Boone County 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 ...

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 ...

, along the

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

border. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,373. The

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 ...

is Harrison. It is Arkansas's 62nd county, formed on April 9, 1869. Boone County is part of the Harrison, Arkansas, Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Boone County was formed from the eastern portion of Carroll County. Contrary to popular belief, it was not named for frontiersman

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (, 1734September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyo ...

. It was originally called ''Boon'', since the residents believed it would be a "boon" to all who settled there. The county's first newspaper, begun in 1870, was the ''Boon County Advocate''. However, when Governor

Powell Clayton Powell Foulk Clayton (August 7, 1833August 25, 1914) was an American politician, diplomat, and businessman who served as the 9th List of Governors of Arkansas, governor of Arkansas from 1868 to 1871, as a Republican Party (United States), Repub ...

signed the act, creating the county 1869 it was titled ''An Act to Organize and Establish the County of Boone and for Other Purposes''. So for whatever reason an "'e'" was added.

White supremacy

In 1905 and 1909, race riots were conducted to drive African-Americans out of the area. Boone County was marketed as an all-white

sundown county Sundown towns, also known as sunset towns, gray towns, or sundowner towns, were all-white municipalities or neighborhoods in the United States. They were towns that practiced a form of racial segregation by excluding non-whites via some combinati ...

into the 1920s. Boone County serves as the national headquarters of the

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 ...

organization Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, led by

Zinc Zinc is a chemical element; it has symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodic tabl ...

resident Thomas Robb, who pastors a nearby

Christian church In ecclesiology, the Christian Church is what different Christian denominations conceive of as being the true body of Christians or the original institution established by Jesus Christ. "Christian Church" has also been used in academia as a syn ...

. In 2017, Boone County Judge Robert Hathaway signed proclamations recognizing June as Confederate Heritage and History Month, and issued a similar proclamation for April 2019.

Geography

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 (1.9%) is water. The county is located in the northwest portion of the state, and borders Missouri to the north. The county lies entirely within 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, and Oklahoma, as well as a small area in the southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover ...

. Rolling hills of the Springfield and Salem Plateaus characterize the majority of the topography, with the more rugged

Boston Mountains The Boston Mountains is a Level III ecoregion designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. states of Arkansas and Oklahoma. Part of the Ozarks, the Boston Mountains are a deeply dissected plateau. The ecoregion is steepe ...

lying just to the south. Isolated peaks of the Boston Mountain range are found in the south, including Boat Mountain, Pilot's Knob, and Gaither Mountain. Portions of

Bull Shoals Lake Bull Shoals Lake is an artificial lake or reservoir in the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri, United States. It has hundreds of miles of lake arms and coves, and common activities include boating, water sports, swimming, ...

and

Table Rock Lake Table Rock Lake is an artificial lake or reservoir in the Ozarks of southwestern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas in the United States. Designed, built and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the lake is impounded by Table Rock Dam, ...

lie in the northeast and northwest corners, respectively.

Major highways

US 62 U.S. Route 62 or U.S. Highway 62 (US 62) is an east–west United States Highway in the southern and northeastern United States. It runs from the Mexican border at El Paso, Texas, to Niagara Falls, New York, near the Canadian bo ...

US 412 U.S. Route 412 is an east–west United States highway, first commissioned in 1982. U.S. 412 overlaps expressway-grade Cimarron Turnpike from Tulsa west to Interstate 35 and the Cherokee Turnpike from east of Chouteau, Oklahoma, to west of th ...

* U.S. Route 65 * US 65B

U.S. Route 65B * Arkansas 7

Highway 7 * Arkansas 14

Highway 14 * Arkansas 43

Highway 43 * Arkansas 123

Highway 123 * Arkansas 206

Highway 206 * Arkansas 281

Highway 281 * Arkansas 392

Highway 392 * Arkansas 396

Highway 396 * Arkansas 397

Highway 397 * Highway 980

Adjacent counties

* Taney County,

(north) * Marion County (east) * Searcy County (southeast) * Newton County (south) * Carroll County (west)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 37,373 people, 15,034 households, and 10,455 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 17,368 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 91.32%

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 ...

, 0.29%

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 ...

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 ...

, 0.74% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.07%

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 ...

, 0.69% from other races, and 6.23% from two or more races. 2.60% 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 15,455 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% 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, 26.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present, 17.7% had a male household with no spouse or partner present, and 5.4% were cohabitating couples. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% were 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size was 2.42. Of all individuals living in the county, 22.2% under the age of 18 and 21.7% were age 65 or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.02 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.02 males.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 33,948 people, 13,851 households, and 9,861 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 15,426 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.60%

, 0.11%

, 0.71% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.02%

, 0.34% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. 1.06% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 13,851 households, out of which 30.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were

living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 25.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% 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 2.88. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.90% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $29,988, and the median income for a family was $34,974. Males had a median income of $27,114 versus $19,229 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 $16,175. About 10.70% of families and 14.80% 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 19.00% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public school districts

School districts include:
Text list
/ref> * Alpena * Bergman * Harrison * Lead Hill *

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

* Valley Springs

Higher education

* North Arkansas College

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 Boone County Quorum Court has eleven 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 11 Republicans. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are: * District 1: Matt Odom (R) of Harrison * District 2: Glenn Redding (R) of Harrison * District 3: Heath Kirkpatrick (R) of Harrison * District 4: Bryan Snavely (R) of Harrison * District 5: Kyle Evatt (R) of Harrison * District 6: Sam Tinsley (R) of Harrison * District 7: Rodney Sullins (R) of Everton * District 8: Shane M. Jones (R) of Harrison * District 9: Ralph H. Guynn (R) of Harrison * District 10: Bill Melbourne (R) of Omaha * District 11: David Thompson (R) of Lead Hill Additionally, the townships of Boone County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the

. 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: * City: Mike Cardiel (R) * North: Fred Starnes (R) * South: George A. White (R) In state government, Boone County is represented by three members in the

Arkansas House of Representatives The Arkansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the US state of Arkansas. The House has 100 members elected from an equal number of constituencies across the state. Each distr ...

and two in the

Arkansas Senate The Arkansas State Senate is the upper branch of the Arkansas General Assembly. The Senate consists of 35 members, each representing a district with about 83,000 people. Service in the state legislature is part-time, and many state senators have ...

. Arkansas House Districts 83, 98, and 99 cover parts of Boone County, as well as Arkansas Senate Districts 16 and 17. At the federal level, Boone County is part of Arkansas's 1st US congressional district, currently represented by Rick Crawford. Over the past few election cycles, Boone County has trended heavily towards the

GOP The Republican Party, also known as the Grand Old Party (GOP), is a right-wing political party in the United States. One of the two major parties, it emerged as the main rival of the then-dominant Democratic Party in the 1850s, and the tw ...

. The last Democrat (as of 2024) to carry this county was then-Governor

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

, by only a 34-vote plurality.

Communities

Cities

* Diamond City * Harrison (county seat)

Towns

* Alpena (portions are also in Carroll County) * Bellefonte * Bergman * Everton * Lead Hill *

* South Lead Hill * Valley Springs *

Unincorporated communities

* Batavia * Bear Creek Springs * Capps * Hopewell * Little Arkansaw *

Self In philosophy, the self is an individual's own being, knowledge, and values, and the relationship between these attributes. The first-person perspective distinguishes selfhood from personal identity. Whereas "identity" is (literally) same ...

Historic communities

* Elixir was a town in the vicinity of many springs. It was nearby present day Bergman. Heavy rains flooded the town in 1883, which was a major factor in its decline by 1892. In the 1880s, both Lead Hill and Elixir were expecting a railroad but none materialized. This also helped the town's decline. Although the town is gone, the township of

Elixir An elixir is a sweet liquid used for medical purposes, to be taken orally and intended to cure one's illness. When used as a dosage form, pharmaceutical preparation, an elixir contains at least one active ingredient designed to be taken orall ...

remains and currently contains Bergman. * Keener was a town around one mile south of present-day Bergman. Keener was strong in the 1880s and had a population of about 1,000 people. But, Keener began to decline fast by 1892.

Townships

Former townships include Bear Creek, Crooked Creek, Elmwood, Harrison,

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

, and

Young Young may refer to: * Offspring, the product of reproduction of a new organism produced by one or more parents * Youth, the time of life when one's age is low, often meaning the time between childhood and adulthood Music * The Young, an America ...

Chronic wasting disease

Chronic wasting disease Chronic wasting disease (CWD), sometimes called zombie deer disease, is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) affecting deer. TSEs are a family of diseases thought to be caused by misfolded proteins called prions and include simila ...

has been found in Boone County as well as Benton, Carroll,

Johnson Johnson may refer to: People and fictional characters *Johnson (surname), a common surname in English * Johnson (given name), a list of people * List of people with surname Johnson, including fictional characters *Johnson (composer) (1953–2011) ...

, Madison, Marion, Newton,

Pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...

, Searcy, Sebastian, Scott, and

counties.

References

External links

*
Unofficial/Community guide site

County Ordinances

genealogy information pages at USGenWeb

Map of Boone County
(U. S. Census Bureau)
Map of Boone County from Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Boone County entry in the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Boone County Historical and Railroad Society, Inc.

Boone County School District Reference Map
(U. S. Census Bureau, 2010) {{authority control 1869 establishments in Arkansas Harrison, Arkansas micropolitan area Populated places established in 1869 Sundown towns in Arkansas