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In 2015, I wrote about how the Benjamin Clayton Black House in Searcy, Arkansas, a vibrant hub for local and regional artists to share their voices. Fast forward to today, and this cherished landmark continues to thrive as an art gallery. However, as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Black family’s completion of this historic home, it’s the perfect time to delve deeper into the rich history and significance of this landmark. Join me as we explore the fascinating story behind the Benjamin Clayton Black House and its enduring legacy in Searcy.
Searcy (nee, White Sulpher Springs) was established as the White County seat in 1835. The community faced some growing pains during the pre-civil war years but flourished to about 700 families by the 1850s. Even before city roads were mapped out, groupings of log cabins, including a small two-room cabin near what is now Race Avenue, housed families and businesses.
When the Civil War broke out, young Benjamin Clayton Black, a resident of Searcy, enlisted under the Confederacy and served until he was honorably discharged after a severe bout with measles. Upon returning home, Black re-enlisted under a different regiment, where he quickly climbed the ranks to captain until his party was sent home in 1862.
Photo courtesy of The Historic Benjamin Clayton Black House and Searcy Art Gallery
Now in his early twenties, Captain Black was facing the end of his war service and the beginning of the rest of his life with little prospects for a career. He purchased the tiny log cabin near Race Avenue and began courting the daughter of A. P. Jones, a local butcher whom he had met at a church gathering.
Black and Mary Rosamund “Molly” Jones married in 1865 and traveled by steamboat to New Orleans for their honeymoon. Falling in love with the romance of sailing down the river and the flourishing architecture of the French Quarter, the couple stayed for over a month, collecting pieces that would become part of their future home in Searcy.
Returning to the small log cabin to begin their life together, Black got the girl and a job. Hired as a hunter by his new father-in-law, he would bring home fish and game, which would be processed and sold in A. P. Jones’ butcher shop.
After several years, Black shifted gears, opening a mercantile selling the beautiful French goods and furnishings the couple had become enamored with during their time in New Orleans. As Searcy flourished, many homeowners, including the Blacks, used chandeliers, staircases, hardware, and more purchased from Black’s shop to add a touch of elegance to their stately homes.
As Benjamin and Molly began to grow their family, the two-room cabin no longer met their needs, and they built a sizable addition to the tiny log cabin. The stately two-story home is designed to resemble the double-decker steamboats that ruled the transportation industry at the turn of the century. The “Steamboat Gothic” style of architecture is as breathtaking today as when the home was finished 150 years ago in 1874. And surprising to many, nestled inside the western corner of her walls in the original 1858 cabin.
As their family grew, Black, a father of 11, a devoted Christian and a local businessman, became an important servant of the community. Records indicate he served as mayor four times, county sheriff seven times, and city council seven times. He was appointed postmaster general by President Grover Cleveland and appointed to the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees by Arkansas Gov. James Philip Eagle.
The home remained in the Black family until Benjamin and Molly’s longest-living child, Lorena Black, died in the home at the age of 101 in 1979. Lorena Black, who had been an agent in the United States Secret Service and worked for the United States Mint, never married or had children. She returned to Searcy when her mother became ill and lived in the home for the rest of her life.
After Lorena’s death, the home went to auction and was purchased by Searcy’s Dr. Porter Rogers Jr. Under Rogers’s guidance, the home was remodeled and served as a real estate office until Rogers donated it to Searcy with the stipulation that it would serve as an art gallery into perpetuity.
Work was completed in 2022 to repair some issues of rot in the exterior of the home. Most notably, the home was painted white. The yellow color was not original but was added in the 1980s when Rogers completed the initial renovation. The city decided to return it to its original white color to better reflect Benjamin and Molly Black’s original dream.
One hundred fifty years have passed since Benjamin and Molly Black completed the construction of the house. The Searcy Art Gallery, which operates inside the home, is planning a traditional ice cream social on August 10, 2024, to celebrate the occasion. Guests can tour the house and view the current art exhibit, which features paintings by local artist John Keller. Yarnell’s Ice Cream, another historic staple of Searcy, will provide an ice cream social on the lawn. Guests play traditional lawn games and listen to performances by the White County Community Band under the shade of the trees. A time capsule featuring notes written by those in attendance will be buried by the sign in the front yard.
As we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Benjamin Clayton Black House, its current role as an art gallery beautifully bridges its storied past with the present, keeping the Black House relevant to the current generation. From its origins as a humble log cabin to its evolution into a stately home embodying the charm of “Steamboat Gothic” architecture, this house has always been and will continue to serve as a cornerstone of the Searcy community.
Visit the Searcy Art Gallery in the historic Benjamin Clayton Black House online or in person at 300 East Race Avenue in Searcy. The gallery is open from noon – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
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