State Capitol Building, Little Rock, Arkansas - Philatelic Photographs on Waymarking.com

Arkansas was admitted to the Union as the 25th state on June 15, 1836. Exactly 100 years later, this stamp was issued to commemorate that event. In an era of cluttered designs, the stamp showed Arkansas Post, the first European settlement in the area, the Old State House which served as the state’s Capitol for 75 years and the new State Capitol which was only about 25 years old when the stamp was issued.

Arkansas Post was established by the French as an outpost for fur trading in 1686, just a few years after La Salle had claimed the entire area for France. It was located on the Arkansas River a short distance from its confluence with the Mississippi River and usually consisted of several structures surrounded by a wooden stockade. The image of Arkansas Post on the stamp was the creation of Alvin R. Meissner, the stamp’s designer.

The “Post” was moved on several occasions and changed hands between France and Spain and eventually wound up as part of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. By the time Arkansas became a Territory in 1819, Arkansas Post had become a town with a population of over 500 and was publishing its own newspaper. It was named capital of the new territory, but that designation was short-lived when, in 1821, the territorial capital was moved further up river to the fledgling town of Little Rock. The Civil War and river course changes eventually brought about the complete abandonment of the town and if you visit the site today, you’ll find hardly any evidence that there was ever a town here.

The Old State House, featured prominently on the stamp, was built between 1833 and 1836 in anticipation of Arkansas becoming a state. It served as the Capitol of Arkansas for 75 years and by all accounts was in a constant state of disrepair. Around the turn of the century, plans for a new Capitol Building were being considered as the old building was in a “deplorably dilapidated condition” with the Senate Chamber being described as having the appearance of “an abandoned coal bin” with moth-eaten and mildewed carpets. In spite of this description, the Old State House, which still stands today, is considered “one of the most beautifully-designed state houses in the country” according to its own website.

The “new” Capitol Building (it’s over 100 years old now) was designed by George Mann and Cass Gilbert in the Neo-classical style which was popular at that time for monumental structures. Its design was based on the National Capitol in Washington DC and is so similar to it that it has been used as a stand-in for the National Capitol in several movies. Perhaps appropriately, the new Capitol was built on the site of the former state penitentiary and prison labor was utilized in its construction. Although most building materials were imported from other states, the exterior was made with locally-quarried Arkansas limestone.

Stamp Issuing Country: United States Date of Issue: 15-Jun-1936 Denomination: 3c Color: purple Stamp Type: Single Stamp Relevant Web Site: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
To post a visit log for this category, you must visit the actual site of the waymark. Post at least one photo that you personally took of the site if at all possible. If you cannot provide a photo for some reason, your visit will still be welcome.

You do NOT need to be a stamp collector to visit the waymark site, nor do you have to provide a photo of the stamp. Just having a copy of the stamp in question, however, is not sufficient; you must personally visit the site.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.