Polk County

US States / A-G / Arkansas / Polk County
Polk

Polk County is named for James Knox Polk, who was the eleventh President of the United States of America.

 

Surrounding County Courthouses: 

N – Scott County 

E – Montgomery County and  Howard County 

S – Howard County and Sevier County,

W – McCurtain County, Oklahoma and Le Flore County, Oklahoma

 

Created:  November 30, 1844                Map of Arkansas highlighting Polk County

County Seat:        

Dallas  1844 – 1898

Mena   1898 – present

 

County Courthouse – Mena

 

Location:  507 Church Avenue / Mena Street

Built:  1939 – 1940

Style:  Art Deco

Architect:  Haralson and Mott of Fort Smith

Contractor:  Works Progress Administration ( local labor )

 

Description:  The building faces southeast and is a two story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Mena. The southeast front has a concrete framed entrance on the first story with an entablature ornamented with a round emblem containing the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas. Large vertical brick dividers separate the windows. On the second story, the windows are vertical. There are north and south wings. Above is a wide header. The roof line is flat. The interior has stairways at either end of the central section. The courtroom on the second story has a coffered ceiling and zig-zag decorative dado. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the West 18th Judicial District and the County District Court of the 24th Judicial District. On the north side is a two story buff colored brick addition.

 

See:  National Register of Historic Places – Polk County Courthouse

 

History:  The county was created in 1844 and Dallas was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in Dallas in 1844 and burned. The second courthouse was built in 1869 and also burned in 1883. The county seat was moved to Mena in 1898. The third courthouse was a two story brick structure designed by Joseph Heldrick and constructed in 1898. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1939 to 1940.

 

 

1972t10

County Courthouse – Mena

 

 

1971t10

 

 

x4

 

 

1973t10

 

 

1974t10

 

 

1975t10

Photos taken 2010