Cleveland County, Arkansas

Cleveland County (formerly known as Dorsey County) is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Its population was 7,550 at the 2020 U.S. census. The county seat and largest city is Rison. Cleveland County is included in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The Arkansas legislature established Dorsey County as Arkansas's 71st county on April 17, 1873, naming it for Stephen W. Dorsey, the U.S. Senator from Arkansas. When he was indicted for defrauding the Post Office, they renamed it on March 5, 1885, for Grover Cleveland, the newly elected President of the United States.

The Battle of Marks' Mills, the pivotal engagement in the Union Army's ill-fated Camden Expedition during the U.S. Civil War, took place in what is now Cleveland County. This engagement resulted in a crushing victory for Confederate forces, though the victory ultimately proved to be hollow when Federal General Frederick Steele and the rest of his army managed to escape from Camden to Little Rock.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.2%) is water.

Major highways

* U.S. Highway 63
* U.S. Highway 79
* U.S. Highway 167
* Highway 8
* Highway 11
* Highway 15 (now US 63)
* Highway 35
* Highway 54
* Highway 97
* Highway 114
* Highway 133
* Highway 189
* Highway 212

Adjacent counties

* Grant County (northwest)
* Jefferson County (northeast)
* Lincoln County (east)
* Drew County (southeast)
* Bradley County (south)
* Calhoun County (southwest)
* Dallas County (west)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,550 people, 3,217 households, and 2,254 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 8,571 people, 3,273 households, and 2,513 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 3,834 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 84.79% White, 13.22% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 1.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,273 households, out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.70% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.20% were non-families. 21.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,405, and the median income for a family was $38,164. Males had a median income of $31,282 versus $21,172 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,362. About 11.40% of families and 15.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.50% of those under age 18 and 15.70% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

* Kingsland
* Rison (county seat)

Census-designated places

* New Edinburg
* Rye
* Staves
* Woodlawn

Townships

* Bowman
* Hudgin
* Harper ( Herbine)
* Hurricane (Rye)
* Kingsland ( Kingsland)
* Lee
* Miller ( Woodlawn)
* Niven-Jackson
* Redland ( New Edinburg)
* Rison ( Rison)
* Rowell
* Saline
* Smith
* White Oak ( Staves)
* Whiteville (Randall)

Government

Government

The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Arkansas 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 Cleveland County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the ''county judge'', who serves as the chief operating officer 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 9 Republicans. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:

* District 1: Ricky Neal (R)
* District 2: Melody Spears (R)
* District 3: Dwayne Ashcraft (R)
* District 4: Pat Keegan-Potter (R)
* District 5: Donnie Herring (R)
* District 6: Owen Rushing (R)
* District 7: Bruce T. Brown (R)
* District 8: Jeffrey Smith (R)
* District 9: Charles Rodgers (R)

Additionally, the townships of Cleveland County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the Constitution of Arkansas. 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:

* Harper: Dave Morrison (D)

Politics

Cleveland County has trended heavily towards the Republican Party in recent presidential elections. As of 2024 the last Democrat to carry the county was Bill Clinton, an Arkansas native, in 1996.

Education

School districts serving portions of the county:
* Cleveland County School District
* Malvern Special School District
* Star City School District
* Woodlawn School District

Notable people

* Monroe Schwarzlose, a turkey farmer and political maverick who polled 31 percent of the vote against Governor Bill Clinton in the 1980 Democratic primary. He won in Cleveland County.
* Harvey Parnell, the 29th governor of Arkansas, 1928-1933
* Youell Swinney, the only major suspect in the Texarkana Phantom slayings, hailed from Cleveland County. He was the son of a Baptist minister.
* Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant was born in Moro Bottom.
* Tyrell Johnson plays safety in the NFL was born and raised in Rison.

See also

* List of lakes in Cleveland County, Arkansas
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Cleveland County, Arkansas

References

External links

*

Cleveland County, Arkansas
at ''Encyclopedia of Arkansas''

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1873 establishments in Arkansas
Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway metropolitan area
Pine Bluff metropolitan area
Populated places established in 1873