Glenwood is a city in Pike and Montgomery counties in

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 ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 2,068. The community is located along the

Caddo River The Caddo River is a tributary of the Ouachita River in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The river is about long.Calculated in Google Maps and Google Earth Course The Caddo River flows out of the Ouachita Mountains through Montgomery, Pike, and C ...

in the

Ouachita Mountains The Ouachita Mountains (), simply referred to as the Ouachitas, are a mountain range in western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. They are formed by a thick succession of highly deformed Paleozoic strata constituting the Ouachita Fold and Thru ...

. Glenwood was formed as a

boomtown A boomtown is a community that undergoes sudden and rapid population and economic growth, or that is started from scratch. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although t ...

following the development of the Gurdon and Fort Smith Railroad and timber interests in the area. After the establishment of a lumber mill, the community received a post office and incorporated in April 1909. Although the community saw its major employer leave during the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

, the city has again seen rapid growth in recent decades. The city also sees significant tourism related to its scenic position in the Ouachitas and among several recreational lakes.

Geography

Glenwood is located in the northeast corner of Pike County. Four small portions of the city extend north into Montgomery County. U.S. Route 70 passes through the city south of its center; it leads northeast to

Hot Springs A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring produced by the emergence of Geothermal activity, geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow ...

and southwest to De Queen.

Arkansas Highway 8 Arkansas Highway 8 (AR 8) is a designation for four state highways in lower Arkansas. One segment runs from the Oklahoma state line east to US 59/ US 71 in Mena. A second segment runs from US 59/US 71 in Mena east to US 63 in Warren. A thir ...

passes through the city center, leading northwest to Norman and southeast to Arkadelphia. 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 are land and , or 1.89%, are water. The

passes through the west side of the city, flowing southeast to join the

Ouachita River The Ouachita River ( ) is a river that runs south and east through the United States, U.S. U.S. state, states of Arkansas and Louisiana, joining the Tensas River to form the Black River (Louisiana), Black River near Jonesville, Louisiana. It i ...

north of Arkadelphia.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,068 people, 843 households, and 534 families residing in the city.

2000 census

At the 2000

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 ...

, there were 1,751 people, 696 households and 446 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 772 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.18%

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 ...

, 1.03%

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 ...

, 1.03% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 8.79% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 11.31% 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 696 households, of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% 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, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97. 23.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 24.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.7 males. The

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...

was $24,740 and the median family income was $32,829. Males had a median income of $26,528 compared with $16,354 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 city was $14,137. About 17.2% of families and 22.1% 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 28.3% of those under age 18 and 19.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The largest businesses/employers in Glenwood include John Plyler Home Center, Wright's Food Center, Shelby Manufacturing, Caddo River Forest Products, and the

Centerpoint School District The Centerpoint School District is based in Rosboro, Arkansas, United States. The school district encompasses of land including portions of Pike, Hot Spring, Garland, and Clark counties. Within Pike County, it serves almost all of Glenwood ...

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events

The Pike County Fairgrounds is the site for the Pike County Fair each September. The fair kicks off with a parade. Youngsters from around the county compete in beauty pageants, talent shows, and animal exhibits. The fair has a carnival and rodeo. The annual Caddo River Festival is sponsored by the Glenwood Regional Chamber of Commerce the last weekend in April in the downtown area. The festival incorporates a parade, local talent, various vendors and food trucks, antique car and tractor shows, 5K race, and the premier attraction: canoe races (Canoes are on wheels and pushed up the main street).

Tourism

Glenwood is the site of Billy's House of Guitars and Musical Museum, which includes instruments and memorabilia from notable guitarists such as

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

and

Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and social activist. He was a fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s and had a string of hit records in the early 1950s as a member of The Weav ...

. The museum is located on Broadway Street ( U.S. Route 70B) in downtown Glenwood. The Glenwood Country Club is located on US 70 east of town. An 18-hole public course with lodging and restaurant, the facility is listed on the Natural State Golf Trail, a collection of twelve elite courses in unique locations across the state. The city also sees significant tourism associated with the region's natural attractions. Canoeing and fishing are available on the

, which flows through the city before widening into

DeGray Lake DeGray Lake is a reservoir on the Caddo River constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in Arkansas, 8 miles (13 km) from Arkadelphia. Arkansas State Highway 7, Arkansas Scenic Byway 7 is located on the eastern shore of the la ...

. The

Little Missouri Falls The Little Missouri Falls is a sizable waterfall on the upper reaches of the Little Missouri River in southwest Arkansas in the Ouachita National Forest. It is a stairstep fall in a deep gorge. The falls can be reached by an all-weather gravel ro ...

area is a day-use area featuring picnic areas with grills, a hiking trail, and scenic overlook.

Crater of Diamonds State Park Crater of Diamonds State Park is a List of Arkansas state parks, Arkansas state park in Pike County, Arkansas, Pike County, Arkansas, in the United States. The park features a plowed field, one of the few diamond-bearing sites accessible to th ...

, DeGray Lake Resort State Park,

Lake Greeson Lake Greeson is a reservoir on the Little Missouri River, about north of Murfreesboro, Arkansas, United States. Famous for its scenery and recreation, it is surrounded by 15 parks that offer opportunities for camping, fishing, boating, biking, ...

and

Lake Ouachita Lake Ouachita (''Pronounced WAH-shi-tah'') is a reservoir created by the damming of the Ouachita River by Blakely Mountain Dam (). Blakely Mountain Dam was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers from 1948 to 1953 for hydroelectric ...

are also nearby, offering further recreational opportunities to residents and visitors.

Education

Public education for elementary and secondary school students in almost all of the municipality (almost all of the portion in Pike County) is provided by

. Area students graduate from

Centerpoint High School Centerpoint High School is an accredited public high school serving students in grades six through twelve in the rural community of Rosboro, Arkansas, United States. History In 1995, the Glenwood School District in Glenwood, Arkansas, voluntar ...

. The Amity School District merged with the Glenwood School District to form the Centerpoint district on July 1, 1995.ConsolidationAnnex_from_1983.xls
."

Arkansas Department of Education The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) is a cabinet-level agency of the Arkansas state government overseeing public education for K-12, higher education institutions, and career and technical education. The ADE also contains the Arkansas ...

. Retrieved on October 13, 2017. A small sliver within Montgomery County is in the Caddo Hills School District,SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Montgomery County, AR
."

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 ...

. Retrieved on February 27, 2021. which graduates students via Caddo Hills High School. A small sliver in Pike County is in the

Kirby School District Kirby School District is a school district headquartered in Kirby, Arkansas Kirby is an unincorporated census-designated place in northern Pike County, Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region ...

, which graduates students through Kirby High School.

Media

Glenwood is served by two main rural media outlets: the ''Glenwood Herald'' newspaper and KHGZ radio.

Notable person

Clark Duke Clark Duke (born May 5, 1985) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the films '' Sex Drive'' (2008), '' Kick-Ass'' (2010), '' Hot Tub Time Machine'' (2010), and '' The Croods'' (2013), as well as playing Clark Green in ''The Office ...

, comedian, actor, and director

References

External links

{{authority control Cities in Pike County, Arkansas Cities in Montgomery County, Arkansas Populated places established in 1909 Cities in Arkansas