Cleveland County is named for Grover Cleveland, who was the President of the United States.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Dallas County, Grant County and Jefferson County
E – Lincoln County and Drew County
S – Bradley County
W – Calhoun County and Dallas County
Created: April 17, 1873
County Seat:
Toledo 1873 – 1891
Rison 1891 – present
County Courthouse – Rison
Location: 20 Magnolia Street / Main Street
Built: 1910 – 1911
Style: Beaux Arts
Architect: Theodore M Sanders
Contractor: Monk & Ritchie of Pine Bluff
Description: The building faces northwest and is a two story dark brown colored brick and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Rison. The northwest front has a small one story white colored portico with balcony on the second story. Four Tuscan pilasters divide the windows. There are wings on the east and west sides. On the center of the roof is a square high clock tower with four-faced clock and steep roof. In the interior the hallway runs southwest-northeast with stairs at either end. There are brightly patterned ceramic floor tiles, marble wainscoting and pressed tin ceilings in an ornamental design. The County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the second story and has a fireplace. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 13th Judicial District. In 2021, the roof was repaired and the courtroom painted by Sure Foundation Construction.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Cleveland County Courthouse
See: The 13th Judicial Circuit includes Calhoun County, Columbia County, Dallas County, Ouachita County and Union County.
History: The county was created in 1873 and Toledo was designated as the county seat. The first courthouse was built. The courthouse burned in 1889 and the county seat was moved to Rison in 1891. The second courthouse, a two story frame structure was built in 1892 at a cost of $8,000. A Clerk’s Office was built on the Courthouse Square in 1902 and was moved in later years to the fairgrounds. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1911 at a cost of $65,000.
County Courthouse – Rison
County Circuit Court courtroom
Photos taken 2011, 2019 and 2025
Images 16*