Fayetteville ( ) is the
second-most populous city 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 ...
, 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 ...
of
Washington County, and the most populous city in
Northwest Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas (NWA) is a metropolitan area and region in Arkansas within the Ozarks. It includes four of the ten largest cities in the state: Fayetteville, Arkansas, Fayetteville, Springdale, Arkansas, Springdale, Rogers, Arkansas, Rogers, ...
. The city had a population of 93,949 as of the
2020 census, which was estimated to have increased to 101,680 by 2023.
The city is on the outskirts of the
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 ...
, within the
Ozarks
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 ...
. It was named after
Fayetteville, Tennessee
Fayetteville is the county seat and the largest city in Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States. The city's population was 7,095 at the 2020 census.
History
Fayetteville is the largest city in Lincoln County. The city was established in 1809 ...
, from which many settlers had come, and was incorporated on November 3, 1836. Fayetteville is included in the three-county
Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers metropolitan statistical area, with 576,403 residents in 2020.
Fayetteville is home to the
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It is the Flagship campus, flagship campus of the University of Arkan ...
, the state's flagship university. When classes are in session, thousands of students on
campus
A campus traditionally refers to the land and buildings of a college or university. This will often include libraries, lecture halls, student centers and, for residential universities, residence halls and dining halls.
By extension, a corp ...
change up the pace of the city. Thousands of
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Arkansas Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletics teams representing the University of Arkansas, located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Fayetteville. The University of Arkans ...
alumni and fans travel to Fayetteville to attend
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
,
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
, and
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
games.
History
Settlement through Antebellum period
In 1828, George McGarrah settled at Big Spring with his family on the modern day corner of Spring and Willow, founding the town of Washington, and starting work on the courthouse. On October 17,
Washington County was established, Washington chosen as the county seat. The Washington Courthouse was finished in 1829, and also contained the post office. Later in the year Postmaster Larkin Newton changed the name to the Fayetteville Courthouse, to avoid confusing with
Washington,
Hempstead County. Two councilmen selected to name the city were from
Fayetteville, Tennessee
Fayetteville is the county seat and the largest city in Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States. The city's population was 7,095 at the 2020 census.
History
Fayetteville is the largest city in Lincoln County. The city was established in 1809 ...
, which was itself named for
Fayetteville,
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
(where some of its earliest residents had lived before moving to Tennessee). That original Fayetteville was named for
General Lafayette, a
French general who helped the colonies gain independence in the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
.
The first store in Fayetteville was opened by John Nye in a small building constructed by James Holmsley. In 1832
David Walker, Chief Justice of the
Arkansas Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Arkansas is the highest court in the state judiciary of Arkansas. It has ultimate and largely discretionary appellate jurisdiction over all state court cases that involve a point of state law, and original jurisdiction ...
, built a double log cabin on what became Center Street. In 1822
Archibald Yell, the second Governor of Arkansas, built a house and called it "Waxhaw" after his home in
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
. The house was on the outskirts of town then but the area has since named a street after him which connects College and School streets. The first hotels were the Burnside House and the Onstott House. Fayetteville was incorporated as a town on November 3, 1836.
In 1859, a city charter was obtained from the Legislature. During the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
the municipal government was suspended and was not reinstated until 1867. P.V. Rhea was the president of the town trustees in 1836; J.W. Walker was the first mayor under the charter of 1859, and M.L. Harrison was the first mayor when the government was reorganized in 1867. The
telegraph
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas ...
came to Fayetteville in 1860, strung along
Military Road from
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...
, to
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 the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...
.
Civil War and Reconstruction
During the Civil War, Union General
Samuel Ryan Curtis
Samuel Ryan Curtis (February 3, 1805 – December 26, 1866) was an American military officer and one of the first Republican Party (United States), Republicans elected to Congress. He was most famous for his role as a Union Army general in the ...
occupied Fayetteville on February 18, 1862, and the next week, the
Battle of Pea Ridge
The Battle of Pea Ridge (March 7–8, 1862), also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, took place during the American Civil War near Leetown, Arkansas, Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas. United States, Feder ...
was fought northeast of Fayetteville. The city housed wounded soldiers from the
Battle of Prairie Grove in December 1862, and housed injured troops on
Dickson Street. Confederate troops
besieged Union soldiers in Fayetteville during the Battle of Fayetteville on April 18, 1863, at the intersection of College Avenue (modern
U.S. Route 71B) and Dickson Street, and at the Union headquarters.
Union soldiers held the city against cannon fire and cavalry attacks, although their headquarters sustained damage.
The building was restored and is operated as the
Headquarters House, a museum of the Washington County Historical Society. Fayetteville was occupied from December 1862 until May 1865 (except May–September 1863) by the First Arkansas Union Cavalry, a regiment of Union men from Northwest Arkansas. Union forces repelled a Confederate attack in October 1864. After the war, the United States government established the
Fayetteville National Cemetery in 1867. A cemetery for
Confederate dead was founded in 1873.
Newspapers were established early; in 1859,
Elias Cornelius Boudinot, a young half-
Cherokee
The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...
attorney, and James Pettigrew founded ''The Arkansan.'' The ''Fayetteville Weekly Democrat'' began publishing in 1868. It later became the ''
Northwest Arkansas Times'' and is still in print. The
Fayetteville Schools District was founded on March 20, 1871, as the first independent school district in Arkansas. The public school system was established by the
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 ...
legislature; before the war, all education was private. Arkansas had struggled with
a state banking crisis, resulting in the illegality of banking until 1868. After the reinstatement of banking, the Stark Bank became the first bank in the state in 1872, becoming the William McIlroy Bank four years later. The institution remains as
Arvest Bank.
School integration
In 1954,
Charleston, Arkansas was the first school district in the southern United States to implement school integration in response to ''
Brown v. Board of Education
''Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka'', 347 U.S. 483 (1954), was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that ruled that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the ...
''. A few days later Fayetteville, to the north of Charleston, was the second school district in the southern United States to integrate schools after the
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...
decision.
Geography
Topography

Fayetteville is in the
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 ...
, a subset of the
Ozarks
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 ...
which runs through Northwest Arkansas, southern
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 ...
, and
Eastern Oklahoma. The rocks of the Boston Mountains were formed when
sandstone
Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...
s and
shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of Clay mineral, clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g., Kaolinite, kaolin, aluminium, Al2Silicon, Si2Oxygen, O5(hydroxide, OH)4) and tiny f ...
s were deposited on top of the Springfield Plateau during the
Pennsylvanian Period. In the Fayetteville area, following uplift during the
Ouachita orogeny, the sediments were eroded to expose the
Mississippian limestone
Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
formations of the Springfield Plateau, while south of Fayetteville the remaining deeply eroded Pennsylvanian sediments form the steep Boston Mountains.
Fayetteville is also the namesake of the
Fayetteville Shale
The Fayetteville Shale is a geologic formation (geology), formation of Mississippian age (354–323 million years ago) composed of tight shale within the Arkoma Basin of Arkansas and Oklahoma. It is named for the city of Fayetteville, Arkansas, an ...
, a
geological
Geology (). is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical objects, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Earth s ...
formation which has recently become an epicenter for natural gas extraction by
hydraulic fracturing
Fracking (also known as hydraulic fracturing, fracing, hydrofracturing, or hydrofracking) is a well stimulation technique involving the fracturing of Formation (geology), formations in bedrock by a pressurized liquid. The process involves the ...
.
Metropolitan area
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (2.59%) is water. The city is centrally located in
Washington County, Arkansas
Washington County is a regional economic, educational, and cultural hub in the Northwest Arkansas region. Created as Arkansas's 17th County (United States), county on November 30, 1848, Washington County has 13 incorporated municipalities, inc ...
, along
Interstate 49
Interstate 49 (I-49) is a north–south Interstate Highway with multiple segments. The original portion is entirely within Louisiana with an additional signed portion extending from Interstate 220 (Louisiana), I-220 in Shreveport, Louisian ...
/
US Route 71.
It is the only
fully controlled access route through the area, which replaced the winding US 71 (now
US 71B) in the 1990s.
An interstate connection with
Fort Smith to the south and
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...
, to the north has contributed to Fayetteville's growth. Fayetteville is bordered along the north by
Springdale and
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) ...
. At times, this transition is seamlessly urban. Fayetteville is not bordered by towns to its south, instead opening up to scenic country along the
Boston Mountains Scenic Loop. Past the rural communities of
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous territory in the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. It is by far the largest geographically of three constituent parts of the kingdom; the other two are metropolitan Denmark and the Faroe Islands. Citizens of Greenlan ...
and
West Fork is
Devil's Den State Park
Devil's Den State Park is a List of Arkansas state parks, Arkansas state park in Washington County, Arkansas, Washington County, near West Fork, Arkansas in the United States. The park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, beginning in ...
.
To the west is
Farmington along
US Route 62 and to the east of Fayetteville is undeveloped land in rural Washington County.
The
Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers Metropolitan Area consists of three
Arkansas counties:
Benton,
Madison, and
Washington. The area had a population of 463,205 at the
2010 census which increased to 546,725 by the
2020 census (an increase of 24.2 percent). Although the Metropolitan Statistical Area does not consist of the usual principal-city-with-
suburbs
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...
geography, Fayetteville's adjacent communities include
Elkins,
Farmington,
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous territory in the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. It is by far the largest geographically of three constituent parts of the kingdom; the other two are metropolitan Denmark and the Faroe Islands. Citizens of Greenlan ...
,
Habberton,
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) ...
, and
Wyman.
Districts

Fayetteville is entirely contained within
Fayetteville Township, as the township and city have identical boundaries. Although Arkansas generally does not use its
civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States that is subordinate to a County (United States), county, most often in the northern and midwestern parts of the country. The term town is used in New England town, Ne ...
s for any governmental purpose, they are used for voting boundaries in some places.
Generally the part of Fayetteville west of
I-49
Interstate 49 (I-49) is a north–south Interstate Highway with multiple segments. The original portion is entirely within Louisiana with an additional signed portion extending from I-220 in Shreveport to the Arkansas state line, three ne ...
/US 71 is called west Fayetteville. Another prominent district is Uptown Fayetteville, which encompasses the scores of business and new homes near the
Northwest Arkansas Mall in north Fayetteville. The
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It is the Flagship campus, flagship campus of the University of Arkan ...
defines its own part of Fayetteville, with dozens of student apartments and restaurants located near
campus
A campus traditionally refers to the land and buildings of a college or university. This will often include libraries, lecture halls, student centers and, for residential universities, residence halls and dining halls.
By extension, a corp ...
. The university's impact is also apparent along
College Avenue, which contains hundreds of shops and restaurants. Northeast of campus are the
Wilson Park Historic District and the
Mount Nord Historic District. The
Fayetteville Historic Square is the original city center of Fayetteville, and
Dickson Street is the best-known entertainment district in Arkansas. Homes atop Mount Sequoyah in the eastern part of the city encircle Mount Sequoyah Retreat and Conference Center. There are old structures along the former
Butterfield Overland Mail
Butterfield Overland Mail (officially Overland Mail Company)Waterman L. Ormsby, edited by Lyle H. Wright and Josephine M. Bynum, "The Butterfield Overland Mail", The Huntington Library, San Marino, California, 1991. was a stagecoach service in ...
route, a stagecoach route to
San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
now known as
Old Wire Road.
Fifteenth Street forms the southernmost residential district of Fayetteville, with the Fayetteville Industrial Park to its east.
Annexed communities
Fayetteville has annexed six
unincorporated communities within its current corporate limits. Four of them are still listed as "populated places" by the
USGS
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an government agency, agency of the United States Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geograp ...
Board on Geographic Names. The other two are listed as "historical populated places." Annexations since 1870 are displayed on Fayetteville's website in the interactive maps section.
Fayetteville's second annexations took place in 1946 when it incorporated
Fayette Junction and
McNair into the city.
Baldwin was added the next year, with
Barbara and Ruckers Grove being annexed in 1967. Fayetteville's most recent annexation occurred in 1982 when
White Rock was added to the city limits.
Climate
Fayetteville has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''Cfa''). The city experiences all four seasons and receives cold air masses from the north; however, some of the
Arctic
The Arctic (; . ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the North Pole, lying within the Arctic Circle. The Arctic region, from the IERS Reference Meridian travelling east, consists of parts of northern Norway ( ...
masses are blocked by the higher elevations of the Ozarks. July is the hottest month of the year, with an average high of and an average low of .
Temperatures above are rare but do occur, on average, 3 times a year.
January is the coldest month with an average high of and an average low of .
Highs below occur on average 10.4 times a year, with 0.6 nights per year dropping below .
The city's highest temperature was , recorded on July 14, 1954. The lowest temperature recorded was , on February 12, 1899.
Precipitation is weakly seasonal, with a bimodal pattern: wet seasons in the spring and fall, and relatively drier summers and winters, but some rain in all months. The spring wet season is more pronounced than fall, with the highest rainfall in May. That differs slightly from the climate in central Arkansas, where the fall wet season is more comparable to spring.
Demographics
Fayetteville is the second most populated city in Arkansas.
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census, there were 93,949 people, 36,705 households, and 16,703 families residing in the city.
2010 census
In the 2010 census, Fayetteville had a population of 73,580 and grew by 26.8 percent from the year 2000.
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010, there were 73,580 people, 33,661 households, and 14,574 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 38,281 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.8% White, 6.0% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 2.8% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. 6.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Fayetteville was the third best educated city in Arkansas (after
Maumelle) in the 2010 Census, proportionately, with 40.5% of adults age 25 or older holding an associate degree or higher, and 24.6% of adults possessing a bachelor's degree or higher. There were 33,661 households, out of which 19.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.4% 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, 7.1% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 58.7% were non-families. 45.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 16.9% under the age of 18, 23.6% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $31,393, and the median income for a family was $62,258. Males had a median income of $42,004 versus $29,373 for females, indicating a huge income disparity. 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 city was $26,267. 43.7% of the population and 29.9% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.0% of those under the age of 18 and 17.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
69.6% of Fayetteville's population describes themselves as religious, above the national average of 48.34%.
50.8% of people in Fayetteville who describe themselves as having a religion are Baptist (37.22% of the city's total population). 15.5% of people holding a religion are Catholic (7.7% of the city's total population). There are also higher proportions of Methodists and Pentecostals above the national average.
Economy
Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...
is based in nearby
Bentonville, Arkansas
Bentonville is a city in and the county seat of Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The city is centrally located in the county with Rogers, Arkansas, Rogers adjacent to the east. The city proper had a population of 54,164 at the 2020 Unite ...
, and is one of six
Fortune 500
The ''Fortune'' 500 is an annual list compiled and published by ''Fortune (magazine), Fortune'' magazine that ranks 500 of the largest United States Joint-stock company#Closely held corporations and publicly traded corporations, corporations by ...
corporations based in the state (the others are
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is an American department store chain with approximately 267 stores in 29 states and headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. Currently, the largest number of stores are located in Texas with 57 and Florida with 42. The company a ...
,
J.B. Hunt
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. is an American transportation and logistics company based in Lowell, Arkansas. It was founded by Johnnie Bryan Hunt and Johnelle Hunt in Arkansas on August 10, 1961. By 1983, J.B. Hunt had grown into the 80t ...
,
Murphy Oil,
Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods, Inc. is an American multinational corporation based in Springdale, Arkansas that operates in the food industry. The company is the world's second-largest processor and marketer of broiler industry, chicken, beef, and pork after JBS ...
, and
Windstream
Windstream Holdings, Inc., trading as Windstream Communications is a provider of voice and data network communications to businesses across the United States. Under the Kinetic brand, it offers broadband, phone and digital streaming TV services to ...
).
Tyson Foods is based in
Springdale, Arkansas
Springdale is a city in Washington County, Arkansas, Washington and Benton County, Arkansas, Benton counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city had a population of 84,161 at the 2020 census, making it the List of cities and towns in Arkan ...
, which is adjacent and to the north of Fayetteville. Although they are not based in Fayetteville, the corporations have a big impact through the
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It is the Flagship campus, flagship campus of the University of Arkan ...
. The
Sam M. Walton College of Business (named for
Sam Walton
Samuel Moore Walton (March 29, 1918 – April 5, 1992) was an American business magnate best known for Co-founding the retailers Walmart and Sam's Club, which he started in Rogers, Arkansas, and Midwest City, Oklahoma, in 1962 and 1983 res ...
) at the university has received numerous donations from the
Walton family
The Walton family is an American family whose collective fortune derived from Walmart makes them the richest family in the United States, and, as of December 2024, the List of wealthiest families, richest family in the world.
Overview
The thr ...
. Tyson also has a presence on campus at the Tyson Center for Excellence in Poultry Science, which holds classes for the
Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. The poultry science program at Arkansas is one of the Top 5 programs in the United States.
Transportation company
J. B. Hunt is based in
Lowell, Arkansas
Lowell is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, Benton County, Arkansas, United States. Located within Ozark Mountains, the Ozarks, the first settlement was along Old Wire Road in the 1840s, and although destroyed during the Civil War, the communit ...
, which is between
Rogers and Springdale. It has donated millions of dollars to the university's
logistics
Logistics is the part of supply chain management that deals with the efficient forward and reverse flow of goods, services, and related information from the point of origin to the Consumption (economics), point of consumption according to the ...
program, including $10 million funding the
J.B. Hunt Center for Academic Excellence that completed in 2010. The University of Arkansas has also been changing into a research-centered university since the late-20th century. The university's stated goals now include becoming the economic engine for the region, the state of Arkansas, and beyond. This focus on innovation has helped draw students who were interested in research to Fayetteville. This shift in emphasis was recognized by the
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (CFAT) is a U.S.-based education policy and research center. It was founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of the United States Congress. Among its most not ...
with classification in the category of "R1, Highest Research Activity," in 2011.
In 2011,
DataRank, a company which provides businesses with tools for analyzing conversations about their brands and competitors, was founded in Fayetteville.
In 2016, the City of Fayetteville announced its intention to become "The Startup City of the South" and work on further development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. This endeavor is fostered through support from the University of Arkansas and non-profit initiatives such as the Walton Family Foundation and Community Venture Foundation.
Arts and culture

Fayetteville's culture is a combination of a
Southern city, college town, and the fast-growing Northwest Arkansas metro area.
Fayetteville shares many of the characteristics commonly given to Arkansas as a Southern state, yet it has also absorbed cultural influence from the Mid and South West. Located in the mid-South, Fayetteville's culture is distinct and it differs from the southeastern portion of the state and other
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...
college towns, areas more commonly associated with the
Deep South
The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion of the Southern United States. The term is used to describe the states which were most economically dependent on Plantation complexes in the Southern United States, plant ...
. Many of the city's first settlers came from Mid South states like
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
and
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 ...
, who found the Ozarks similar to the
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...
back home. The uplands of Arkansas, including the Fayetteville area, did not participate in large-scale plantation farming with slaves like 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 ...
, instead electing to settle in small clusters, relying largely on
subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow crops on smallholdings to meet the needs of themselves and their families. Subsistence agriculturalists target farm output for survival and for mostly local requirements. Planting decisions occu ...
and hunting rather than the settlement patterns common in the
Midwest
The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
and the
Deep South
The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion of the Southern United States. The term is used to describe the states which were most economically dependent on Plantation complexes in the Southern United States, plant ...
. The
hillbilly
''Hillbilly'' is a term historically used for White people who dwell in rural area, rural, mountainous areas in the United States, primarily in the Appalachian region and Ozarks. As people migrated out of the region during the Great Depression, ...
stereotype given to the Ozarks and Appalachians is largely a derivative of the difficult topography, poor quality or absent formal education, and mostly cashless self-sustaining economy found in those regions. Fayetteville's large proportion of
Southern Baptist
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 Protestantism in the United States, Pr ...
and
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
adherents reflect a trend often associated with the Deep South.
The city also derives a cultural identity from the University of Arkansas, exhibiting many trademarks of a college town such as a prominent arts and music scene, socially-progressive residents, an emphasis on supporting local businesses, and a community focus on environmental sustainability. Fayetteville shares a passion for collegiate athletics similar to many other Southeastern Conference member institution cities including
Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford is the List of municipalities in Mississippi, 14th most populous city in Mississippi, United States, and the county seat of Lafayette County, Mississippi, Lafayette County, southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, Memphis. A college town, Oxford ...
and
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States, situated in East-Central Texas in the Brazos Valley, towards the eastern edge of the region known as the Texas Triangle. It is northwest of Houston and east-northeast of Austin, ...
. The university itself is a great magnet for fresh faces and young professionals from all across the nation and the world. Fall 2017 enrollment reports said that 55% of U of A students were from Arkansas, 42% from out of state, and the remaining 3% from foreign countries.
Fayetteville has a strong
BBQ tradition, and the majority of the city's barbecue joints serve
Memphis-style barbecue, with some
Texas barbecue influence. Fayetteville is also home to a diverse array of dining options as Thai, Vietnamese, and Cajun eateries which are in the city's commercial districts. The Fayetteville Roots Festival, an annual celebration of local cuisine and music, only adds to the growing
foodie
A foodie is a person who has an ardent or refined interest in food, and who eats food not only out of hunger but also as a hobby. The related terms "gastronome" and "gourmet" define roughly the same thing, i.e. a person who enjoys food for pleasur ...
culture of Northwest Arkansas with its community celebrations in the historic
Fayetteville Square.
University of Arkansas
The
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It is the Flagship campus, flagship campus of the University of Arkan ...
is Fayetteville's biggest attraction, with influence in the social, economic and educational aspects of Fayetteville.
As the state's
flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...
university, U of A has become integrated with Fayetteville and vice versa. Currently ranked the #165th best university in the country, the
University of Arkansas Campus Historic District listed on the
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 ...
contains and 25 buildings within a park-like
arboretum
An arboretum (: arboreta) is a botanical collection composed exclusively of trees and shrubs of a variety of species. Originally mostly created as a section in a larger garden or park for specimens of mostly non-local species, many modern arbor ...
.
In autumn, hundreds of parents travel to Fayetteville to help their children move into the various residence halls and apartments in the area, with thousands more attending
Razorback football home games. Fans return for basketball games to pack
Bud Walton Arena
Bud Walton Arena (also known as the Basketball Palace of Mid-America) is the home to the Arkansas Razorbacks basketball, men's and Arkansas Razorbacks women's basketball, women's basketball teams of the University of Arkansas, known as the Arka ...
, which was the fifth-largest on-campus arena upon completion. In spring the Hogs baseball team can be seen in
Baum Stadium, named one of the top college baseball facilities in the South by
Rivals.com in 2010 due to the use of a large donation by the Walton family.
Senior Walk is a sidewalk record of every graduate from the University of Arkansas. It spans nearly the entire sidewalk network in the core of the campus.
During the last decade, the university has drawn a large influx of students from bordering states, largely due to the New Arkansan Non-Resident Tuition Award scholarship program. As of Spring 2018, nearly 40% of the student population is made up of students hailing from outside of Arkansas. As a result, student-centered off-campus apartments communities are being rapidly built to accommodate the growing student population.
Dickson Street
Dickson Street is the primary entertainment district in the region, including musical and stage performances, shopping, bars, and restaurants. The
West Dickson Street Commercial Historic District includes several blocks along its namesake street as well as a few blocks of West Avenue lined with unique shops, restaurants and bars. Adjacent to the University of Arkansas campus, several of Dickson Street's establishments cater to students and locals alike. The district has been enjoying a rejuvenation that began in the 1980s by Dickson Street merchants who had watched the street turn into a dilapidated, crime-filled area. Many businesses had relocated onto College Avenue, leaving Dickson Street empty and in disrepair. The steady improvements by local entrepreneurs during this time lured the
Walton Arts Center, today Arkansas's premier center for arts and entertainment, to locate on Dickson Street, a decision that proved beneficial to all parties involved.
The
Walton Arts Center is the result of a joint effort between the City of Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas to bring arts to the city. The center is located on
Dickson Street halfway between the university and the
town square
A town square (or public square, urban square, city square or simply square), also called a plaza or piazza, is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town or city, and which is used for community gatherings. Relat ...
. It currently features a full
Broadway theater
Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), many of the extant or closed Broadway venues use or used the spelling ''Theatr ...
season, arts camps, continuing education opportunities for teachers of the arts, university-sponsored performances in addition to serving as a host for community events. A considerable donation from the namesake
Walton family
The Walton family is an American family whose collective fortune derived from Walmart makes them the richest family in the United States, and, as of December 2024, the List of wealthiest families, richest family in the world.
Overview
The thr ...
assisted greatly in the construction of the building.
TheatreSquared, Northwest Arkansas's only year-round professional regional theatre, is located just off Dickson Street, with an annual audience of 40,000 patrons including 18,500 students reached through outreach programs. The theatre was recognized in 2011 by the
American Theatre Wing
The American Theatre Wing (the Wing for short) is a New York City–based non-profit organization "dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theatre", according to its mission statement. Originally known as the Stage Women's War Relief ...
as one of the nation's ten most promising emerging theatres. Dickson Street is also home to George's Majestic Lounge, the oldest live music venue in Arkansas and one of the oldest bar and concert venues in the
Midwest
The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
. Opened by George Pappas in 1927, George's was the first bar in the state to integrate in the late 1950s, and began hosting live concerts in the 1970s.
Fayetteville Square
The
Fayetteville Historic Square has been the center of Fayetteville since the county's first courthouse was located there in 1829. The area is surrounded by wide sidewalks, landscaped gardens, and one-way streets. The Square plays host to a variety of events, including First Thursday on the Square, the Strawberry Festival, Sundays on the Square and the Lights of the Ozarks Festival, Last Night Fayetteville, and Fayetteville Farmer's Market. Containing boutiques, restaurants, music venues, museums, condos, the visitor center, and a convention center, the square has both historic structures and new constructions.
The
farmers' 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 ...
began in 1974 and runs 7am to 1pm from the first Saturday in April through the last Saturday before
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...
set in the Fayetteville Historic Square. Over 60 vendors provide locally grown fruits and vegetables in addition to crafts, flower bouquets, music and art, making the Fayetteville Farmers' Market very diverse. Upon receiving a grant in 2011, the Fayetteville Farmers' Market now accepts
electronic benefit transfer (EBT) and food stamps.
The market has been lauded by the Farmers Market Coalition for its formatting which allows farmers to interact directly with customers and also empowering each vendor with a vote before making major changes in market policy.
The farmers' market moves to the
Botanical Garden of the Ozarks for Sunday mornings with 20–30 vendors, with some vendors also choosing to attend the Mill District Farmer's Market on Thursday evenings.
The Fayetteville Public Library, founded in 1916, was moved in October 2004 into a $23 million building, which was the first
"green" building in Arkansas. The Blair Library was awarded the 2005 Thomson Gale
Library Journal
''Library Journal'' is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional prac ...
Honorable Mention Library of the Year award, and as a testament to its popularity has seen its popularity increase, with twice as many items checked out in 2005 than in 1997. The library has a local coffeeshop called Arsaga's, and hosts several events including film festivals, book signings, and public forums throughout the year.
Historic districts and properties
Fayetteville contains 40 listings on the
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), the official
federal list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation. The
University of Arkansas Campus Historic District constitutes the historic core of the UA campus. Residential historic districts with historically and architecturally significant contributions to Fayetteville include the
Mount Nord Historic District,
Washington-Willow Historic District, and
Wilson Park Historic District. The Square is anchored by five NRHP structures; the original Fayetteville post office built in 1911, the Old Bank of Fayetteville Building, the Lewis Brothers Building constructed in 1908, the Mrs. Young Building built in 1887, and the Guisinger Building. The former
Washington County Courthouse and
Old Washington County Jail are located one block east of the Square.
The
Headquarters House served as a command post in the city for both the Union and Confederacy during the Civil War, and today serves as a museum. The
Fayetteville National Cemetery is also listed on the NRHP. Built in 1867 following the Civil War, the cemetery has been expanded from its original 1,800 interments to over 7,000 interments.
Fayetteville was the first home of
Bill and
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
while they both taught law at the
University of Arkansas School of Law
The University of Arkansas School of Law is the law school of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a State university system, state university. It has around 445 students enrolled in its Juris Doctor (J.D.) and Master of Law (LL.M ...
. The house where they were married and in which they lived is now the
Clinton House Museum highlighting Bill's early political life and features campaign memorabilia, a replica of Hillary's wedding dress, a photo gallery, and footage from Bill's early campaign commercials.
Notable people
*
Boogie2988, YouTuber
*
Jason Moore, director of
Pitch Perfect
*
Maddy Morphosis, RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14 contestant
*
Edward Durell Stone
Edward Durell Stone (March 9, 1902 – August 6, 1978) was an American architect known for the formal, highly decorative buildings he designed in the 1950s and 1960s. His works include the Museum of Modern Art, in New York City; the Parliament H ...
, architect
*
Joseph K. Wood, State Republican party chair
*
Tara Davis-Woodhall, Olympic champion in long jump
*
Hunter Woodhall, Paralympic medalist
Sports
Fayetteville does not host any professional sports teams, allowing the
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Arkansas Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletics teams representing the University of Arkansas, located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Fayetteville. The University of Arkans ...
to control the sports scene. The Razorbacks (sometimes referred to as Hogs) are frequently referred to as "The State of Arkansas's Professional Team". The Razorbacks compete in the
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
's
Division I and the
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...
.
Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium plays host to the
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program represents the University of Arkansas in the sport of American football. The Arkansas Razorbacks, Razorbacks compete in the
Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ...
team, usually hosting 6–7 home football games each season. One game is scheduled yearly at
War Memorial Stadium 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 the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...
, although there has been discussion of moving these games to Fayetteville in recent years. Some major high school football games in the state are played in Razorback Stadium as well.
Bud Walton Arena
Bud Walton Arena (also known as the Basketball Palace of Mid-America) is the home to the Arkansas Razorbacks basketball, men's and Arkansas Razorbacks women's basketball, women's basketball teams of the University of Arkansas, known as the Arka ...
is home to the
Arkansas men's and
women's basketball teams. This facility was built in 1993 and holds a capacity of 19,368. Arkansas volleyball plays in
Barnhill Arena in addition to the Razorbacks gymnastics team, also on the
campus of the University of Arkansas. The Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team plays in
Baum Stadium at George Cole Field, one of the nation's top 25 college baseball facilities.
The softball team plays in the newly built
Bogle Park on campus.
Due to the success of Arkansas's track and cross country teams, Fayetteville is sometimes called the "Track Capital of the South". The city has hosted the
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
(NCAA) Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships at the
Randal Tyson Track Center, one of the world's fastest surfaces. Arkansas also has hosted the Outdoor Track and Field Championships track facility at
John McDonnell Field, named the "Top Outdoor Track and Field Facility of the Year" by the American Sports Builders Association in 2002.
The Blessings golf course is a golf course located along Clear Creek in Fayetteville designed by
Robert Trent Jones Jr. It is said to be one of the most difficult and strangely designed golf courses in the U.S. The course is home to the
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It is the Flagship campus, flagship campus of the University of Arkan ...
Razorbacks golf teams.
The
Northwest Arkansas Naturals
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are a Minor League Baseball team based in Springdale, Arkansas, Springdale, Arkansas. The team is a member of the Texas League, and serves as the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. T ...
Baseball Club are the (AA) minor league affiliate of the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
Baseball Club in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
. The club plays at Arvest Ballpark which is in nearby Springdale. The 2022
UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships
The UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships are the world championships for cyclo-cross organised by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Starting in 2022, seven events are organized each year – UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships – Men's elite ...
was held in Fayetteville. The
Ozark United FC is an upcoming professional football club located in nearby Rogers, expected to officially launch in 2025, with 2026 being its inaugural season. It is intended to serve the Northwest Arkansas region as a whole.
Parks and recreation

The Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Department maintains 70 parks whose total land area makes up . The
National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is the largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization in the United States, with over six million members and supporters, and 51 state and territorial affiliated organizations (i ...
has listed many parks and trails in Fayetteville as Certified Wildlife Habitats, which provide food, water, shelter, and a nurturing environment for young wildlife. A favorite park in Fayetteville is Wilson Park, which anchors the
Wilson Park Historic District. The park was the city's first, and today contains a swimming pool, two playgrounds, a baseball field, picnic areas, and a 1981 castle in addition to courts for volleyball, basketball and tennis. The
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 ...
-listed historic district encompasses 47 homes constructed in the late 19th and early 20th century along the southern edge of the park.
A new addition to the Fayetteville parks scene is the
Botanical Garden of the Ozarks. First envisioned in 1993, the Botanical Garden Society of the Ozarks raised funds for the facility until beginning construction in 2003. Planned to be built in three stages, the first stage has been completed and includes a visitor center, cafe, and garden gateway. Stage one also includes one-third of the total planned gardens and half the maintenance facilities. Fayetteville takes pride in its trail system, and has been named a Bicycle Friendly Community by the
League of American Bicyclists
League or The League may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band
* ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football
* ''League of Legends'', a 2009 multiplayer online battle a ...
since 2010. Trails in Fayetteville are well-marked with signs along the route in addition to road crossings. The city maintains trails within the city limits and segments of inter-city trails such as the
Razorback Regional Greenway. The Razorback Greenway is a , primarily off-road, shared-use trail which connects Fayetteville with
Bella Vista via
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) ...
,
Springdale,
Lowell,
Bentonville, and
Rogers.
The Fayetteville trail system is anchored by the Scull Creek Trail, a north–south paved trail which is in length and wide. It crosses the namesake creek six times on arching steel bridges and also uses a
tunnel
A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ve ...
, at one time the only pedestrian tunnel in Arkansas.
A trail of named the Dickson Street/U of A loop links around the
campus of the University of Arkansas and ends at the corner of Dickson Street and College Avenue.
The Fayetteville Master Plan includes provisions for over of multi-use trails in the city. Approximately are added to the system per year.
Government
Mayor–city council
Fayetteville operates within the Mayor–council government, mayor–city council form of government. The mayor is elected by a citywide election to serve as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the city by presiding over all city functions, policies, rules and laws. Once elected, the mayor also allocates duties to city employees. The Fayetteville mayoral election in coincidence with the election of the president of the United States. Mayors serve four-year terms and can serve unlimited terms. The city council is the Unicameralism, unicameral legislative of the city, consisting of eight aldermen. Also included in the council's duties is balancing the city's budget and passing ordinances. The body also controls the representatives of specialized city commissions underneath their jurisdiction. Two aldermen are elected from each of the city's four wards.
Citizen boards, commissions, and committees
Citizen input is welcomed through the use of various specialized groups. Although some positions are appointed by the mayor, many are held by volunteers. Requirements to serve include being a resident of Fayetteville and submitting an application in order to gain access to any of Fayetteville's 28 city boards. The boards have appointed positions ranging from ones on the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission to the Fayetteville Arts Council and the Fayetteville Public Library Board of Trustees to the Historic District Commission and the Tree and Landscape Advisory Committee.
Judicial system
The Fayetteville District Court is located at 176 S Church Avenue in downtown Fayetteville, and is presided over by the district judge, who is elected in a citywide election. The court handles criminal, civil, small claims, and traffic matters within the city limits. Beyond city court, Fayetteville is under the jurisdiction of the Fayetteville Department of Washington County District Court. The Washington County District Court was a local district court, meaning it is presided over by part-time judges who may privately practice law. The court became a state district court and is presided over by a full-time judge as of 2017. Superseding that jurisdiction is the Arkansas Circuit Courts, 4th Judicial Circuit Court, which covers Washington and Madison counties. The circuit court has seven circuit judges.
Politics
The current mayor of Fayetteville is Molly Rawn. Rawn was elected in 2024, defeating longtime incumbent mayor Lioneld Jordan.
The state representatives who serve districts containing portions of Fayetteville are Rep. Nicole Clowney, Rep. David Whitaker (politician), David Whitaker, and Rep. Denise Garner. The state senators who serve districts containing portions of Fayetteville are Sen. Greg Leding and Sen. Lance Eads.
Education
Most of Fayetteville is served by the Fayetteville Public Schools system, which consists of eight elementary schools, four Middle school, intermediate schools, two special schools, and Fayetteville High School (Arkansas), Fayetteville High School. The district was established in 1871 as the oldest school district in Arkansas. Fayetteville High School has been recognized by ''Newsweek'' as one of the South's top 500 high schools based on Advanced Placement (AP) courses as well as AP test scores. The school's student literary magazine and athletics programs have also received regional praise. Sections of Fayetteville are zoned to Farmington School District (operating Farmington High School (Arkansas), Farmington High School in Farmington, Arkansas), Greenland School District (operating Greenland High School in Greenland, Arkansas), and Springdale Public Schools; In 2006 the portion of Fayetteville in the Springdale district was divided between the zones of Har-Ber High School, Har-Ber and Springdale High School, Springdale high schools.
Fayetteville is also home of Haas Hall Academy, a Charter schools in the United States, public charter school independent of all of the public school districts. Although Haas Hall Academy is in Fayetteville, the school serves students across Arkansas. Haas Hall was established in 2004 as the first open-enrollment public charter high school in Arkansas. The school has been recognized by ''Newsweek'' as the best school in Arkansas and 342nd best school in the nation. The nearest Catholic Church in the United States, Catholic high school is Ozark Catholic Academy in Tontitown, Arkansas, Tontitown.
The
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It is the Flagship campus, flagship campus of the University of Arkan ...
was founded in Fayetteville in 1871 as Arkansas Industrial University. The land-grant/National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, space-grant, high-activity research institution is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System. Enrollment for the 2010 fall semester was 21,406 total students. Approximately 84% are Arkansas natives, with about 2% being international students due to the general lack of diversity in the region. Although it offers over 200 degree choices (excluding doctorate fields), the university is noted for its above average Fay Jones School of Architecture, architecture, history, creative writing, Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, poultry science, and Sam M. Walton College of Business, business programs. Because of the University of Arkansas's large presence in many aspects of the city's economy, culture, and lifestyle, Fayetteville is often portrayed as a college town with elements of dominance by
Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...
.
Media
The Fayetteville market is defined as Washington and Benton Counties and is called the Northwest Arkansas market by Arbitron.
The two-county area was ranked 127th in the nation with a listening/viewing population (age 12+) of 356,900 as of Spring 2011.
Radio
Two stations are operated by the University of Arkansas, KXUA 88.3 FM, which is the student-run station and KUAF, 91.3 FM, a NPR, national public radio (NPR) station.
Cumulus Media owns seven stations in the Northwest Arkansas market, KFAY 1030 AM (news talk), KYNG (AM), KYNG 1590 AM, KQSM-FM 92.1 FM (ESPN Radio), KAMO-FM 94.3 FM (classic country music), KRMW 94.9 FM, KKEG 98.3 FM (classic rock), and KMCK-FM 105.7 FM (Top 40). IHeartMedia owns four radio stations in the area, including KIGL 93.3 FM (classic rock), KMXF 101.9 FM (contemporary hit radio, Top 40), KKIX 103.9 FM (country music) and KEZA 107.9 FM (Adult contemporary music, adult contemporary). Hog Radio, Inc. owns three radio stations in the area, including KAKS 99.5 FM (an ESPN Radio affiliate), KFMD-FM 101.5 (Hot AC), and KXRD 96.7 FM (country music). Butler Communications owns KXNA 104.9 FM (new rock), KREB 1190 AM, and KFFK 1390 AM. Kerm, Inc. operates two News Talk Information stations: KURM (AM), KURM 790 AM and KLTK 1140 AM. KSEC 95.7 broadcasts in the Mexican Regional format and KFFK 1390 AM of Butler Communications broadcasts in the Spanish News/Talk format. Religious stations include KAYH 89.3 FM, KBNV 90.1 FM, and KLRC 90.9 FM. All sports radio station KUOA 1290 AM is rebroadcast on 105.3 in Fayetteville and features
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Arkansas Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletics teams representing the University of Arkansas, located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Fayetteville. The University of Arkans ...
coverage. KISR 95.9 FM is Broadcast translator, translated to Fayetteville from
Fort Smith. Smaller operations include KPBI (AM), KPBI 1250 AM (news talk information) and KBVA 106.5 FM (Classic Hits/Oldies/Adult Standards/Adult Contemporary). Fayetteville Community Radio, The Public Square, KPSQ 97.3 FM, operates via a low-power license granted by the Federal Communications Commission, FCC.
Local TV stations
Television Stations in the Fayetteville area include:
*Arkansas Educational Television Network, KAFT (AETN) 13 - Public Broadcasting Service, PBS
*KFSM-TV, KFSM 5 – CBS
*KFTA-TV, KFTA 24 – Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox
*KHBS-TV, KHOG 29 – American Broadcasting Company, ABC / The CW Television Network, The CW
*KNWA-TV, KNWA 51 – NBC
*KXNW 34 – MyNetworkTV
Local newspapers
* ''Arkansas Democrat-Gazette''
* ''The Morning News''
* ''Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette'' (consolidation of the ''Northwest Arkansas Times'')
* ''The Fayetteville Free Weekly''
* ''Washington County Observer''
* ''The University of Arkansas Traveler''
Local online media
* ''Fayetteville Flyer''
Infrastructure
Transportation
Major highways
*
Interstate 49
Interstate 49 (I-49) is a north–south Interstate Highway with multiple segments. The original portion is entirely within Louisiana with an additional signed portion extending from Interstate 220 (Louisiana), I-220 in Shreveport, Louisian ...
*
US Route 62
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US Route 71
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U.S. Route 71 Business (Northwest Arkansas), US Route 71 Business
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Arkansas Highway 16, Highway 16
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Arkansas Highway 16#Fayetteville spur, Highway 16 Spur
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Arkansas Highway 45, Highway 45
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Arkansas Highway 112, Highway 112
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Arkansas Highway 180, Highway 180
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Arkansas Highway 265, Highway 265
The major through route in Fayetteville is Interstate 49/U.S. Route 71 in Arkansas, US 71. The
fully controlled access, four-lane Controlled-access highway, expressway is a discontinuous piece of a route ultimately planned to connect
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...
, to New Orleans. Formerly designated as Interstate 540 (Arkansas), Interstate 540 with the re-designation as Interstate 49 being granted by the U S Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration on March 28, 2014, the highway became the first freeway in the area when it was completed in the 1990s to relieve the former US 71 (now
US 71B) of a much-increased demand of through travelers following the unanticipated and rapid growth of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers Metropolitan Area, Northwest Arkansas metro. area. Future plans for the I-49 corridor include completion of a freeway segment through Western Arkansas to Texarkana.
Other major north–south routes in Fayetteville include
US 71B, which was the predecessor to I-49/US 71. This route is now mostly designated College Avenue in Fayetteville and features dozens of restaurants and stores. To the east of College Avenue is the oldest road in Fayetteville, Arkansas Highway 265. This route first was used by Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans as the Great Osage Trail, followed by American Civil War, Civil War troops bound for Fort Smith, Arkansas, the Trail of Tears, the
Butterfield Overland Mail
Butterfield Overland Mail (officially Overland Mail Company)Waterman L. Ormsby, edited by Lyle H. Wright and Josephine M. Bynum, "The Butterfield Overland Mail", The Huntington Library, San Marino, California, 1991. was a stagecoach service in ...
stagecoach route, and later still the
telegraph
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas ...
. To the west of College Avenue is Gregg Avenue, which contains many student-oriented apartments along its shoulders and further west is Arkansas Highway 112, Garland Avenue. This route runs along the
campus of the University of Arkansas in south Fayetteville, with apartments and duplexes along its northern routing.
Public transportation
The city of Fayetteville has two major providers of public transportation. Razorback Transit is a free bus system centered on the
campus of the University of Arkansas with routes to other Fayetteville destinations such as Dickson Street or the
Northwest Arkansas Mall. Ozark Regional Transit runs throughout both Washington and
Benton counties and is a broader bus-based regional transit system. Jefferson Lines provides intercity bus service connecting Fayetteville to much of the Midwest.
Aviation
Drake Field, formerly Fayetteville Municipal Airport, is owned by the city and serves general aviation. The nearest airport for commercial flights is Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA), 17 miles northwest of the city. The airport opened in 1998. Drake Field receives many sports charters year round because of the
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Arkansas Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletics teams representing the University of Arkansas, located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Fayetteville. The University of Arkans ...
using the airport.
Utilities

The City of Fayetteville owns and operates a large water system which provides services to several municipalities and unincorporated areas in the northern half of Washington County in addition to Fayetteville residents. Drinking water is pumped in from the Beaver Lake (Arkansas), Beaver Water District treatment plant in
Lowell. The city uses of water per day on average.
Wastewater
Fayetteville owns its own wastewater operation, including a network of pipes and lift stations which convey wastewater to the city's two wastewater treatment plants. Both plants are operated by CH2M Hill, CH2M and regulated by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). Historically, all sewage was sent to the Paul R. Noland Wastewater Treatment Plant (Noland WWTP) on the east side of town. However, development on the city's west side as well as the expense of pumping wastewater over East Mountain led the city to build the West Side WWTP in 2008. In addition to these two facilities, Fayetteville also operates 39 lift stations to pump wastewater over steep elevation rises in order to utilize gravity flow toward the WWTPs. Fayetteville also maintains a biosolids management program, in which biosolids, a byproduct of Sewage treatment, wastewater treatment, are land applied to provide nutrients to soil on which crops are grown.
Fayetteville's first wastewater treatment arrived in 1913 in the form of an Imhoff tank on the West Fork of the White River. The facility was improved several times throughout the years until the construction of the City of Fayetteville Water Pollution Control Facility downstream of Lake Sequoyah. The plant was built in 1968 and has had major upgrades and was expanded. Now known as the Noland WWTP, it is designed for a flow rate of per day. The West Side WWTP has a design flow of per day with a peak flow capacity of per day during wet weather.
Fayetteville's biosolids program was conceived after concerns about the costs and sustainability of landfill dumping arose. The city initiated a land application program on a farm site near the Noland plant which allowed the city to apply biosolids and then grow and harvest hay. In 2010, solar energy became the main component of the solids dewatering process after the installation of six solar dryers. From this program, the city gains additional revenue from the sale of hay and fertilizer (Class A biosolids).
See also
* List of people from Fayetteville, Arkansas
Notes
References
See also
*
External links
*
* Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry
Fayetteville (Washington County)
{{Authority control
Fayetteville, Arkansas,
Cities in Arkansas
Cities in Washington County, Arkansas
County seats in Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas
Populated places established in 1836
1828 establishments in Arkansas Territory