By REVIS BLAYLOCK
NEA Town Courier
Mississippi County Courthouse in Blytheville officially reopened on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The historic building received extensive renovations restoring the 100-year-old building as well as a new expansion which doubled the square footage of the entire complex.
The parking and public entrance is located on 2nd Street, on the north side of the building through the double doors. The three former entrances used are now emergency exits only. The Courthouse project was funded through an extension of the ½ cent hospital tax, which will be split between the hospital system with $14 million going to the renovation/extension of the Blytheville Courthouse and $2 million to Osceola Courthouse improvements.
The courthouse is now all handicapped accessible.
During the renovations and construction offices and court were located at the Burdette complex and the circuit clerk’s office was temporarily housed across from the Blytheville Courthouse. All of the offices have moved into the courthouse with the exception of the County Clerk’s office which will remain at Burdette for the time being. Also, the circuit court cases for the Chickasawba District will be held in Burdette until the security features are in place at the Blytheville location.
Great detail has gone into the renovations restoring the building to its original look as possible.
On the first and second floors, there are “L” shaped hallways that connect the old and new buildings. In those two “L” shaped hallways, multiple interpretive panels hang from the ceiling that informs the public of certain aspects of the county’s history.
Currently, on the first floor, there are panels that show pictures and text related to the daunting task of draining Mississippi County, a mammoth undertaking that transformed the county from swamp to the most fertile farmland in the world.
Those interpretive panels can easily be changed to feature other historical topics. The panels on the second floor tell the story of the Blytheville, later Eaker, Air Force Base that played such an important role in the community.
There are three courtrooms in the building. One courtroom, Room 327, is located in the new building and has five large pictures taken from various locations across Mississippi County. The ornate courtroom on the third floor, Room 306, is the work of Jeff Greene, a world-renowned artist, innovator and the Executive Chairman and Founder of EverGreene Architectural Arts. His interests in history, public art and mankind’s use of ornament fueled his creation of a company devoted to the preservation of architectural legacy in communities throughout the nation.
The smaller courtroom on the second floor, Room 205, also received extensive renovations.
According to a plaque on the wall in the marble lobby of the old building, the courthouse was first erected in 1919 and has served the county well and will continue to be a landmark in the county. The project began with a groundbreaking on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020.
The tax Collector’s and Assessor’s offices are located on the first floor. When the County Clerk’s Office is moved from Burdette, it will also be located on the first floor.
The County’s Judge’s office is located on the second floor, along with the Circuit Clerk’s Office, Treasurer’s Office and Financial Management office.
There are 91 security cameras in place. There is only one public elevator. The sheriff’s department will have its own entrance to transport inmates to court. Their entrance will lead to the holding cells outside the courtroom.
The new building is energy efficient with lights that automatically turn on and off.
The courthouse has received a complete upgrade in technology with room to grow. When the courthouse was built computers had not come into play.
There are two lounges available, one for children and one for family. There is an area equipped with three computers where the public can come in and do their own research. The renovations have combined history and modern technology.