Arkansas County, Arkansas
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Arkansas County, officially the County of Arkansas, is a
county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
located in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,149. Located in the
Arkansas Delta The Arkansas Delta is one of the six natural regions of the state of Arkansas. Willard B. Gatewood Jr., author of ''The Arkansas Delta: Land of Paradox'', says that rich cotton lands of the Arkansas Delta make that area "The Deepest of the Deep ...
, the county has two
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
s, DeWitt and
Stuttgart Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...
. The first of the state's 75 present-day counties to be created, Arkansas County was formed from New Madrid County on December 13, 1813, when this area was part of the
Missouri Territory The Territory of Missouri was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 4, 1812, until August 10, 1821. In 1819, the Territory of Arkansas was created from a portion of its southern area. In 1821, a southe ...
. The county was named after 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 Colorado, specifically ...
(itself named for the Arkansas tribe), as was the subsequent
Arkansas Territory The Arkansas Territory was a organized incorporated territory of the United States, territory of the United States from July 4, 1819, to June 15, 1836, when the final extent of Arkansas Territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the ...
which was later split off from Missouri Territory and eventually admitted to the union as a state. The riverfront areas in the Arkansas Delta were developed for cotton plantations that used enslaved African Americans. Cotton was the major commodity crop before and after the Civil War. Since then, the county lies within the largest rice-growing region in the United States. Arkansas County is one of seven present-day counties in the United States that have the same name as the state in which they are located.


History


European settlement and conflict (1686–1804)

Arkansas Post was the site of a colonial
trading post A trading post, trading station, or trading house, also known as a factory in European and colonial contexts, is an establishment or settlement where goods and services could be traded. Typically a trading post allows people from one geogr ...
, used for negotiating and trading with
tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide use of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. The definition is contested, in part due to conflict ...
s to the west, all of whom were allies of the French. However, to the east, the
Chickasaw The Chickasaw ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, United States. Their traditional territory was in northern Mississippi, northwestern and northern Alabama, western Tennessee and southwestern Kentucky. Their language is ...
and
Choctaw The Choctaw ( ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States, originally based in what is now Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The Choctaw language is a Western Muskogean language. Today, Choct ...
were enemies of the French (the Chickasaw and Choctaw were allied to the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
.) The tribe in the area who the French traded with the most were the
Quapaw The Quapaw ( , Quapaw language, Quapaw: ) or Arkansas, officially the Quapaw Nation, is a List of federally recognized tribes in the United States, U.S. federally recognized tribe comprising about 6,000 citizens. Also known as the Ogáxpa or †...
. On May 10, 1749, Arkansas Post was attacked by Chickasaw warriors. The Chickasaw burned the settlement, killed many men, and took women and children as captives. In response to the attack, the French moved the post to ''Ecores Rouges''. After the French were defeated in the
French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...
,
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
was surrendered to the
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...
. However, they made no effort assert actual control over the
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
, and all Europeans present during the Spanish era were French fur traders who had simply stayed behind.


Westward expansion and the Civil War (1804–1865)

Napoleon Bonaparte's French army conquered Spain, and Napoleon made his brother the new king of Spain. Napoleon's brother, acting as king of Spain, then "gave" the Louisiana territory back to France. Arkansas County was created by the Missouri Territorial Legislature on December 31, 1813. It was called Arkansas after the Arkansas River, and the Arkansas tribe of Native Americans. It is one of seven current counties that have the same name as the state in which it is located. Its original boundaries were New Madrid County to the north,
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
to the south, the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
to the east, and the Indian Boundary Line south of Fort Clark to the west. Arkansas County was within the Missouri Territory until creation of the Arkansas Territory on March 2, 1819. The county seat was moved from Arkansas Post to DeWitt, a newly established town created at the request of the Arkansas County Quorum Court on February 19, 1853. County government officially held court for the first time in DeWitt in October 1855. This area was developed for cotton plantations through the antebellum period, based on the labor of enslaved African-American workers. Major planters earned considerable wealth with the commodity crop, for which there was high demand. Citizens of the county supported the Secession Convention to discuss secession from the Union in 1861 by an 80% to 20% margin. The anti-immediate secession delegates negotiated a compromise to put the question on the statewide ballot in August, but to remain in the Union. Following President Lincoln's 1861 militia call after the
Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...
seizure of Fort Sumter, citizens of several counties (including Arkansas County) formed volunteer companies to capture the U.S. Arsenal at Little Rock. Arkansas County initially sent two companies to serve in what would become Company H ("Crockett Rifles") and Company K ("DeWitt Guards") of the First Arkansas Infantry Regiment. A third volunteer company ("Dixie Grays") joined the Sixth Arkansas Infantry Regiment.


Reconstruction and the 20th century (1865–1999)

In the post-
Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in History of the United States, US history that followed the American Civil War (1861-65) and was dominated by the legal, social, and political challenges of the Abolitionism in the United States, abol ...
, whites directed considerable violence against African Americans, in an effort to restore and maintain
white supremacy White supremacy is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White supremacy has roots in the now-discredited doctrine ...
after Democrats regained power. At the turn of the century, the state legislature passed measures that effectively disenfranchised most blacks for decades. The
Equal Justice Initiative The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) is a non-profit organization, based in Montgomery, Alabama, that provides legal representation to prisoners who may have been wrongly convicted of crimes, poor prisoners without effective representation, and ot ...
reported in 2015 that the county had 18 lynchings of African Americans from 1877 to 1950,''Lynching in America''/ Supplement: Lynchings by County
3rd Edition, 2015, p. 2
most in the decades near the turn of the 20th century. This was the highest of any county other than Phillips, where the Elaine Race Riot is believed to have resulted in more than 200 deaths of African Americans. To escape the violence and social oppression, thousands of African Americans left the state in the Great Migration to northern industrial cities. They migrated beginning around World War I, increasing the number leaving during and after World War II, when rural jobs had been reduced.


Geography

Arkansas County is located in the Arkansas Delta (in Arkansas, usually referred to as "the Delta") a subregion of the
Mississippi Alluvial Plain The Mississippi River Alluvial Plain is an alluvial plain created by the Mississippi River on which lie parts of seven U.S. states, from southern Louisiana to southern Illinois (Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Lo ...
, which is a flat area consisting of rich, fertile sediment deposits from the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
between
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
and
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
. Within the Delta, Arkansas County is almost entirely within the Grand Prairie subregion, historically a flat grassland plain underlain by an impermeable clay layer (the Stuttgart soil series). Prior to the 19th century, flatter areas with slowly to very slowly permeable soils (often containing fragipans) supported Arkansas's largest prairie, covered in prairie grasses and forbs, with oaks covering the low hills and ridges, and pockets of floodplains with bottomland hardwood forests. This region was a sharp contrast to the bottomland forests that once dominated other parts of the
Mississippi Alluvial Plain The Mississippi River Alluvial Plain is an alluvial plain created by the Mississippi River on which lie parts of seven U.S. states, from southern Louisiana to southern Illinois (Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Lo ...
. Cropland has now largely replaced the native vegetation. Distinctively, rice is the main crop; soybeans, cotton, corn, and wheat are also grown. The rice fields provide habitat and forage for large numbers and many species of waterfowl; duck and goose hunting occurs at this important spot along the
Mississippi Flyway The Mississippi Flyway is a bird migration route that generally follows the Mississippi, Missouri, and Lower Ohio Rivers in the United States across the western Great Lakes to the Mackenzie River and Hudson Bay in Canada. The main endpoints of t ...
. Two different eco-regions border the Grand Prairie along the major rivers forming the county's east and southern boundaries: the Arkansas River Holocene Meander Belt and the Western Lowlands Holocene Meanders. These areas of flat floodplain contain the meander belts of the present and past watercourses, point bars, natural
levee A levee ( or ), dike (American English), dyke (British English; see American and British English spelling differences#Miscellaneous spelling differences, spelling differences), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is an elevated ridge, natural ...
s, swales, and abandoned river channels. Some of the most extensive remaining tracts of native
bottomland hardwood forest Bottomland forest is woodland on lowland alluvial floodplains or lower terraces of rivers and streams. Bottomland forest is very rare in Europe. The bottomland hardwood forest is a type of deciduous and evergreen hardwood forest found in broad low ...
in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain remain along these rivers. Along the banks of the White River in Arkansas County, these forests are preserved in the White River National Wildlife Refuge. According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (4.4%) is water. The county is located approximately east of
Little Rock Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...
, southwest of Memphis,
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, and northeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (DFW) in
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
. Arkansas County is surrounded by Prairie County to the north, Monroe County to the northeast, Phillips County to the east, Desha County to the south, Lincoln County to the southwest, Jefferson County to the west, and Lonoke County to the northwest.


Hydrology

Water is an extremely important part of Arkansas County's geography, history, economy, and culture. The many rivers, streams, and ditches crossing the county have featured prominently since prehistoric times, and many of the hundreds of archaeological sites, including the Menard–Hodges site, are along waterways. The navigability of the Arkansas River has been important for every civilization in Arkansas County since prehistory. Tribes of
Quapaw The Quapaw ( , Quapaw language, Quapaw: ) or Arkansas, officially the Quapaw Nation, is a List of federally recognized tribes in the United States, U.S. federally recognized tribe comprising about 6,000 citizens. Also known as the Ogáxpa or †...
, Casqui, and
Mississippian culture The Mississippian culture was a collection of Native American societies that flourished in what is now the Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern United States from approximately 800 to 1600 CE, varying regionally. It was known for building la ...
s were settled in the area along the rivers. Three major rivers form much of the county's boundaries: Arkansas River, Bayou Meto, and the White River. Within the county, La Grue Bayou is an important watercourse. Rivers brought early prosperity to the county during white settlement for navigation. The county saw battles for control of the rivers during the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
in 1783 at
Arkansas Post The Arkansas Post (; ), officially the Arkansas Post National Memorial, was the first European colonization of the Americas, European settlement located along the Mississippi River, in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and in the present-day U. ...
, and the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
in 1862 and 1863 at Saint Charles and Fort Hindman, respectively.


Protected areas

Several agencies own and maintain areas of natural and cultural value for enjoyment and use by residents and visitors of Arkansas County. Along the county's eastern boundary, of the Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge protect Mississippi lowland forests along the White River. In the western part of the county, of the George H. Dunklin Jr. Bayou Meto Wildlife Management Area is managed by the
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) is a state agency of Arkansas, headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of t ...
to preserve natural woodlands and wetlands for wintering waterfowl within the Mississippi Flyway. At the southern tip of the county, the
bottomland hardwood forest Bottomland forest is woodland on lowland alluvial floodplains or lower terraces of rivers and streams. Bottomland forest is very rare in Europe. The bottomland hardwood forest is a type of deciduous and evergreen hardwood forest found in broad low ...
area between the Arkansas and White is preserved in the Trusten Holder WMA. The area is well known for hunting and fishing, and
bald eagle The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche ...
watching in winter. The AGFC also maintains the Ethel WMA, a area known for small game hunting, formerly open only to residents of Ethel. The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission maintains two small sites in Arkansas County: the Roth Prairie Natural Area and the Striplin Woods Natural Area. Roth Prairie is a flat plot south of Stuttgart, one of the few remaining
tallgrass prairie The tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to central North America. Historically, natural and Historical ecology#Anthropogenic fire, anthropogenic fire, as well as grazing by large mammals (primarily bison) provided periodic disturbances to th ...
s typical of the Grand Prairie prior to leveling and clearing for human settlement. Striplin Woods preserves a very biodiverse section of old growth bottomland hardwood forest along the White River located within the White River NWR, and is comanaged with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Along the Arkansas, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the military engineering branch of the United States Army. A direct reporting unit (DRU), it has three primary mission areas: Engineer Regiment, military construction, and civil wor ...
maintains a total of 160 campgrounds at Merrisach, Notrebes Bend, Pendleton Bend, and Wilbur D. Mills Use Areas, each with electric hookups, boat ramps, and restroom facilities. The Corps also maintains the Moore Bayou Day Use Area on the Arkansas, providing access to the Arkansas Post Water Trail, and Wild Goose Bayou Day Use Area on the Arkansas Canal. The primary cultural site in Arkansas County is
Arkansas Post The Arkansas Post (; ), officially the Arkansas Post National Memorial, was the first European colonization of the Americas, European settlement located along the Mississippi River, in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and in the present-day U. ...
, the historic entrepot near the confluence of the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers, and early epicenter of European settlement in the region. Founded in 1686, Arkansas Post was established at various sites near the confluence, often moving after flood events. Though remains of the post have been lost by movements of the Arkansas River, a small townsite is preserved as the Arkansas Post National Memorial. The nearby Arkansas Post State Park preserves the history of early settlement on the Grand Prairie through a five-building museum. The central structure is the 1877 Refeld-Hinman dogtrot house.


Demographics

The peak of population in the rural county was 1940. Mechanization and industrial-scale agriculture reduced the number of farm workers, and people have moved away because of the lack of opportunities.


2020 Census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 17,149 people, 7,491 households, and 4,723 families residing in the county.


2010 Census

As of the 2010 census, there were 19,019 people, 8,005 households, and 5,306 families residing in the county. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 9,436 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 71.8%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 24.5%
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.7% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. 2.7% of the population were
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race. There were 8,005 households, out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.87. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.7 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males. The median income for a household in the county was $37,230, and the median income for a family was $48,698. Males had a median income of $37,489 versus $25,607 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the county was $22,142. About 13.1% of families and 18.9% 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 ...
, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over. In 2010, the largest denominational group was the Evangelical Protestants (with 7,709 adherents) and
Mainline Protestant The mainline Protestants (sometimes also known as oldline Protestants) are a group of Protestantism in the United States, Protestant denominations in the United States and Protestantism in Canada, Canada largely of the Liberal Christianity, theolo ...
s (with 2,500 adherents). Almost 29% of people in the county did not claim a religious tradition. The largest religious bodies were The
Southern Baptist Convention The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization, the largest Protestant, and the second-largest Chr ...
(with 6,332 members) and The
United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant Christian denomination, denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was ...
(with 1,976 members).


2000 Census

As of the 2000 census, there were 20,749 people, 8,457 households, and 5,970 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 9,672 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 75.19%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 23.36%
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.21% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. 0.76% of the population were
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race. There were 8,457 households, out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 13.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.40% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.89. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.80% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.00 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,316, and the median income for a family was $36,472. Males had a median income of $28,914 versus $21,127 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the county was $16,401. About 14.10% of families and 17.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.80% of those under age 18 and 15.50% of those age 65 or over. In 2000, the largest denominational group was the Evangelical Protestants (with 10,229 adherents) and Mainline Protestants (with 3,593 adherents). The largest religious bodies were the Southern Baptist Convention (with 5,103 members) and the United Methodist Church (with 2,750 members).


Human resources


Education

Educational attainment in Arkansas County is typical for a rural Arkansas county, with a 2016 study finding 82.5% of Arkansas County residents over age 25 held a high school degree or higher, below Arkansas and national averages of 85.2% and 87.0%, respectively. Arkansas County's proportion of population holding a bachelor's degree or higher is 14.4%, significantly below the state average of 21.5% and national average of 30.3%.


Primary and secondary education

Two public school districts are based in Arkansas County: Stuttgart Public Schools is the larger of the two school districts in the county, with the DeWitt School District serving most of the rural area of the county. Successful completion of the curriculum of these schools leads to graduation from Stuttgart High School or DeWitt High School, respectively. Both high schools offer
Advanced Placement Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board. AP offers undergraduate university-level curricula and examinations to high school students. Colleges and universities in the US and elsewhere ...
(AP) courses and are accredited by the
Arkansas Department of Education The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) is a cabinet-level agency of the Arkansas state government overseeing public education for K-12, higher education institutions, and career and technical education. The ADE also contains the Arkansas ...
(ADE).


Higher education

Within Arkansas County, two branch campuses of Phillips Community College (based in Helena-West Helena) are operated in De Witt and Stuttgart. Public four-year colleges in the area include the
University of Arkansas at Monticello The University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) is a public university in Monticello, Arkansas with Colleges of Technology in Crossett and McGehee. UAM is part of the University of Arkansas System and offers master's degrees, baccalaureate degree ...
in
Monticello Monticello ( ) was the primary residence and plantation of Thomas Jefferson, a Founding Father, author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third president of the United States. Jefferson began designing Monticello after inheriting l ...
,
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is a Public University, public Historically black colleges and universities, historically black university in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Founded in 1873, it is the second oldest public college or univer ...
(UAPB) in Pine Bluff, and several institutions in Little Rock.


Library system

The Arkansas County Library system is based in Stuttgart and contains three branches: Cleon Collier Memorial Library, DeWitt Public Library, and the William F. Foster Stuttgart Public Library. All three libraries offers books,
e-book An ebook (short for electronic book), also spelled as e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in electronic form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. Al ...
s, media, reference, youth, business and
genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...
services.


Public health

Arkansas County's above-average poverty rate indicates a high
Medicaid Medicaid is a government program in the United States that provides health insurance for adults and children with limited income and resources. The program is partially funded and primarily managed by U.S. state, state governments, which also h ...
eligibility rate. As of 2012, 31.8% of Arkansas County was eligible for Medicaid, with 72.5% of children under 19 eligible for ARKids First, a program by the
Arkansas Department of Human Services The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) is a state agency of Arkansas, headquartered in Donaghey Plaza South of the Donaghey Complex, a five-story building on the southwest corner of Main Street and 7th Street, in Little Rock. The DHS ...
that combines children's Medicaid (ARKids A) and other programs for families with higher incomes (ARKids B). The county's population is significantly above healthy weight, with 71.2% of adults and 39.8% of children/adolescents ranking as overweight or obese, compared to the state averages of 67.1% and 39.3%, respectively. These rates are significantly above national averages of 62.9% and 30.3%, respectively. The Baptist Health hospital system operates the Baptist Health Medical Center-Stuttgart in the city, the only
community hospital A community hospital can be purely a nominal designation or have a more specific meaning. When specific, it refers to a hospital that is accessible to the general public and provides a general or specific medical care which is usually short-term, i ...
in Arkansas County. It is rated as a Level 4 Trauma Center by the Arkansas Department of Health. The DeWitt Hospital & Nursing Home is a critical access hospital, which maintains 25 beds, a 60-bed nursing home, and the Ferguson Rural Health Clinic. Both are members of the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership. Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff is a referral hospital in the region. The nearest Level 1 Trauma Centers are
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is a Public university, public medical school in Little Rock, Arkansas. It is part of the University of Arkansas System and consists of six colleges, seven institutes, several research cente ...
(UAMS) and
Arkansas Children's Hospital Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH) is a pediatric hospital with a Level I trauma center in Little Rock, Arkansas. It is among the largest in the United States, serving infants, children, teens, and young adults from birth to age 21. ACH is affi ...
(ACH) in Little Rock.


Public safety

The Arkansas County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency in the county. The agency is led by the Arkansas County Sheriff, an official elected by countywide vote every four years. Police departments in Stuttgart, DeWitt, Humphrey, Gillett, and Almyra provide law enforcement in their respective jurisdictions, with St. Charles contracting with the Arkansas County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement services. The county is under the jurisdiction of two separate district courts, both local district courts of
original jurisdiction In common law legal systems, original jurisdiction of a court is the power to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, when a higher court has the power to review a lower court's decision. India In India, the S ...
for criminal, civil, small claims, and traffic matters. Local district courts are presided over by an elected part-time judge who may privately practice law. Arkansas County Northern District Court is held in Stuttgart. Arkansas County Southern District Court has departments in DeWitt, Gillett, and St. Charles. Superseding district court jurisdiction is the 11th East Judicial Circuit Court, which covers all of Arkansas County. The 11th East Circuit contains one judge elected to a six-year term.
Fire protection Fire protection is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects of potentially Conflagration, destructive fires. It involves the study of the behaviour, Compartmentalization (fire protection), compartmentalisation, suppression and inve ...
, prevention and suppression is provided by eleven agencies in Arkansas County, together covering the entire county. The six incorporated municipalities each provide fire protection, in some cases extending beyond corporate limits. Rural areas are served by the Alcorn, Casscoe, Crockett's Bluff, One Horse, and Tichnor volunteer fire departments. All fire departments in Arkansas County are volunteer-based, except the Stuttgart Fire Department.


Culture and contemporary life

Arkansas County has several facilities, monuments, and museums dedicated to preserving the history and culture of the area. Several historic log structures remain in the county from the pioneer era. Four facilities interpret the county's natural heritage and unique position on the Grand Prairie, including Arkansas Post State Park,. the Museum of the Grand Prairie in Stuttgart, the Potlatch Conservation Education Center in Casscoe, and the Visitor Center at White River NWR in St. Charles. Local history museums include the St. Charles Museum and the Museum of the Grand Prairie in Stuttgart. Several
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
(NRHP, complete county list) properties in the county relate to Arkansas County's rice heritage, including the A.M. Bohnert Rice Plantation Pump, L.A. Black Rice Milling Association Inc. Office, Tichnor Rice Dryer and Storage Building, and several contributing structures from the DeWitt Commercial Historic District and Stuttgart Commercial Historic District. Several buildings in these districts also were parts of the county's economic and cultural history, including the Riceland Hotel and Standard Ice Company Building in downtown Stuttgart. History of government and public services in the county is preserved in both the Northern District and Southern District courthouses, DeWitt Post Office and Stuttgart Post Office, and the Old Gillett Jail. Arkansas County hosts two
farmer's market A farmers' market (or farmers market according to the AP stylebook, also farmer's market in the Cambridge Dictionary) is a physical retail marketplace intended to sell foods directly by farmers to consumers. Farmers' markets may be indoors or ...
s, offering fresh produce, baked goods and crafts: North Market at Main and Sixth streets in Stuttgart and South Market on Highway 165 in DeWitt. Both are open from May through October.


Annual cultural events

The most widely known annual cultural event in Arkansas County is the Gillett Coon Supper, described by ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' as "a political rite of passage" for those seeking public office in Arkansas. The meeting of local residents and politicians started in 1943 as a fundraiser serving boiled, and smoked
raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the North American, northern or common raccoon (also spelled racoon) to distinguish it from Procyonina, other species of raccoon, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest ...
for the Gillet High School football team, but has remained a tradition long after the school's consolidation. Perhaps the most popular annual event is duck hunting season between November and January, a tradition dating back to the Illinois Indians who traveled south to Arkansas to hunt. Popular with Arkansans and tourist hunters from across the country, annual hunting trips in Arkansas were first documented by French explorers
Jacques Marquette Jacques Marquette, Society of Jesus, S.J. (; June 1, 1637 – May 18, 1675), sometimes known as Père Marquette or James Marquette, was a French Society of Jesus, Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. M ...
and
Louis Jolliet Louis Jolliet (; September 21, 1645after May 1700) was a French-Canadian explorer known for his discoveries in North America. In 1673, Jolliet and Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit Catholic priest and missionary, were the first non-Natives to explore ...
in 1673. Many hunts are organized through hunting clubs (like the historic Crocketts Bluff Hunting Lodge) and usually involve local guides for tourist groups. Public lands are very desirable and fill up quickly; many Arkansans seek to use private lands in Arkansas County to avoid crowds. In the 2016–17 season, the AGFC sold over 100,000 waterfowl stamps, roughly equally split between in-state and out-of-state hunters. The numbers include over 8,000 to out-of-state hunters to hunt on WMAs. Festivities begin during Thanksgiving Week with the World's Championship Duck Calling Contest and Wings Over the Prairie Festival in Stuttgart. The Arkansas County Fair has been held annually since 1938 at the Arkansas County Fairgrounds in DeWitt during mid-September.


Media

The county newspaper is the '' Stuttgart Daily Leader'', a daily newspaper established in Stuttgart in 1885. Former newspapers include ''The Free Press'' and ''The Stuttgart Republican''.


Government

The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the
Constitution of Arkansas The Constitution of Arkansas is the Constitution, primary organizing law for the U.S. state of Arkansas delineating the duties, powers, structures, and functions of the Politics and government of Arkansas, state government. Arkansas' original ...
and the Arkansas Code. The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are called ''justices of the peace'' and are elected from county districts every even-numbered year. The number of districts in a county vary from nine to fifteen, and district boundaries are drawn by the county election commission. The Arkansas County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the ''county judge'', who serves as the
chief operating officer A chief operating officer (COO), also called chief operations officer, is an executive in charge of the daily operations of an organization (i.e. personnel, resources, and logistics). COOs are usually second-in-command immediately after the C ...
of the county. The county judge is elected at-large and does not vote in quorum court business, although capable of vetoing quorum court decisions. The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 7 Republicans, 1 Democrat, and 1 Independent. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are: * District 1: Eddie Roberson (R) * District 2: Clay Carter (R) * District 3: Derek Swain Menard (R) * District 4: Charles Wright (R) * District 5: Robert Lee Henderson (R) * District 6: Inez L. McLemore (D) * District 7: Michelle Blasengame (I) * District 8: Lloyd Brosius (R) * District 9: Curtis Ahrens (R) Additionally, the townships of Arkansas County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the
Constitution of Arkansas The Constitution of Arkansas is the Constitution, primary organizing law for the U.S. state of Arkansas delineating the duties, powers, structures, and functions of the Politics and government of Arkansas, state government. Arkansas' original ...
. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult. The township constables as of the 2024 elections are: * Lagrue: Jack L. Lock (R) * McFall: Joe Maier (R)


Taxation

Property tax A property tax (whose rate is expressed as a percentage or per mille, also called ''millage'') is an ad valorem tax on the value of a property.In the OECD classification scheme, tax on property includes "taxes on immovable property or Wealth t ...
is assessed by the Arkansas County Assessor annually based upon the fair market value of the property and determining which tax rate, commonly called a ''millage'' in Arkansas, will apply. The rate depends upon the property's location with respect to city limits, school district, and special
tax increment financing Tax increment financing (TIF) is a public financing method that is used as a subsidy for redevelopment, infrastructure, and other community-improvement projects in many countries, including the United States. The original intent of a TIF program i ...
(TIF) districts. This tax is collected by the Arkansas County Collector between the first business day of March of each year through October 15 without penalty. The Arkansas County Treasurer disburses tax revenues to various government agencies, such as cities, county road departments, fire departments, libraries, and police departments in accordance with the budget set by the quorum court. Sales and use taxes in Arkansas are voter approved and collected by the
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (commonly DFA within the state) is a department of the government of Arkansas under the Governor of Arkansas. The DFA is a cabinet level agency in the executive branch of government respons ...
. Arkansas's statewide
sales Sales are activities related to selling or the number of goods sold in a given targeted time period. The delivery of a service for a cost is also considered a sale. A period during which goods are sold for a reduced price may also be referred ...
and
use tax A use tax is a type of tax levied in the United States by numerous state governments. It is essentially the same as a sales tax but is applied not where a product or service was sold but where a merchant bought a product or service and then conv ...
has been 6.5% since July 1, 2013. Arkansas County has an additional sales and use tax of 1.0%, which has been in effect since January 1, 1998. Within Arkansas County, Almyra and Humphrey have an additional tax of 1.0%, St. Charles has an additional 2.0%, Gillett and Stuttgart an additional 3.0%, and DeWitt an additional 3.5% on top of county rates. The
Arkansas State Treasurer The treasurer of Arkansas acts as the head banker for the State of Arkansas, handling deposits, withdrawals, redemptions of state warrants, and investments of state funds. The position was created in 1819 when Arkansas became a Territory (countr ...
disburses tax revenue to counties/cities in accordance with tax rules.


Politics

Until the 1952 election, Arkansas county was reliably Democratic, having only voted for a Republican once when
Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he was one of the most ...
narrowly won it in 1920. In the 1952, the county voted for Republican
Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...
and continued to swing between Republicans and Democrats through the rest of the 20th Century, with the exception of southerner
George Wallace George Corley Wallace Jr. (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician who was the 45th and longest-serving governor of Alabama (1963–1967; 1971–1979; 1983–1987), and the List of longest-serving governors of U.S. s ...
's third party bid in 1968. Over the past few election cycles Arkansas county has trended heavily towards the GOP. The last Democrat (as of 2024) to carry this county was Arkansas native Bill Clinton in 1996.


Communities

Four incorporated cities and two incorporated towns are located within the county. Each has seen steady population decline over recent decades. The largest city and northern district county seat, Stuttgart, is located in the north part of the county near the Prairie County line. Stuttgart's population in 2010 was 9,326, and has been declining steadily since a peak of 10,941 at the 1980 Census. DeWitt, centrally located in Arkansas County, is the southern district county seat and second-largest city in the county with a population of 3,292 in 2010. The remaining communities each have populations under 750 as of 2010;
Humphrey Humphrey is both a masculine given name and a surname. An earlier form, not attested since Medieval times, was Hunfrid. Notable people with the name include: People with the given name Medieval period :''Ordered chronologically'' *Hunfrid of Pr ...
is partially located in Jefferson County on Arkansas County's western edge, St. Charles is on the White River in the eastern portion of the county, and Gillett in southern Arkansas County. Almyra is located along Highway 130 between DeWitt and Stuttgart.


Unincorporated communities

Arkansas County has dozens of unincorporated communities and ghost towns within its borders. This is due to early settlers in Arkansas tending to settle in small clusters rather than incorporated towns. For example, communities like Ethel have a post office or central density of buildings at some point in their history. Other communities are simply a few dwellings at a crossroads that have adopted a common place name over time. Some are officially listed as populated places by the United States Geological Survey, and others are listed as historic settlements. *
Arkansas Post The Arkansas Post (; ), officially the Arkansas Post National Memorial, was the first European colonization of the Americas, European settlement located along the Mississippi River, in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and in the present-day U. ...
* Bayou Meto * Benzal * Burks * Casscoe * Crocketts Bluff * Deluce * Ethel * Goldman * Hagler * Holdridge * Hortons Landing * Hyden * Immanuel * Jacks Bay Landing * Kittlers * La Grue Springs * LaGrue * Lodge Corner * Lookout * Mayview * Medina * Mount Adams * Nady * North Stuttgart * Olena * Plainview * Prairie Landing * Prairie Union * Preston Ferry * Ricusky * Sheppard Point * South Stuttgart * Tichnor * Vallier * Van * Weber * Yoder


Historical communities

* Abeles * Arkansas * Buffo * Fish Dock * Monica * Ona * Osotouy * Parham * Roberts * Sassafras * Super * Thomwall * West Bayou


Townships

* Arkansas ( Gillett) * Barton * Bayou Meto * Brewer * Chester * Crockett * Garland * Gum Pond (most of
Stuttgart Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...
) * Henton (
Humphrey Humphrey is both a masculine given name and a surname. An earlier form, not attested since Medieval times, was Hunfrid. Notable people with the name include: People with the given name Medieval period :''Ordered chronologically'' *Hunfrid of Pr ...
) * Keaton * La Grue ( De Witt) * McFall * Mill Bayou ( Almyra) * Morris (part of
Stuttgart Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...
) * Point Deluce * Prairie ( St. Charles) * Stanley


Infrastructure


Aviation

The county contains two public owned/public use airports: Almyra Municipal Airport and DeWitt Municipal Airport. Both are small, rural airports with over 50,000 annual operations, almost entirely agricultural spraying operations.. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective July 19, 2018.. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective July 19, 2018. Stuttgart Municipal Airport is located north of the city, in Prairie County.. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective July 19, 2018. Arkansas County also contains 16 private airfields.


Major highways

*
US Route 63 U.S. Route 63 (US 63) is a , north–south United States Highway primarily in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern and Southern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at Interstate 20 (I-20) in Ruston, Louisiana; the north ...
* US Route 79 * US Route 165 * Highway 1 * Highway 11 * Highway 17 * Highway 33 * Highway 44 * Highway 130 * Highway 144 * Highway 146 * Highway 152 * Highway 153 * Highway 169 * Highway 276 * Highway 343 * Highway 980


Notable people

* Antoine Barraqué (1773–1858), founder of New Gascony, Arkansas


Notes


References


Further reading

* * * * *


External links


Arkansas County Library

Arkansas County Sheriff's Office

Arkansas County, Arkansas
at ARGenWeb * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Arkansas County, Arkansas 1813 establishments in Missouri Territory Arkansas placenames of Native American origin Arkansas populated places on the Arkansas River Populated places established in 1813