A historical article from
The Nevada County Picayune
April 5, 1917
Russellville.—
April 5, 1917
Russellville.—
The old Pope County courthouse at Dover was wrecked to make room for the new $9,000 brick high school building. Title to the property was perfected by a special act of the Legislature, signed by Governor Brough, and the new building 
will be completed during the summer. Dover was the first county seat of Pope County, and the old courthouse, a two-story brick building, erected in 1867, was the first brick building in this part of the state.1 When the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad, now a part of the Iron Mountain System, was built, Russellville came into existence,2 and in 1884 the county seat was moved to Russellville,3 after a bitter contest, in which prejudices and ill feelings were engendered, which have not yet been entirely outgrown. A former county official, in office at the time the removal was voted in a special election, vowed he would never again set foot in Russellville. He has not kept his vow to the letter, but he has not broken it more than a half dozen times in more than 80 years, and then only when the most urgent reasons demanded his presence in the new county seat.
will be completed during the summer. Dover was the first county seat of Pope County, and the old courthouse, a two-story brick building, erected in 1867, was the first brick building in this part of the state.1 When the Little Rock & Fort Smith Railroad, now a part of the Iron Mountain System, was built, Russellville came into existence,2 and in 1884 the county seat was moved to Russellville,3 after a bitter contest, in which prejudices and ill feelings were engendered, which have not yet been entirely outgrown. A former county official, in office at the time the removal was voted in a special election, vowed he would never again set foot in Russellville. He has not kept his vow to the letter, but he has not broken it more than a half dozen times in more than 80 years, and then only when the most urgent reasons demanded his presence in the new county seat.For many years Dover was the center of a large judicial district, and many important cases were tried in the old courthouse. After the removal of the county seat the building was used by the public school until its demolition to make room for a more modern and better appointed school building. There was no cornerstone to the old building, but in tearing down the walls workmen found an old calendar for 1871 behind some woodwork, which will be preserved as a relic of the olden days. The calendar was sent out by a St. Louis book and stationery concern and is in a good state of preservation.
- In March 1878, the courthouse at Dover was badly damaged by a storm, probably a tornado, to the point that courts could not be held in it. “The entire west wall was blown down to the second floor, the south wall was cracked and sprung in two places from top to bottom, and the other wall to some extent injured. (August 18, 1878, Russellville Democrat)
- Not true. Russellville existed long before the railroad came through.
- Not true. There were at least three attempts to move the county seat. One was by legislative act in the early 1870s. There was a vote in 1878 and another on March 17, 1887, after which the county seat was moved.