Altus is a city in
Franklin County,
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
, United States. Located within the
Arkansas River Valley
The Arkansas River Valley (usually shortened to River Valley) is a region in Arkansas defined by the Arkansas River in the western part of the state. Generally defined as the area between the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, the River Valley is cha ...
at the edge of the
Ozark Mountains
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...
, the city is within the
Fort Smith metropolitan area
The Fort Smith Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is a five-county area including three Arkansas counties and two Oklahoma counties, and anchored by the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas. The total MSA populat ...
. The epicenter of the
Altus
Altus or ALTUS may refer to:
Music
* Alto, a musical term meaning second highest musical or vocal type
*Altus (voice type), a vocal type also known as countertenor
Places
* Altus, Arkansas, US
**Altus AVA, a wine-growing region near Altus, Arka ...
American Viticultural Area (AVA) within
Arkansas Wine Country, the city is home to four wineries. Although founded as a coal mining community, the wine industry has driven the Altus economy since the first vineyards were planted in 1872. The population was 758 at the
2010 census,
down from 817 at the 2000 census.
Altus is the site of
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (St. Mary's Catholic Church), which is on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
. St. Mary's Catholic Church was built in 1902 and is known for its beautiful paintings, ornate gold leaf walls, and Roman architecture.
History
Altus had its start in 1875 when the railroad was extended to that point. Altus station was the highest point on the track. In recognition of this highest railroad elevation between Little Rock and Fort Smith, the station was originally known as "Summit". The town's initial development was due to railroad efforts encouraging
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
immigration to settle lands adjacent to the railroad. In 1903, the railroad mainline was shifted to a more favorable alignment along the
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in the western United Stat ...
. The track through Altus was removed in the 1930s, but the railroad station has been preserved as a commercial establishment.
Altus is also the former site of
Hendrix College
Hendrix College is a private liberal arts college in Conway, Arkansas. Approximately 1,000 students are enrolled, mostly undergraduates. While affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the college offers a secular curriculum and has a student ...
.
Geography
Altus is located in southeastern Franklin County, bordered to the south by the town of
Denning.
Wiederkehr Village is directly to the north.
U.S. Route 64
U.S. Route 64 (US 64) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,326 miles (3,743 km) from Nags Head in eastern North Carolina to just southwest of the Four Corners in northeast Arizona. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 1 ...
passes through the center of Altus, leading northwest to
Ozark
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant porti ...
and east to
Clarksville. The
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in the western United Stat ...
is to the west.
Altus is south of the
Boston Mountains range between the
Ozark Mountains
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...
to the north and the
Ouachita Mountains
The Ouachita Mountains (), simply referred to as the Ouachitas, are a mountain range in western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. They are formed by a thick succession of highly deformed Paleozoic strata constituting the Ouachita Fold and Thru ...
to the south. The soil type here is generally linker on the hilltops: a sandy loam, slightly acid soil and good for grape growing. Several
wineries
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, b ...
are located in Altus, and it is the location of the Altus
American Viticultural Area.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the city has a total area of , all land.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2000, there were 817 people, 339 households, and 220 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 372 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.80%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 0.12%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
or
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...
, 0.86%
Native American, 0.24%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.37% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.61% from two or more races. 2.08% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race.
There were 339 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were
married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average familiar size was 2.96.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,842, and the median income for a family was $29,286. Males had a prime meridian income of $25,000 versus $18,583 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $17,376. About 19.7% of families and 28.1% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 36.8% of those under age 18 and 19.3% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
![Altus Grape Festival - Local Entertainment I](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Altus_Grape_Festival_-_Local_Entertainment_I.jpg)
Altus is home to three wineries and the
Altus AVA
Altus or ALTUS may refer to:
Music
*Alto, a musical term meaning second highest musical or vocal type
*Altus (voice type), a vocal type also known as countertenor
Places
* Altus, Arkansas, US
** Altus AVA, a wine-growing region near Altus, Arkan ...
(Chateau aux Arc Winery, Mount Bethel Winery, and Post Winery). The Wiederkehr Winery, founded by
Johann Andreas Wiederkehr, is located north of Altus in
Wiederkehr Village. The annual Springtime Gala, Grapefest, Dinner in the Vineyards, and Wineaux Fest are held in Altus each year.
Altus was the location for the first season of the television show ''
The Simple Life
''The Simple Life'' is an American reality television series starring Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. It depicts the two wealthy socialites, as they struggle to do manual, low-paying jobs such as cleaning rooms, farm work, serving meals in fast ...
'', starring
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981) is an American media personality, businesswoman, socialite, model, and entertainer. Born in New York City, and raised there and in Beverly Hills, California, she is a great-granddaughter of Conrad ...
and
Nicole Richie.
Education
Altus is served by the
Ozark School District, leading to graduation at
Ozark High School. The
Altus-Denning School District was closed in 2004 after an Arkansas law was passed requiring many small schools in the state to consolidate, usually with a bigger school close by. Prior to closing the Altus High School mascot was the Owls and competed in the 1A classification of the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA).
Infrastructure
Transportation
Highway 64 runs through Altus, and the city limits follow the highway west from the main population center. This highway runs west to
Ozark
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant porti ...
and east to
Clarksville.
Highway 186 runs north from Altus to give access to
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
, to the north. To the south, there are no highway bridges over the Arkansas River between Ozark and
Morrison Bluff.
Water/Wastewater
The City of Altus Water Department, an enterprise fund of the city, manages water, sewer and trash pickup. Wastewater is collected and conveyed to the Altus Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The plant has a design capacity of per day, and discharges treated effluent to the Arkansas River in accordance with the city's
NPDES permit administrated by the
Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment is a cabinet level agency in the executive branch of Arkansas government responsible for implementation of the rules and regulations regarding the management of natural resources and protecting th ...
. The WWTP was built in 1991.
Notable people
*
Boss Schmidt
Charles "Boss" Schmidt (September 12, 1880 – November 14, 1932) was an American baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB)
A native of Arkansas, Schmidt played professional baseball from 1901 to 1926, including six ...
, baseball player and manager
*
Janice Holt Giles
Janice Holt Giles (March 28, 1905 – June 1, 1979) was an American writer who lived near Knifley in Adair County, Kentucky.
Personal life
She was born Janice Meredith Holt on March 28, 1905, in Altus, Arkansas to John Albert Holt and Lucy El ...
, author
*
Johann Andreas Wiederkehr, winemaker
See also
*
*
List of cities and towns in Arkansas
Arkansas is a state in the Southern United States. According to the 2020 United States census, it is the 33rd most populous state with inhabitants and the 27th largest by land area spanning of land.
Arkansas is divided into 75 counties and c ...
References
{{authority control
Cities in Arkansas
Cities in Franklin County, Arkansas
Fort Smith metropolitan area