Lawrence County is named for James Lawrence, who was an American naval officer during the War of 1812.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Sharp County, Randolph County and Greene County
E – Greene County and Craighead County
S – Craighead County, Jackson County and Independence County
W – Sharp County
Created: January 15, 1815
County Seat:
Lawrence 1815 – 1817
Davidsonville 1817 – 1829
Jackson 1829 – 1837
Smithville 1837 – 1868
Clover Bend 1868 – 1869
Powhatan 1869 – 1963 (Western District)
Walnut Ridge 1887 – 1963 (Eastern District)
Walnut Ridge 1963 – present
County Courthouse – Walnut Ridge
Location: 315 West Main Street / SW 3rd Street
Built: 1964 – 1965
Style: Modern
Architect: Noland Blass of Erhart, Eichenbaum, Rauch and Blass
Contractor: McDaniel Brothers Construction Company of Jonesboro
Description: The building faces northeast and is a one story brown colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Walnut Ridge. The center section rises above the east and west wings and has a high central entrance with over hanging roof. The windows are vertical with white colored panels above and below. The roof line is flat. In the interior is a large entrance lobby with glass walls. The large County Circuit Court courtroom is located along the center of the southwest side. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 3rd Judicial Circuit.
Old County Courthouse – Powhatan
Location: Highway 25
Built: 1888
Style: Late Victorian
Architect: D A McKinnon of Paducah, Kentucky
Contractor: Boon & McGinnis of Little Rock
Description: The building faces east and is a two story red colored brick, stone and wood structure. The building is located at the top of a hill on the spacious grounds of the Powhatan Historic State Park. The east front has a projecting center section with arched entrance on the first story and three narrow windows on the second story and rising to a square white colored cupola with steep roof. The base of the building has course buff colored stone. Above the eaves are small dormers and a mansard roof. In the interior wooden stairs ascend to the large former courtroom. The building was restored in 1973. The architect was Little, Maddox & Standefer Architects Inc. of Jonesboro and the contractor was Damron Construction Company of Jonesboro. The building is now a museum.
See: The 3rd Judicial Circuit includes Jackson County, Randolph County and Sharp County.
History: The county was created in 1815 and Lawrence was selected as the county seat. The first term of the circuit court was held at the home of Solomon Huitt on Spring River and the second (October) term was held at the home of Richard Murphy in Spring River Township. A two story brick courthouse was built and in 1817, the name was changed to Davidsonville. In 1829 the county seat was moved to Jackson. The second courthouse was a log structure built in 1830. In 1837 the county seat was moved to Smithville and a two story frame courthouse was erected as the third courthouse. When Sharp County was created from the western portion of Lawrence County in 1868, the county seat was moved to Clover Bend (approximately seven miles south of Powhatan) and court was held in a rented store building. In 1869 the county seat was moved to Powhatan. The fourth courthouse was built in 1873. In 1887 the county was dived into the eastern and western districts. The fifth and present courthouse in the western district was constructed in 1888 at a cost of $12,000. The building is still standing. The sixth courthouse was designed by Charles Thompson and constructed by Stewart Brothers in Walnut Ridge in 1901 in the eastern district. In 1963, Walnut Ridge was selected as the county seat. The old courthouse was razed and the seventh present courthouse was constructed in 1964 to 1965
Note: Powhatan remained the sole county seat of Lawrence County until 1887, when two districts – eastern and western–were formed and Walnut Ridge took over jurisdiction for eastern district affairs because of its location on the east side of Black River. (The Black River was the dividing line between the two districts) This decision was made by the legislature in order to appease those citizens who objected to crossing the Black River to attend court during rainy periods, when the crossings flooded. Expensive ferry and bridge tolls were perceived as unfair to east-bank citizens and contributed to the division of jurisdiction. The terms of the circuit court convened at Powhatan in March and August each year and at Walnut Ridge in March and September.
Note: Lawrence County was one of the five original administrative districts created in 1809 to 1819 being Arkansas County, Clark County, Hempstead County and Pulaski County.
County Courthouse – Walnut Ridge
County Circuit Court courtroom
Old County Courthouse – Powhatan
Old Courtroom
Photos taken 2011 and 2025
Images 25*