Jill Rogers Barham - Junior League of Little Rock

Built to Serve - The Junior League
of Little Rock Building By Jill Rogers Barham
reproductions to match the original door
and the green tiles in the fireplace display
the colors of a men’s social club. Several
original wall mounted circulating fans
remain in place.
O
ver the years, as condominium
high-rises and modern office
towers have sprung up in Little
Rock’s city center, there remain islands
of history in the stream of progress. They
represent a Little Rock that slips away
with each passing year. They represent
an America where downtowns were the
heart of the city and social and civic
club involvement was the norm, not the
exception. These historic buildings anchor
our community and are a strong link to
our past. From the Old State House to
Trapnall Hall, from the Capital Hotel to the
Lafayette Square Building, they remind us
of the journey that has brought us here and
of the many shoulders we stand upon. At
401 South Scott Street you will find such
an extraordinary building. It is a gathering
place, a ballroom, and a civic center. It is
a building that was built to serve. Today,
it stands as the headquarters of the Junior
League of Little Rock.
The Benevolent and Protective Order of
the Elks commissioned and constructed
the building from 1908-1910 in the
Second Renaissance Revival Style. The
organization created a place where its
membership could socialize and fulfill a
civic mission. Its touches can still be seen
30 Interaction l Holiday 2009
in the antlered door knobs and the letters
BPOE above the entry way. The Woman’s
City Club purchased the building in 1927
and it served as a clubhouse for meetings,
bridge games, and luncheons for seventyfour
years.
On the second floor, after ascending the
grand staircase, you will find one of the
finest ballrooms in Arkansas. Throughout
the years, this room has seen many of Little
Rock’s cherished moments: its weddings,
anniversaries, and many other happy
occasions. For some, this building serves as
a reminder of Cotillion, with pretty white
gloves and a new dress. For those from
another generation, it was soldier dances
in World War II and World War I. Walking
around the Ballroom, one recognizes the
raised “wallflower” platform around the
perimeter. This allowed women to be seen
and asked to dance by a boy, maybe home
from the War, or on his way to it. Looking
up, the balcony has a very low wall, which
allowed chaperones to keep a watchful eye,
and small bands allowed them to be seated
and still see the dancers below.
On the first floor is a boardroom that has
been used as a smoking room and a formal
receiving parlor. The entry doors are
The Junior League of Little Rock purchased
the building in May 2001. The north meeting
room was partitioned from a large L shaped
card room to provide a small committee
meeting space. After the partition, new
doors and hardware were designed to
match original doors. The red velvet
drapes in this room are from the 1950’s.
The celery green wall color pays homage
to the “Elk green”. The kitchen looks
much as it did for its whole history. Future
phases of League Building renovation will
update the vintage kitchen named in honor
of Mrs. Bell and her daughters, Ann and
Sylvia, who
catered from
the kitchen
for over 70
years while
the building
held the
W o m e n ’ s
City Club.
To make
the building
s u i t a b l e
for modern
needs, new
interior stairs were added along with a
much-needed elevator in space formerly
occupied by the south parlor. The brick
walls were exposed during renovation,
clearly showing the two phases of Elk
construction. The 4 floor elevator opens on
both sides with the south entrance providing
wheelchair access to the building.
Today, all meeting rooms are equipped
phones, computer network connections and
updated electrical circuits to accommodate
business meetings and conferences. The