N O R T H L I T T L E R O C K T I M E S

Reprinted from July 29, 1938

Park Hill Fire Station was constructed in 1938 at 3417 Magnolia

Street, North Little Rock, Arkansas. The building was placed

on the National Register of Historic Places November 19, 1993.

Historic Park Hill Fire Station

75th Anniversary Celebration

July 2, 2013

Park Hill was the vision of real estate developer and businessman Justin Matthews.

He launched his suburban residential development on the crest of a hill overlooking

the downtown areas of North Little Rock and Little Rock, and the Arkansas River.

Park Hill’s first lots were platted in 1921. By the late 1930s there were more than

300 buildings; mostly houses ranging from modest bungalows to rambling period

revival homes.

Residents of Park Hill had no interest in being annexed to the city of North Little

Rock, and in 1936 formed a group to establish their own fire department. The Park

Hill Fire Station and Water Company buildings were constructed in 1938 in the

3400 block of Magnolia Street, which was then the western-most area of Park Hill.

The Water Company provided building materials, while the Works Progress Admin-

istration (WPA) furnished most of the labor for construction. The complex in-

cludes six historic structures: a two-story fire station, one-story office building, two

100’ x 44’ concrete water reservoirs, a meter building, and a pump house. Con-

struction costs were approximately $8,000.00.

Designed by the architectural firm of Brueggeman,

Swaim & Allen, both the Fire Station and Water

Company buildings have Mediterranean style in-

fluences as seen in the red tile roofs and cast con-

crete decorative detailing.

Edward A. McCain was manager / superintendent

of the Water Company, and a personal friend of

Justin Matthews. When Matthews began develop-

ment of the Lakewood neighborhood, he named the principal street McCain Boule-

vard in honor of his friend.

Park Hill never formed a community government. It existed on its own, until being

annexed to the city of North Little Rock in April 1946. After annexation, the Park

Hill Fire Station became known as North Little Rock Fire Station #5.

For more information on the Park Hill Fire Station and other historic sites in North Little Rock, contact the North Little Rock History Commission at 501-371-0755. NLRhistory@comcast.net.

→ C. 1928