History of the Woodruff House

In 1851 Mr. William E. Woodruff bought 23 1/3 acres of land, then just outside the city  limits, on the East side of the city.  His family was growing so rapidly he wished more  rooms for them, also to gratify his own desire and love for a desirable country home, and the leisure and privacy that such a home afforded him.  Facing Ninth Street, near College Street, he built a beautiful substantial two and one-half story thirteen room, brick home, full of comfort and so roomy that not only his own family, but many friends and many strangers found pleasure visiting within its walls.  The immediate enclosure about his home and garden occupied ten city blocks.  Many forest trees spread their sturdy limbs over the front yard, and a broad gravel walk, with beds of roses and violets on either side, extended from the front gate to the large front porch, which was supported by great round pillars. 

A circular driveway also led from the big double front gates so that carriages could drive around to the front step to deposit their guests, then drive on around the circle and out of the front gate again.  Growing around this circle were purple, pink and white crepe myrtles, also great bunches of ascension lilies. 

The garden to the east of the house always had a skilled gardener in attendance.  It contained all manor and kinds of fruits, vegetables and flowers.  In fact, the garden was a special joy and pride to Mr. Woodruff.  The flowers were Mrs. Woodruffs. 

The large pit on the East side of the house, which housed them in winter, contained the first tomatoes ever brought to the state. She cultivated them for their beauty only, as it was not known that they were safe to eat until sometime afterwards.  Mr. Woodruff was never too busy to take a guest or number of his friends and family into his garden, for there was always fruit and flowers in their season to show and to gather and he loved to share them with others. 

North of the house was the servants quarters, a wood yard, a large chicken house, barns, etc. 

On the west side was a large laundry house built over a large cistern, which furnished the water for washing.  Farther to the West extending to Rector Avenue was a fine orchard, cornfield, potato patch, etc.

Along a wide porch extended the full length of the rear of the house, and continued along an ell of three rooms, one of which was his private office.  Just off  this porch was a deep walled well, for drinking water which was always ice cold. 

The interior of this home was arranged like most colonial homes with large rooms on either side of a wide hall. 

Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff were very hospitable, and when the double doors from the hall to parlor, and the sliding doors between the parlor and the dining room were thrown open, it made an ideal arrangement for entertaining their many friends. 

A beautiful walnut winding stairway reached from the first floor to the third story, and it was a lovely sight to see the young couples sitting, between dances, all up and down the stairway. 

Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff reared their large family in this home and there never was a home more loved and enjoyed home by both children and grand children. 

When the Federal army took possession of Little Rock, he was banished farther South and his property confiscated.  This lovely old home, with the exception of two rooms allowed for Mrs. Woodruff to occupy, was used for the white officers of a Negro regiment as their headquarters, and later used as a hospital for Federal officers. 

After the war, the family occupied it again.  Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff celebrating their golden wedding anniversary here and remained through their declining years, until Mr. Woodruff died on June 19, 1885.

After his death the home became the property of the oldest child, Alden Mills Woodruff, and he and his family occupied it for a period of five years, from July, 1886, to March, 1891.   

It was then sold and fell into the hands of Mrs. Wait.  It was remodeled into apartments, and fronted on East Eighth Street.  In September, 1921, it was purchased for a home for business girls, and is now called “The Business Girls Cottage Home”. 

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