White County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the U.S. state of

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 ...

. As of the 2010 census, the population was 77,076. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

is Searcy. White County is Arkansas's 31st county, formed on October 23, 1835, from portions of

Independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...

, and Pulaski counties and named for

Hugh Lawson White Hugh Lawson White (October 30, 1773April 10, 1840) was a prominent American politician during the first third of the 19th century. After filling in several posts particularly in Tennessee's judiciary and state legislature since 1801, thereunder ...

, a Whig candidate for President of the United States. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county, though a few private establishments (such as the Searcy Country Club, and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in Searcy and Beebe) can serve alcohol. White County comprises the Searcy, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the

Little Rock ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...

North Little Rock North Little Rock is a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, across the Arkansas from Little Rock in the central part of the state. The population was 64,591 at the 2020 census. In 2019 the estimated population was 65,903, making it the seventh-mo ...

, AR

Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...

History

On May 17, 1862, White County was the site of the Little Red Skirmish between Union Major General Samuel J Curtis and a force of about 100 loosely-organized Confederates, followed by the battle at Whitney Lane in June. also known as The Skirmish at Searcy Landing.

Geography

According to the

U.S. 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 the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.7%) is water. It is the second-largest county by area in Arkansas.

Major highways

* Future Interstate 57 *

U.S. Highway 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 ...

* U.S. Highway 67 * U.S. Highway 167 *

Highway 5 Route 5, or Highway 5, may refer to routes in the following countries: International * Asian Highway 5 * European route E05 * European route E005 Argentina * National Route 5 Australia New South Wales * M5 Motorway (Sydney) * The De ...

* Highway 11 *

Highway 13 The following roads may be referred to as Route 13 or Highway 13. For a list of roads named A13, see List of A13 roads. International * Asian Highway 13 * European route E13 * European route E013 Afghanistan *The Kabul–Behsud Highway - ...

Highway 16 Route 16, or Highway 16, can refer to: International * Asian Highway 16 * European route E16 * European route E016 Australia - Thompsons Road (Victoria) - South Australia Canada ;Parts of the Trans-Canada Highway: *Yellowhead Hi ...

* Highway 31 * Highway 36 * Highway 87 * Highway 110 * Highway 124 * Highway 157 * Highway 258 * Highway 267 * Highway 305 * Highway 310 * Highway 320 * Highway 321 * Highway 323 * Highway 367 * Highway 385

Adjacent counties

* Independence County (north) * Jackson County (northeast) * Woodruff County (east) * Prairie County (southeast) *

Lonoke County Lonoke County is located in the Central Arkansas region of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,356, making it the 11th-most populous of Arkansas's 75 counties. The county seat is Lonoke and largest city is ...

(southwest) * Faulkner County (west) * Cleburne County (northwest)

National and state protected areas

Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge The Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge is a (2014) wildlife refuge located in White County, Arkansas about two miles south of the town of Bald Knob Bald Knob is the highest summit of Back Allegheny Mountain in Pocahontas County, West Virginia ...

* Henry Gray / Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 76,822 people, 28,621 households, and 18,028 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the

2000 United States Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...

, there were 67,165 people, 25,148 households, and 18,408 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 27,613 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.52%

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 ...

, 3.56%

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 Race (United States Census), African American, 0.43% Race (United States Census), Native American, 0.32% Race (United States Census), Asian, 0.03% Race (United States Census), Pacific Islander, 0.82% from Race (United States Census), other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. 1.88% of the population were Race (United States Census), Hispanic or Race (United States Census), Latino of any race. There were 25,148 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.98. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.40% under the age of 18, 12.80% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $32,203, and the median income for a family was $38,782. Males had a median income of $29,884 versus $20,323 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,890. About 10.40% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.10% of those under age 18 and 14.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government

In 1988, White County elected virtually an entire slate of Republicans to county offices. Though such Republican sweeps had frequently occurred in northern and northwestern Arkansas, White County was the first in the Little Rock area to turn to Republican as the party steadily made inroads toward a two-party system. A portion of White County is represented in the Arkansas State Senate by the Republican Ron Caldwell (Arkansas politician), Ronald R. Caldwell, a real estate businessman from Wynne, Arkansas, Wynne in Cross County, Arkansas, Cross County. The 45th and current White County Judge is Michael Lincoln of Searcy, who assumed office in January 2007. Over the past few election cycles White County has trended heavily towards the GOP. The last Democrat (as of 2020) to carry this county was Bill Clinton in 1996.

Economy

One of the state's largest banks, First Security Bank, was established in Searcy in 1932 as Security Bank. First Security now has over $8 billion in assets and 78 locations in Arkansas. The first Wal-Mart distribution center away from the corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, Bentonville was established in Searcy.

Education

Public education

Public education is provided by several public school districts including:

Private education

Colleges and universities

*Arkansas State University-Beebe Public, established in 1927 as The Junior Agricultural School of Central Arkansas. *Arkansas State University-Searcy A technical branch of Arkansas State University *Harding University Private, Churches of Christ enrollment over 6000.

Communities

Cities

* Bald Knob, Arkansas, Bald Knob * Beebe * Bradford, Arkansas, Bradford * Judsonia, Arkansas, Judsonia * Kensett, Arkansas, Kensett * McRae, Arkansas, McRae * Pangburn, Arkansas, Pangburn * Searcy (county seat)

Towns

* Garner, Arkansas, Garner * Georgetown, Arkansas, Georgetown * Griffithville, Arkansas, Griffithville * Higginson, Arkansas, Higginson * Letona, Arkansas, Letona * Rose Bud, Arkansas, Rose Bud * Russell, Arkansas, Russell * West Point, Arkansas, West Point

Unincorporated communities

* Albion, Arkansas, Albion — north-central White County, between Four Mile Hill or "Boothill" and Pangburn, and north of Letona, along Arkansas Highway 16 and surrounding county roads * Antioch, Arkansas, Antioch — western White County, north of Beebe, along Arkansas Highways 31 and 267 and surrounding county roads * Andrews * Bare Stone * Barrentine Corner * Bee Rock * Belcher * Center Hill, Arkansas, Center Hill — central White County, approximately 8 miles west of Searcy, situated along Arkansas Highway 36 and 305 and surrounding county roads * Clay * Conant * Crosby * Dewey * Dogwood * Doniphan * El Paso, Arkansas, El Paso — southwestern White County, situated along Arkansas Highway 5 and U.S. Highway 64 West * Enright * Essex * Floyd, Arkansas, Floyd — western White County, approximately 8 miles southeast of Romance, along Arkansas Highways 31 and 305 and surrounding county roads * Four Mile Hill, Arkansas, Four Mile Hill or "Boot Hill" — central White County, northwest of Searcy and southeast of Albion, along Arkansas Highway 16 and surrounding county roads * Georgia Ridge – home community of Arkansas House of Representatives, Arkansas State Representative Charlotte Douglas (politician), Charlotte Douglas of District 75 in Crawford County, Arkansas, Crawford County * Gravel Hill, Arkansas, Gravel Hill — western White County, northwest of Floyd and south of Joy, situated between Arkansas Highways 31 and 36 along Gravel Hill Road and surrounding county roads * Hammondsville – western White County, between Romance and El Paso, primarily situated along Hammons Chapel Road (connecting Highway 5 and El Paso Road) * Happy * Harmony, Arkansas, Harmony — central White County, southwest of Center Hill, situated along Arkansas Highway 305 and surrounding county roads * Hart * Hickory Flat * Holly Springs * Joy, Arkansas, Joy — central White County, between Rose Bud and Center Hill, situated along Arkansas Highway 36 and surrounding county roads * Keeler Corner * Liberty Valley, Arkansas, Liberty Valley — eastern White County, between Bald Knob and the White River, along U.S. Highway 64 East and surrounding county roads * Little Red * Midway * Mitchell Corner * Morning Sun, Arkansas, Morning Sun — annexed to Higginson, Arkansas, Higginson in 2008 * Nimmo * Opal, Arkansas, Opal — southwestern White County, between El Paso and Beebe, along U.S. Highway 64 West and Opal Road and surrounding county roads * Pickens, White County, Arkansas, Pickens — north-central White County, between Sidon and Letona, along Arkansas Highway 310 (Pickens Chapel Road) and Pickens Road and surrounding county roads * Plainview, White County, Arkansas, Plainview — northeastern White County, north of Judsonia, along Arkansas Highways 157 and 385 and surrounding county roads * Pryor * Providence, Arkansas, Providence — northeastern White County, north of Judsonia and northwest of Bald Knob, along Arkansas Highways 157 and 258 and surrounding county roads; site of White County Central Schools * Rio Vista * Romance, Arkansas, Romance — western White County, between Rose Bud and El Paso, along Arkansas Highways 5 and 31 and surrounding county roads * Showalter's Corner * Sidon, Arkansas, Sidon — north-central White County, west of Pickens and north of Joy, along Arkansas Highway 310 and surrounding county roads * Smyrna * Steprock * Sunnydale * Twentythree * Velvet Ridge, Arkansas, Velvet Ridge — northeastern White County, north of Bald Knob, along U.S. Highway 167 and surrounding county roads * Vinity Corner, Arkansas, Vinity Corner — south-central White County, south of Garner and southeast of McRae, along West Vinity Road, North Vinity Road, and other county roads southeast of Arkansas Highway 367 * Walker, Arkansas, Walker — southeastern White County, south of Higginson and west of Griffithville, along Arkansas Highway 11 (Walker Road) and surrounding county roads * Worden * Wright's Corner

Historic towns

* Beeler Ferry * Bethel Grove * Denmark * Jasmine * Mount Pisgah * Old Stoney Point * Roosevelt * Russell * Union Hill

Townships

* Albion Township, White County, Arkansas, Albion * Antioch Township, White County, Arkansas, Antioch * Bald Knob Township, White County, Arkansas, Bald Knob (Bald Knob, Arkansas, Bald Knob) * Big Creek Township, White County, Arkansas, Big Creek (Pangburn, Arkansas, Pangburn) * Cadron Township, White County, Arkansas, Cadron * Cane Township, White County, Arkansas, Cane * Chrisp Township, White County, Arkansas, Chrisp * Clay Township, White County, Arkansas, Clay * Cleveland Township, White County, Arkansas, Cleveland * Coffey Township, White County, Arkansas, Coffey * Coldwell Township, White County, Arkansas, Coldwell * Crosby Township, White County, Arkansas, Crosby * Cypert Township, White County, Arkansas, Cypert * Denmark Township, White County, Arkansas, Denmark * Des Arc Township, White County, Arkansas, Des Arc * Dogwood Township, White County, Arkansas, Dogwood (Griffithville, Arkansas, Griffithville) * El Paso Township, White County, Arkansas, El Paso * Francure Township, White County, Arkansas, Francure (Georgetown, Arkansas, Georgetown) * Garner Township, White County, Arkansas, Garner (Garner, Arkansas, Garner) * Gravel Hill Township, White County, Arkansas, Gravel Hill * Gray Township, White County, Arkansas, Gray (most of Searcy, part of Kensett, Arkansas, Kensett) * Gum Springs Township, White County, Arkansas, Gum Springs (part of Searcy) * Guthrie Township, White County, Arkansas, Guthrie * Harrison Township, White County, Arkansas, Harrison (most of Judsonia, Arkansas, Judsonia, part of Searcy) * Hartsell Township, White County, Arkansas, Hartsell Township * Higginson Township, White County, Arkansas, Higginson Township (Higginson, Arkansas, Higginson, part of Searcy) * Jackson Township, White County, Arkansas, Jackson * Jefferson Township, White County, Arkansas, Jefferson * Joy Township, White County, Arkansas, Joy * Kensett Township, White County, Arkansas, Kensett (most of Kensett, Arkansas, Kensett, small part of Searcy) * Kentucky Township, White County, Arkansas, Kentucky (Rose Bud, Arkansas, Rose Bud) * Liberty Township, White County, Arkansas, Liberty (Bradford, Arkansas, Bradford) * McRae Township, White County, Arkansas, McRae (McRae, Arkansas, McRae) * Marion Township, White County, Arkansas, Marion (Letona, Arkansas, Letona) * Marshall Township, White County, Arkansas, Marshall * Mount Pisgah Township, White County, Arkansas, Mount Pisgah * Red River Township, White County, Arkansas, Red River (West Point, Arkansas, West Point, part of Judsonia, Arkansas, Judsonia) * Royal Township, White County, Arkansas, Royal * Russell Township, White County, Arkansas, Russell (Russell, Arkansas, Russell) * Union Township, White County, Arkansas, Union ( Beebe) * Velvet Ridge Township, White County, Arkansas, Velvet Ridge * Walker Township, White County, Arkansas, Walker Source:

References

External links

White County, Arkansas
entry on the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture
White County Historical Society

White County official website
{{authority control White County, Arkansas, 1835 establishments in Arkansas Territory Populated places established in 1835 Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway metropolitan area