Clio Logo
Downtown Little Rock Walking Tour - 8th Street to the Arkansas River
Item 15 of 18

This monumental building is the historic Richard Sheppard Arnold U.S. Post Office and Courthouse. It was originally built in 1932 and an excellent example of the Greek Revival style. A modern addition is located on the east side of the old building. It is named after U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Richard S. Arnold (1936-2004), who was a friend of President Bill Clinton. The most notable features of the building include the two Greek pavilions that Doric fluted columns and pediments, decorative glyphs running along the frieze at the top of the exterior walls, and fluted pilasters (columns) separating the windows. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 and remains an important civic landmark in the city.


The Richard Sheppard Arnold U.S. Post Office and Courthouse was originally built in 1932. It is an impressive example of Greek Revival architecture.

Building, Plant, Sky, Cloud

The post office and courthouse was built to accommodate the needs of the growing city in the early 20th century. Little Rock had established itself as the state's main economic hub thanks in large part to the cotton and lumber industries, and the population grew accordingly—from 3,700 in 1860 to 88,000 by 1940. The courthouse was built as a result of the Public Buildings Act of 1926, which began a period of construction of federal buildings around the country. This task was undertaken by the Office of the Supervising Architect of the United States, which was led by James A. Wetmore. It believed that the construction of the courthouse was the last building that Wetmore supervised.

Despite being the midst of the Great Depression, construction went ahead and provided much-needed jobs for the city. Wetmore approved the construction drawings and in May 1931 and the building was completed in December 1932. An addition was built on the northern side of the east wing in 1941, and an addition was constructed on the northern side of the west wing in 1987. It was renamed after Judge Arnold in 2003. It is unclear when the modern addition was built.

"Richard Sheppard Arnold U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Little Rock, AR." U.S. General Services Administration. Last Updated August 13, 2017.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Federal_Building,_Little_Rock,_AR.JPG