Photo courtesy of Mark Hilton
Next on our top 10 feel good stories of 2023 is the purchase of the Old Federal Building in Harrison by Kelly and Tom Davenport of Snow.
Tom Davenport told KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot News it has been a slow process as they are currently working with the Historical Society, but they are hoping to break ground on renovations in the next few months.
A Marion County couple is the new owners of the Old Federal Building in downtown Harrison. Kelly and Tom Davenport of Snow were one of only two bidders for the 120-year-old, three-story building. Their bid was just over $399,000. The building’s appraised value is $531,359.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette quotes Assistant Boone County Judge Tyler Gentry as saying the building needs repairs, mainly due to drainage problems.
The couple has not decided what the building will be used for, but they plan on restoring it.
The Old Federal Building is located at 201 N. Main Street in Harrison and has been owned by the county for nearly 40 years, being used for offices.
The county purchased the former First Presbyterian Church on north Arbor Drive last year for $4 million to serve as the new courthouse.
The Old Federal Building was built in 1903 and was used as a post office from 1906 until 1965. It sits in the Harrison Courthouse Square Historic District which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
In 1979, a new federal building was built on North Walnut Street in Harrison to replace the Old Federal Building. It was named the J. Smith Henley Federal Building after the former federal and U.S. Court of Appeals circuit judge who was a native of St. Joe.
Gentry told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Boone County district and circuit courts have been leasing space in the Henley building. And the Buffalo National River, which is a national park, has its offices on the first floor of the building.
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