad that formerly used it, the De Queen and Eastern Railroad, which has an office nearby and remains in business in the twenty-first century; the building is not open to the public.

For additional information:
“De Queen and Eastern Railroad Machine Shop.” National Register of Historic Places registration form. On file at Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, Little Rock, Arkansas. Online at http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/National-Register-Listings/PDF/SV0075.nr.pdf (accessed April 22, 2020).

Austin Blacklaw
Henderson State University