Ouachita County

In 1842, Ouachita County was formed with Camden (Ecore Fabre) becoming the county seat, and in 1846 Ira Nunn built the first court house on land he donated. The building was lost to fire at the time the row of buildings burned on the north side of Washington Street. Next a building at the southeast corner of Van Buren and Madison Streets was used as a court house until 1858. In 1858 the second court house, a brick building was erected. This building burned in 1875. Ouachita County had no court house then until Judge W. M. Cox, in 1888 bought the old Southerland Hotel property, paying $2,000 for the lot. Upon it the next court house was erected in 1889-90. This structure was heavily damaged by a tornado on December 13, 1931. The present day structure was built to replace the one demolished in 1931.

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