Pine Bluff - Part 1

Pine Bluff was once one of the largest and most economically important cities in Arkansas. But economic changes have been particularly cruel to southeast Arkansas, especially in Pine Bluff. The population has steadily dropped over the last few decades, resulting in numerous abandoned homes and buildings across the city. The downtown area is particularly hard-hit. There are entire blocks of empty buildings, several of which have collapsed in recent years.

Pine Bluff has some amazing architecture still, including some buildings that were once some of the grandest places in the state. It’s always an interesting place to take pictures. I drove into the city and heard the mournful wail of a train horn, which meant that a freight train would soon be heading down the tracks that bisect downtown. There is an old train station in Pine Bluff, which was built in 1906. It was in operation until 1968, when rail passenger service stopped here. The station is now a museum (which is currently closed for renovations).

The tracks, of course, run right by the station. I got there in time to get the camera set up and take a few pictures as the train cars slowly and loudly creaked by. What is great about the station is that it is well-preserved, and still has some neat details from the olden days, like this sign that reads “No Loafing On Platform.”





Next to the station is the old Masonic Temple, which was built in 1904. It was the tallest building in the city when it was built, and it still towers over the other buildings and the train tracks.



When it was open it was the center of life in Pine Bluff. The ground floor held retail space and the upper floor had offices, including many doctors and dentists. Among the businesses that were housed here was the Unity Bank and Trust Company, which was the first Black owned bank in the state.





The Masonic Lodge sits on a block with a few other buildings, which sadly all look to be empty and abandoned.



I took a stroll around the back. Although the buildings are mostly empty now, there were plenty of little reminders that these buildings were once bustling places full of people.









I know these pictures make downtown look pretty forlorn, but the city is putting a lot of work into the area. Part of Main Street was blocked off for a new streetscape project. Some of the buildings have been renovated. There is a brand-new library just down the road, along with an aquatic center. One interesting thing about Pine Bluff is that it's almost like a time capsule. These buildings may be empty, but they are still standing (unlike many of the old buildings in downtown Little Rock, which were knocked down and replaced with parking lots). They are still a part of the history of this city, an important remnant of the past.



I crossed the train tracks and walked by the imposing Hotel Pines, which was once one of the grandest hotels in Arkansas.



The hotel opened in 1913, but would close in 1970 shortly after passenger rail service ended in Pine Bluff. The hotel sat empty and abandoned for several decades afterwards.



A few years ago, a local group purchased the building and did some work on it. The basement was drained of water, and debris was cleared out of the lobby. The plans were to renovate it into a nice boutique hotel.



But it seems like the pandemic messed up those plans, and it doesn't appear that there has been any recent work done on the building.



I was given permission to take pictures inside the old hotel, way back in 2018. I hope one day it can be restored and brought back to its former glory.



On the same block as the old hotel was this former store, boarded up and closed.



And nearby was this old storefront. The writing above the door reads "Our Goal...Always your Goodwill."



Across the street from the hotel is another old building, this one with a rusted neon sign for a clothing store. It's no longer there, but it once offered the Best Clothes In Town.



Near the sign was this ornate door, which was padlocked shut. Wonder what this used to be?



There weren't any trains nearby, so I crossed the tracks and got a quick shot. This is looking back towards the Masonic Temple and the train station.



I headed a few block up Main Street, and walked over to get this shot of a few ghost signs on the side of a building.



Nearby is another ghost sign for Coke, which apparently relieves fatigue.



At the end of Main Street is the Jefferson County Courthouse. It was built in 1858 and is one of the oldest courthouses in the state. It was almost destroyed by a fire in the 1970s, but the facade survived and a new courthouse was built around it.



There are a lot more interesting buildings in Pine Bluff. But this post is starting to get a bit long so we will finish that in another post. Stay tuned...