Missouri-Pacific Depot, Russellville Arkansas
Russellville was incorporated in 1870, just before the arrival of the Little Rock-Fort Smith Railroad in 1871 (completed 1873). Though coal mining and agriculture helped to support the town's economy, Russellville had from early on been a major commercial hub, located as it was on the Arkansas River and at the foot of the Ozark Mountain region to the north. As such it served as a trading center for farmers from further north to bring their produce to be sold to traders who would then ship it down the Arkansas River. As was the case with most of these Arkansas River ports located on its north bank, the arrival of the railroad only increased the amount of traffic, and so the regional importance of the community. Russellville was no exception, and by 1910 had grown to sufficient size as to require the construction of a new railroad depot.
The Missouri-Pacific Railroad constructed this depot in 1910 as part of its plans to expand its passenger and freight railroad system throughout the nation.
The Missouri-Pacific Depot in Russellville is a single-story, brick masonry passenger and freight depot designed in the Mediterranean style that was popular in 1910 when it was constructed. The hipped roof features wide eaves and two semi-circular louvered dormers. The original ceramic tiles which covered the roof have since been replaced with composition shingles. Remaining Mediterranean details include the Italianate brackets under the projecting eaves, brick quoins with stucco insets in between, and a belt course. Three brick chimneys rise through the ridge line, two above the passenger section to the east and one above the freight section to the west. The rectangular plan has an open breezeway between the passenger and freight sections with open porches supported by square brick columns at either end.
The southern elevation is accessed via a single loading door in the western, freight section of the structure and by a single-leaf entrance and another loading door in the eastern, passenger section. An assortment of single one-over-one wood sash windows and tri-partite windows with transoms lights the wall of the passenger section. The northern elevation opposite features two semi-circular roof vents above two single-leaf entrances spread across the elevation and several single and double windows, virtually all of which also have transom windows. The front of the projecting telegrapher's bay is lighted with a tri-partite window with transoms, while its western side is accessed via a single-leaf entrance and its northern side is lighted with a single window. The freight section to the west of the open passageway is accessed via a single, large loading door. Two open porches, recessed beneath the hipped roof, complete both the eastern and western ends of each elevation.
The eastern elevation, beneath the porch roof, is blank; the western elevation is lighted by two symmetrically-placed windows.
Noteworthy exterior details include the brick quoins and stucco panels that adorn the exterior walls; the Italianate brackets that adorn the cornice throughout; and the concrete watertable that rests atop the brick dado that surrounds the building. The building is largely unaltered and in good condition.
View from south (1990)
