former Sharp County Courthouse - Hardy, Arkansas
Posted by: iconions
N 36° 18.936 W 091° 28.838
15S E 636394 N 4020025
This one-story fieldstone building is located at 213 E Main in Hardy, Ar.
Waymark Code: WMP3G0
Location: Arkansas, United States
Date Posted: 06/23/2015
Views: 4
Text of the historical marker that is left of the entrance:
No. F. 21
SHARP COUNTY
COURT HOUSE
The first court house in Sharp
County was erected at Evening
Shade in 1868. About 1890 another
Court House was built at Hardy,
in the northern end of the county,
and has since then the county has
maintained two Seats of Justice.
1836 Arkansas Centennial Comm. Arkansas History Comm. 1936
From the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture:
(
visit link)
"When Hardy was incorporated, it was far removed from the county seat in Evening Shade. Feeling isolated from their government, Hardy residents complained to the General Assembly for a solution to the problems of distance and poor roads. In 1894, the state divided Sharp County into two sections, with Hardy named county seat of the Northern District. A court was established along with other government offices, which increased Hardy’s population to 347 people by 1900. As the twentieth century progressed, better roads made the dual-county-seat structure unnecessary, so Ash Flat was designated the county seat in 1963."
From Courthouses.co:
(
visit link)
"Location: Main Street / Kelly Avenue
Built: 1883 – 1884
Style: Federal
Architect: Unknown
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces north and is a two story stone structure. The first story has an entrance at ground level on the south side. The second story has a central entrance at Main Street. The building served as the courthouse from 1894 to until 1997."