Stuttgart Commercial Historic District

Located in the northern county seat of Arkansas County, the Stuttgart Commercial Historic District encompasses the core of the Stuttgart (Arkansas County) downtown area. With contributing buildings constructed from 1889 to the mid-1950s, the area includes a wide variety of commercial structures and architectural styles. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 4, 2007. Centered on Main Street, it includes buildings that were constructed for or used by a variety of businesses, including car dealerships, pharmacies, and farm implement dealerships, as well as offices related to rice production.

The Reverend George Adam Buerkle moved with his family to what became Stuttgart in 1878 and worked to recruit other German families to the area. A post office opened in his home in 1880, and the town was platted in 1884, with a narrow gauge railroad laid through the area the previous year. The town grew over the years and was incorporated in 1889.

In 1888, a fire destroyed all the buildings on the west side of Main Street for two blocks. Rebuilding began immediately, but with brick buildings to replace the wood-frame structures that were lost in the blaze. The city passed an ordinance in 1904 to prevent the construction of any new wooden buildings in the core of what would become downtown Stuttgart, along Main Street.

The oldest building in the district is the Thompson Building at 222 and 224 Main Street, constructed in 1889. Three structures in the district are individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the Arkansas County Courthouse, Northern District, constructed in the Classical Revival style in 1928; the Riceland Hotel, a five-story building opened in 1923; and the Standard Ice Company Building, constructed in the Spanish Revival style in 1926.

Seven types of architectural styles dominate the area. Several buildings in the district are of Italianate design. The building at 210 South Main Street is a two-story structure with detailed roof brackets and contrasting brick arches above each window and doorway on the front façade. 216 South Main is a two-story building with arched windows on the second floor. One of the few homes located in the district, 505 South Maple Street, could potentially be an example of Folk Victorian architecture but has been clad in siding, making a determination difficult. 415 South Main Street is an apartment building constructed in the American Foursquare style. The building at 301 South College Street is an Art Deco structure with a flat roof and a single story. One English Revival style building is located at 118 West 4^th Street. Neo-Classical Revival buildings include the Riceland Hotel and Arkansas County Courthouse. The only example of Spanish Revival style in the district is the Standard Ice Company building.

At the time of the district’s inclusion on the National Register, a total of seventy-six resources were located within the boundaries. Of those, forty-three contributed to the district, while the remainder either did not fall into the time period of the district or were too heavily modified to be included. Some of the buildings included in the original district have since been torn down.

For additional information:
Burkett, Bennie Frownfelter. One Hundred Years on the Grand Prairie. Stuttgart, AR: Standard Printing Company, 1980.

“Stuttgart Commercial Historic District.” 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/no_num_stuttgart_comm_hd-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=559d1eba_0 (accessed July 31, 2024).

David Sesser
Southeastern Louisiana University