Missouri-Pacific Depot, Altus Arkansas
The community of Altus was established after the Little Rock-Fort Smith Railroad laid its tracks through the hills north of the Arkansas River in the 1870s. The railroad successfully attracted European immigrants, particularly from Germany and Switzerland, to settle in the area and work for the railroad, largely due to the similarities in climate and terrain to their homelands. Altus quickly developed a thriving winemaking industry, with families like the Posts and Wiedekehrs achieving significant success in bottling and marketing their wines widely. Today, Altus continues to be the winemaking capital of the state, with three active wineries still in operation.
The Missouri-Pacific Depot in Altus is a single-story passenger and freight railroad depot constructed circa 1920 in the Plain Traditional style. A composition-shingled gable-on-hip roof with projecting eaves covers the stucco-covered frame walls, which rest upon cast concrete piers. The piers have been covered with stone veneer on the northern elevation and wood on the remaining elevations. Six-over-six double-hung windows light the interior.
The northern elevation is accessed via three single-leaf entrances interspersed with six windows of various pane and sash configurations, though some are also boarded over. The southern elevation opposite is accessed via a single-leaf entrance placed toward the eastern end, and presently lighted by two single windows that flank the entrance. Four other window openings continue to the west, along with another entrance opening, but all of these have been boarded over. A later shed roof addition finishes the elevation.
The eastern elevation is lighted by two symmetrically-placed six-over-six wood sash windows; the western elevation is punctuated only by one central opening in the lower half of the wall.
The Missouri-Pacific Depot in Altus is largely devoid of significant exterior detail, relying upon the broad, spreading eaves and the rough texture of the stucco finish on the exterior to lend it a somewhat Mediterranean appearance that was common to the depots of this railroad line.
The alterations are largely limited to the covering of a number of the unused windows and doors (though the sash behind does remain) to prevent vandalism and the installation of a new storefront entrance at the western end of the northern elevation.
The City of Altus currently owns the depot.
View from northwest (1989)
