The Empress of Little Rock

The Empress of Little Rock is a stunning 1888 Gothic Queen Anne mansion in the Quapaw Quarter, now operating as a bed and breakfast. The house was built for saloon-owner James Hornibrook in a competitive act of one-upmanship and is widely cited as the finest example of Gothic Queen Anne architecture in the United States.

The exterior is a cascade of towers, turrets, wraparound porches, and intricately carved woodwork — painted in period colours that emphasise the layered ornament. Even if you are not staying here, the exterior alone is worth a walk-by, and the owners occasionally offer house tours. 1366 Scott St.

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A story
The house was built in 1888 by James Hornibrook, a saloon owner. A competing saloon owner was building a fine house on the same block. Hornibrook, not to be outdone, hired architect Max Orlopp Jr. to build something grander — and the resulting Gothic Queen Anne mansion, with its turrets, wraparound porch, and deeply carved woodwork, is widely considered the finest Victorian house in the state.