ia REPRCSENTATIBN IN EXISTING SURVEYS i I DOWNER OF PROPERTY LOCATION OF E GAL DESCRIPTION h I, (PO-f4-p~5,5-~ I

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F~rm.a. 0- -3 (PO-f4-p~5,5-~ ye7&' y>e.'j.

$...NTfiNTOR'SJ -- \;OMNAnON FORFA DAE ENTERED'.$ STREET & NUMBER -NOTFOR PUBLCATON f ClKY. TOWN COMGRiS53qAL DSTRCT Hensley - VCNW OF Second!

CATEGORY OWNERSHP STATUS -DSTRCT -PU BC C -0CCUPfED LSULONGtSl XPRVATE ~UMOCCU PED,STRUCTURE -BOTH -WORK N PROGRESS -STE PiJBL!

1 F~rm.a (PO-f4-p~5,5-~ ye7&' y>e.'j. i)-":ted STATES DEPARTMEST OF THE WTERQR NATEOMGL PARK SERVfCE h, TNAE REGSTER OF HSTORC PUCES....NTfiNTOR'SJ -- \;OMNAnON FORFA DAE ENTERED'.. SEE NSTRUCTONS N HOW TO COMPtffENATJOlVAL REGSTERFORMS TYPE ALL ENTRES -- COMPLETE APPLCASLE SECTONS HsfO"tC Harris Hause STREET & NUMBER -NOTFOR PUBLCATON f ClKY. TOWN COMGRiS53qAL DSTRCT Hensley - VCNW OF Second! STATE CODE COL'hTY CODE Arkansas 05 PuLaski 9! CATEGORY OWNERSHP STATUS -DSTRCT -PU BC C -0CCUPfED LSULONGtSl XPRVATE ~UMOCCU PED,STRUCTURE -BOTH -WORK N PROGRESS -STE PiJBL!C ACQUSTOH ACCESSBLE -0SJECT,N PROCESS -YES' RESTFllCTED DOWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Ann Adams Baldridqe STREET & NUMBER 36 North Plaza 7- - CTY. TO'NM,BENG CONSDERED &YES UNRESTRCE0 -NO AGRCULTURE -COMMERCAL PRESENT USE -+MUSEUM -PARK,EOUC3TOMAL,PRVATE RESLOFNCE -ENTERTANMENT -GOVERNMENT -REUGOUS -SCENTFC JNDUSTRAL -TRANSPORTAT ON 3UTATARY - STATE Little Rock - VCN~Y OF Arka~sas LOCATON OF E GAL DESCRPTON COURTHOUSE. REGSTRY OF DEED$-C. STREET& NUMBER Circuit Clerk's Office Pulaski County Courthouse XOTHER: Not in use at present CW TOWN STATE ia REPRCSENTATBN N EXSTNG SURVEYS Little Rock Arkar.sas 6 j '~TE ' OEPQjtTORY F09 SU PVEY RECORDS m -FEDERAL -STATE -COUNTY -tdcac CTY TLwU STATE f i i

-EXCELLENT -GO00,FAR CDNDTOM X-DETERORATED -RUNS -UNEX WSED CHECK ONE -UNALTERED CHECK ONE X -ORGNAL STE ~ALTEREO -MOVED DATF DESCRBE THE PRESENT AND ORiGrNAL (F KNOWN) PHYSCAL APPEARANCE.. The!

Gibbons, the house was built in 856- Cypress was used almost exclusively in the c~nstruction of the house. Since virgin timber was plentieul on the land only the hearts of the trees were used.

2 -EXCELLENT -GO00,FAR CDNDTOM X-DETERORATED -RUNS -UNEX WSED CHECK ONE -UNALTERED CHECK ONE X -ORGNAL STE ~ALTEREO -MOVED DATF DESCRBE THE PRESENT AND ORiGrNAL (F KNOWN) PHYSCAL APPEARANCE.. The!3arris House is located in the southern tip of Pulaski County, three miles east of Hensley, Arkansas. ksiped by architect Wiliiam R. Gibbons, the house was built in 856- Cypress was used almost exclusively in the c~nstruction of the house. Since virgin timber was plentieul on the land only the hearts of the trees were used. The boards, planed by hand, averaged sixteen inches in width, The: Harris House is a one-and-one-half storey structure. A wide one-storey veranh spans the entire width of the five-bay facade, The raaf of the veranda features boxed cornice, plain frieze, and architrave; it is su2ported by six square Doric-capital colms. Three pedimented dormers project from the roof ahve the veranda. These dormers feature paired, double-hung windows. The dormers are probably a later addition to the house, though this has not been established as certain. me =try door is marked * by a transom and sidelights and is flanked by windows, two on each side of the entry. Five brick chimays rise above the saltbox roof. The south elevation features trvo of these chimneys, the two being identical, The window trim trrouyhout is very simple in style. Set in the ell of the rear of the house is an oyen veranda with t-he same roof >... features that the front veranda has - bxed cornice, plain frieze, md architrave, all supported by square Doric-capital columns. A dormer similar to those 02 the facade projects from the roof on the rear elevation of the house... Tne interior of the Harris House is organized as a large central hall with one room on each side. A steep single-flight, one-run set of stairs extends to tho second floor, First floor rooms are spacious, with fourteenfoot ceilings. The interbx continues the simple refinement of the'exterior. U L trim is plain, as are the fireplace mantels. n the early part of the twentieth century, an addition to the south elevation incovorated the formerly separate kitchen into the house. This addition is topped by a shed roof. Latex, an open shed roof storage area was addsd. The Harris House rests in a rural setting close to the Arkansas River. The house is in a fairly deteriorated condition, but not so mch so that restoration would be exceptionally difficult.

-COMMUNCATONS -NDUSTRY AREAS OF SGNFCANCE *- CHECK AND JUSTFY BELOW -NVEFTOY SPEC! Fl C DATES 856 &ULDER/ARCHTECT William R.

3 "a SGNFCANCE DD ASTORC 4 R C H f ULOGY -PREHSTORC -COMMUNlrY PlAhlN! MG - J-299 ARCHEOLOGY.HSTQRC -CONSERVATON AGRCULTURE -ECONOMCS URCHTECTURE,EDUCATON, J RT -ENGNEERNG X COMMERCE XEXPPORATON/SFlTtEMENT COMMUNCATONS -NDUSTRY AREAS OF SGNFCANCE *- CHECK AND JUSTFY BELOW -NVEFTOY SPEC! Fl C DATES 856 &ULDER/ARCHTECT William R. Gibbons STATEMENT OF SGNFCANCE The Harris Eouse, near Hensley, Arkansas, in the southern tip of F~laski County, was built in 856. The same family has owned the house since its construction; this gives the house a rare continuity of history. The Harris House is a significant local landmark in its representation of one of the earliest-settlers in the area, Architecturally, the house is an example of the tastes of a small-scale plantation With its simple plan and evert craftsmanship, the Harris House is uz architecturally significant struckure. n the early 850's Robert G. Harris brought his family to Arkansas in a covered wagon from Pulaski County, Tennessee. They first settled at mite BlcfE, a flourishing ferry point on the Arkansas River between Little Rock and Pine Bluff. The area was ideal for Soat traffic but was not a qod fam site. After having his cotton crops covered by the overflow of the river several times, Harris began to search for lt?d on which he could build a home and plant a cmp that would survive. n 053 he was able to acquire several hundred acres in the southern tip of Pulaski County from a man named Thompson. He then obtained several hundred mre by land grant. President John Quincy Adams signed the original land grat. w3ich later deeded the property to Harris. t was land covered by a dense forest and streams and abounded in fish and game. Harris mved his family into a temporary one-room log cabin built with the help of his teenage son arid a number of slaves. Harris built a water-powered sawmill on the banks of the nearby bayou and a brick kiln near the hone site. William R. Gibbons, a prominent architect of that day, was employed by Harris to draw up the plans for a house. Gibkns supervised construction, rising on horseback from his home a few miles away. Cypress lumber was used almost exclusively throughout the house. Only the heart of each tree was used. The hards were planed by had and averaged sixtzen inches in width. The bricks used in constructing the house were made by hand from local material.. the late snmer of 856 the house was completed and r2ady for occupancy. Toe Harris House is a gracious example of Southern architecture. The house has a storey-and-a-half with Lhree large dormer windows above a wide-colmerl veranda which~runs the full width of thz faca3e. The roomq are exceptionally large with fourteen-foot ceilings.

4 LhTtDST4TES DtP.4RTbEtNT OFTHt XTtKOR NATONAL PARK SERV:CE NATONAL REGSTER OF HSTORC PLACES NVENTORY -- NOMNATON FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RFCEEVED DATE ENTERED 60VT NUATON SHEET TEM NUM8ER PAGE Tnere were nx~y sup~orting structures surrounding the house, structures whicl? were essential to a self-sustaining plantation in 856. Harris also operated a commissary and grist mill; he did a flourishing business in buyirrg, selling, badking, and storing.. Sarah Harris, Robert's wife,died in 864, and Robert Harris died in 879. The Harris House has mver been out of the family and is now owned by a great-great-grandaughtex of Rokert G. Harris. The Harris House is a significant local landmark because of the family it housed, T'ne Harrises wsre among the earliest settlers to the area and still zre prominent in local affairs. The house is one of the oldest in central Arkansas, and appears mch the same as when it was built. t is a significant example of plantation architecture in ant&el:um Arkansas.

5 &dams, Mrs. Eugene. Personal interview a t Harris House. Rsnsley, Arkansas, Ruqst 5, 975. Arkansas De~~oerat. April 7, Ar?<ansas Gazette- October 2, 956. GEOGRAPHCAL DATA ACRSGEOF NOMNATED PROPEATY UTM REFiREMCES A \,5 )57,6r3L2_6/ J - VERSAL ROL!?EDAFY DESCFPTON less than one acre NORTHNG B~W ZOYE EASTlNt ) i LST ALL STATES AN 0 COUNT ES FOR PROPEFTES OVERLAPPNG STATE OR COUNTY BOUN DARES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUW CODE a F ORM PREPARED BY NAME t TTLE Sandra Taylor, Historian 09GANZATlON DATE Arkansas Historic Preservation Proqram Septerher 9, 975 STREET & NUMBER TELEPHONE 300 West Markham (50) CTY OR TOWN STATE Little Rock Arkansas STATE HSTORC PRESERVATON OFFCER CERTFCATON THE EVALUATED SGNFCANCE OF THS PROPERTY WTTHN THE STATE S: NATONAL - STATE - LOCAL x As the desrgnated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Wistoric Preservation Act of 966 (Public Law herthy nominate this property for inclusion in the National criteria and procedures se: fonh by the National Park Service. E TTLE Stats Historic Preservation Officer DATE Sentember 9, 975 '"3~ Fv,% USE OMtY... ; 4 H'EPEBY CEArrFY THAT THiS PROPE3TY S NCLU3ED N THE fjattofal REGSTEF ' i D8f(350R. CEFCEOF ARCHECLOSY AND HSTORC PRESERVATGN AT~E~T. DATE. + XEEPEil DF RE NPTC)SAL REGiSTEF! i j k

7.5 MNUTE* SERiES (TOPOGRAPHC) NW/4 PASTOS'A 5 Ob silflahcle i /!?w. ~7.

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6 7.5 MNUTE* SERiES (TOPOGRAPHC) NW/4 PASTOS'A 5 Ob silflahcle i /!?w. ~7.- 74' UNTED STATES DEPARTMEYT OF THE NTEROR PFOR F~FS USE ONLY, NATONAL PARK SERVCE RECENED ' ',,. L,. NATONAL REGSTER OF HSTORC PLACES.... '. >.,. PROPERTY MAP FORM.. DATE ESTFRED. +! \ - 5 SEE NSTRUCTONS N NOW TO COMP LETENATONAL REGSTER FORMS =.. TYPE ALL ENTRES -- ENCLOSE WlTti MAP y - '. a NAME ANOOR CO?ulMOF: KARRS HOUSE, k [.' g LOCATON Cl3. TOWN -VClN!TV OF Fmsm 7 MAP EEFEREVCE --A X CRU UTY PULqSK: AS '. 'q..=: XZQU7,ElMEWTS TU BE PJCLUDEC ON ALLhlAP3. PROPERTY SOUNDARZS 7. NOPTH ARROL? A *

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LOCATION NAME CLASSIFICATION LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM 2 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES ----

LOCATION NAME CLASSIFICATION LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM 2 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES ---- Ll STED STXTtS DEPxKTblENT OF THE NTEROR NATONAL PARK SERVCE NATONAL REGSTER OF HSTORC PLACES FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEVEO NVENTORY -- NOMNATON FORM 2 NAME HSTORC AND/OR COMMON SEE NSTRUCTONS N HOW TO COMPLETE