Harrison, AR
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The city of Harrison is the county seat of
Boone County, Arkansas Boone County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas, along the Missouri border. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,373. The county seat is Harrison. It is Arkansas's 62nd county, formed on April 9, 1869. Boone County is ...
, United States. It is named after Marcus LaRue Harrison, a surveyor who laid out the city along Crooked Creek at Stifler Springs. According to 2019 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 13,069, up from 12,943 at the 2010 census and it is the 30th largest city in Arkansas based on official 2019 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Harrison is the principal city of the Harrison Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boone and
Newton Newton most commonly refers to: * Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist * Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton Newton may also refer to: People * Newton (surname), including a list of people with the surname * ...
counties. The community has a history of
racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one Race (human categorization), race or ethnicity over another. It may also me ...
: there were two
race riots This is a list of ethnic riots by country, and includes riots based on ethnic, sectarian, xenophobic, and racial conflict. Some of these riots can also be classified as pogroms. Africa Americas United States Nativist period: 1700s†...
in the early 20th century and an influx of
white supremacist White supremacy is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White supremacy has roots in the now-discredited doctrine ...
organizations during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.


History


Precolonial history

Native Americans were the earliest inhabitants of the area, probably beginning with cliff dwellers who lived in caves in the bluffs along the rivers. In later times, the Osage, a branch of the
Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin ( ; Dakota/ Lakota: ) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations people from the Great Plains of North America. The Sioux have two major linguistic divisions: the Dakota and Lakota peoples (translati ...
, was the main tribe in 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 ...
, and one of their larger villages is thought to have been to the east of the present site of Harrison. The
Shawnee The Shawnee ( ) are a Native American people of the Northeastern Woodlands. Their language, Shawnee, is an Algonquian language. Their precontact homeland was likely centered in southern Ohio. In the 17th century, they dispersed through Ohi ...
,
Quapaw The Quapaw ( , Quapaw language, Quapaw: ) or Arkansas, officially the Quapaw Nation, is a List of federally recognized tribes in the United States, U.S. federally recognized tribe comprising about 6,000 citizens. Also known as the Ogáxpa or †...
, and
Caddo The Caddo people comprise the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, a federally recognized tribe headquartered in Binger, Oklahoma. They speak the Caddo language. The Caddo Confederacy was a network of Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands, who ...
people were also familiar to the area. The
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 ...
arrived around 1816 and did not get along with the Osage. This hostility erupted into a full-scale war in the Ozark Mountains. By the 1830s, both tribes were removed to
Indian Territory Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United States, ...
. It is possible that the first Europeans to visit the area were some forty followers of
Hernando de Soto Hernando de Soto (; ; 1497 – 21 May 1542) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula. He played an important role in Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru, ...
and that they camped at a Native village on the White River at the mouth of Bear Creek. It is more likely that the discoverers were French hunters or trappers who followed the course of the White River.


19th century

In early 1857, the Baker–Fancher wagon train assembled at Beller's Stand, south of Harrison. On September 11, 1857, approximately 120 members of this wagon train were murdered near Mountain Meadows,
Utah Territory The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah, the 45th st ...
, by a local
Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
militia and members of the
Paiute Paiute (; also Piute) refers to three non-contiguous groups of Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin. Although their languages are related within the Numic group of Uto-Aztecan languages, these three languages do not form a single subgroup and th ...
Indian tribe. In 1955, a monument to memorialize the victims of the massacre was placed on the Harrison town square. Boone County was organized in 1869, during
Reconstruction Reconstruction may refer to: Politics, history, and sociology *Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company *''Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Union ...
after the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
. Harrison was
plat In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Survey System, Public Lands Surveys to ...
ted and made the county seat. It is named after Marcus LaRue Harrison, a Union officer who surveyed and platted the town. The town of Harrison was incorporated on March 1, 1876.


20th century


Harrison Race Riots of 1905 and 1909

In 1905 and 1909, white race riots occurred in Harrison, which drove away black residents and established the community as one of hundreds of
sundown town Sundown towns, also known as sunset towns, gray towns, or sundowner towns, were all-white municipalities or neighborhoods in the United States. They were towns that practiced a form of racial segregation by excluding non-whites via some combinati ...
s in the country. In 1901, the building of the St. Louis and North Arkansas Railroad through Harrison bolstered the local economy. Economic hardship ensued following the railroad's bankruptcy on July 1, 1905. On October 2, 1905, a white mob breached the Harrison jail, captured two Black prisoners, drove the prisoners outside city limits, whipped them, and threatened them to leave the community. The white mob then went to the Black community and burned their houses and fired guns at their windows with the message that they should leave the town. At least one person, railroad worker George Richards, was murdered during the event. Local law enforcement declined to take action to press charges for the riot. On January 18, 1909, Charles Stinnett was arrested and charged with the rape of a white woman named Lovett. Although Stinnett testified that he did not assault the woman and only meant to rob her, a jury sentenced him to hang on February 26, 1909. A mob arrived at the jail to lynch Stinnett after learning that Lovett was very ill, and the mob's presence forced many remaining Black residents out of Harrison on January 28, 1909. Stinnett was set to be hanged on March 24, 1909, but his execution was delayed for three hours because he was drunk. Stinnett died as a result of strangulation from a failed hanging fifteen minutes after his execution began.


Later 20th century

The bank robber and convicted murderer
Henry Starr Henry Starr (December 2, 1873 – February 22, 1921) was an American outlaw of the frontier and an actor of the silent film era. Biography Early life Starr's parents were Mary Scott Starr and George Starr. Distantly related to Sam Starr, hus ...
was in Harrison on February 18, 1921, when Starr and three companions entered the People's State Bank and robbed it of $6,000.00. During the robbery, Starr was shot by the former president of the bank, William J. Myers. Starr was carried to the town jail, where he died the next morning. On May 7, 1961, heavy rain caused Crooked Creek, immediately south of the downtown business district, to flood the town square and much of the southwestern part of the city. Water levels inside buildings reached . Many small buildings and automobiles were swept away. According to the
American Red Cross The American National Red Cross is a Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Humanitarianism, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. Clara Barton founded ...
, four people died, 80 percent of the town's business district was destroyed, and over 300 buildings were damaged or destroyed in losses exceeding $5.4 million. In 1962,
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 ...
opened his second
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 ...
store in Harrison. In 1982,
Kingdom Identity Ministries Kingdom Identity Ministries (KIM) is a self-described "outreach ministry" based in Harrison, Arkansas, which advocates racism, antisemitism, and extreme homophobia. Its website states that it "is an outreach ministry to God's chosen race" by w ...
, an anti-gay
Christian Identity Christian Identity (also known as Identity Christianity) is an interpretation of Christianity which advocates the belief that only Celtic and Germanic peoples, such as the Anglo-Saxon, Nordic nations, or the Aryan race and kindred peoples, are ...
outreach ministry identified as a
hate group A hate group is a social group that advocates and practices hatred, hostility, or violence towards members of a race, ethnicity, nation, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other designated sector of society. Acc ...
by the
Southern Poverty Law Center The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal advocacy organization specializing in civil rights and public interest litigation. Based in Montgomery, Alabama, it is known for its legal cases against white ...
, was founded in Harrison.


21st century

Harrison's Community Task Force on Race Relations was established in 2003 to "promote diversity and respond to racial-bias accusations against the city". City officials have made efforts to counteract organized racist activity with educational forums and billboards promoting tolerance. They also attempted to downplay the city's racist reputation and improve its image by editing the town's Wikipedia article. In 2014, a peace march and vigil celebrating the life and legacy of
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 â€“ April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, civil and political rights, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights move ...
was held in downtown Harrison, hosted by the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission. In December of the same year, a dedication was held for a Confederate monument in Harrison. In 2017, Mayor Dan Sherrell and Boone County Judge Robert Hathaway signed proclamations recognizing June as Confederate Heritage and History Month. Kevin Cheri, who became the first African-American employed in the area in 1978, received death threats shortly after his arrival, which prompted him to leave the area. He returned in 2007, and in 2019 was recognized by mayor Jerry Jackson when Harrison issued its first-ever
Black History Month Black History Month is an annually observed commemorative month originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the Af ...
proclamation. In June 2020, a group of around 300 gathered in Harrison to protest police brutality in the
murder of George Floyd On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black American man, was murdered in Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old White police officer. Floyd had been arrested after a store clerk reported that he made a purchase using a c ...
while 15 people armed with rifles and displaying Confederate and American flags looked on. the
Southern Poverty Law Center The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal advocacy organization specializing in civil rights and public interest litigation. Based in Montgomery, Alabama, it is known for its legal cases against white ...
has said that
Kingdom Identity Ministries Kingdom Identity Ministries (KIM) is a self-described "outreach ministry" based in Harrison, Arkansas, which advocates racism, antisemitism, and extreme homophobia. Its website states that it "is an outreach ministry to God's chosen race" by w ...
(founded in Harrison) has a location in the city.


Geography

U.S. Routes 62, 65, and
412 __NOTOC__ Year 412 ( CDXII) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known in Europe as the Year of the Consulship of Honorius and Theodosius (or, less frequently, year 1165 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denom ...
pass through Harrison. U.S. 65 leads north to
Branson, Missouri Branson is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. Most of the city is situated in Taney County, Missouri, Taney County, with a small portion in the west extending into Stone County, Missouri, Stone County. Branson is in the Ozarks, Ozark Mountain ...
, and south to
Conway, Arkansas Conway is a city in the U.S. state of Arkansas and the county seat of Faulkner County, Arkansas, Faulkner County, located in the state's most populous Metropolitan Statistical Area, Central Arkansas. The city also serves as a regional shopping, ...
. U.S. 62 leads west to Eureka Springs and beyond to Rogers and Bentonville. U.S. 412 leads west to Springdale. U.S. 62 and 412 combined lead east to Mountain Home. 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 is land and , or 0.26%, is water.


Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Harrison 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 ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 13,069 people, 5,578 households, and 3,198 families residing in the city.


2010 census

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 12,943 people and 6,043 housing units in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 96.2%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.3%
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 ...
or
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.6%
American Indian and Alaska Native Native Americans (also called American Indians, First Americans, or Indigenous Americans) are the Indigenous peoples of the United States, particularly of the lower 48 states and Alaska. They may also include any Americans whose origins lie ...
, 0.7% Asian, 0.0%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, and 1.6% from two or more races. 2.2% 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. 23.2% of the population was under the age of 18, and 19.0% were 65 years of age or older. Females made up 53.1% of the population, and males made up 46.9% of the population. The median income for the period 2007–11 for a household in the city was $33,244, and the number of people living below the poverty level was 15.1%. The median value of owner-occupied housing units was $108,700.


Economy

Harrison is home of the general office of
FedEx Freight FedEx Corporation, originally known as Federal Express Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company specializing in transportation, e-commerce, and business services. The company is headquartered in Memphis, Tenness ...
, a leading Less-Than-Load (LTL) freight carrier. Arkansas Freightways, later renamed to American Freightways, was combined with Viking Freight to become FedEx Freight in February 2001.


Major employers

*
FedEx FedEx Corporation, originally known as Federal Express Corporation, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate holding company specializing in Package delivery, transportation, e-commerce, and ...
Freight Inc. (Trucking and distribution) *North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (Medical services) *Walmart Inc. (Retail) *Pace Industries (Aluminum die-casting) *Claridge Products and Equipment, Inc. (Markerboards, chalkboards and bulletin boards) *
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 ...
(Telecommunications) *Wabash Wood Products (Trailer floor manufacturing) * North Arkansas College (Education) *
WestRock WestRock was an American corrugated packaging company and in 2024 merged with Smurfit Kappa to become Smurfit Westrock. It was formed in July 2015 after the merger of MeadWestvaco and RockTenn. WestRock was the 2nd largest American packaging ...
, formerly
RockTenn RockTenn was an American paper and packaging manufacturer based in Norcross, Georgia. In 2015, it merged with MeadWestvaco to form the WestRock company. It was one of North America's leading producers of corrugated and consumer packaging a ...
Company (Folding Paperboard Cartons)


Architecture

The Boone County Courthouse, built in 1909, and the
Boone County Jail The Boone County Jail is a historic jail building at Central Ave. and Willow St. in Harrison, Arkansas. It is a two-story red brick building, built in 1914. Its design has been attributed to prominent Arkansas architect Charles L. Thompson. Its ...
, built in 1914, were both designed by architect Charles L. Thompson and are listed on the U.S.
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 ...
.


Arts and culture


Annual cultural events

Harrison hosts the annual Arkansas
Hot Air Balloon A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, a capsule), which carri ...
races each September, Crawdad Days Music Festival each May, a Harvest Homecoming festival each October, and Christmas celebration in December.


Museums and other points of interest

The
National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 ...
has recognized the
Harrison Courthouse Square Historic District The Harrison Courthouse Square Historic District is an area of Harrison, Arkansas. It is known by residents simply as "the Square". The Harrison Courthouse Square Historic District includes the 1911 Boone County Courthouse, two pharmacies, se ...
. It contains a large number of the city's original commercial and governmental structures, including the still-used courthouse in the center of the square, the recently refurbished Lyric Theater, and the 1929 Hotel Seville, which underwent a complete restoration in 2008.


Ozark Arts Council

The Ozarks Arts Council is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization established in 1996 with the mission "To enrich lives by promoting the arts in Harrison and North Arkansas through exhibitions, performances, and education." It provides administrative support and distributes financial and in-kind donations to its member organizations: *The Theatre Company *Northark Drama *Twentieth Century Club *Woman's Book Club *Ozark Children's Choir The historic Lyric Theatre is managed by the Ozark Arts Council. Originally opened as a movie theater in 1929, it is now used for plays, community events, old movies and other gatherings.


Parks and recreation

Harrison serves as the
National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...
'
Buffalo National River headquarters
The park was established in the 1970s, and was the nation's first national river. The river flows for , and there are over 59 different species of fish in it. Crooked Creek, a nationally recognized "Blue Ribbon"
smallmouth bass The smallmouth bass (''Micropterus dolomieu'') is a species of freshwater fish in the Centrarchidae, sunfish family (biology), family (Centrarchidae) of the order (biology), order Centrarchiformes. It is the type species of its genus ''Micropterus ...
fishery, flows through Harrison. Hemmed-In-Hollow Falls, at the tallest waterfall between the
Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...
and the
Appalachians 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 ...
, is located southwest of Harrison near Compton. On the same bluff line is Diamond Falls, at the second tallest in the state. As of May 2024, the Creekside Community Center is currently under construction. When complete, it will have an Olympic size pool, two more smaller pools, 2 high school regulation size basketball courts, and an indoor music venue. Construction is deemed to end before 2025.


Education

Residents are served by the Harrison School District. The Harrison High School mascot is the Golden Goblin. Harrison is also home to North Arkansas College (Northark). The Harrison School District had been a member of the
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), also known as the North Central Association, was a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states engaged in educational accreditation. It ...
since 1936 until its dissolution in 2014. It is now a member of the
AdvancED The Advanced Party (), otherwise known as the Advanced Association () was a liberal and centrist Zionist political association in Mandatory Palestine founded by several urban liberal Zionists. The party was founded in order to represent the voice ...
commission.


Media


Print

Harrison and Boone County have been served by the local newspaper ''The Harrison Daily Times'' since 1876.


Radio

Radio stations broadcasting from Harrison include: *KBPB 91.9 FM (Religious) * KCWD 96.1 FM (Classic Rock) * KHBZ 102.9 FM (Country) * KHOZ 900 AM (Nostalgia) *KHOZ 94.9 FM (Nostalgia) *KBHQ 100.7 FM (Classic Rock)


Television

Harrison has two stations of its own, including KXMP-LD and K26GS-D (both in Harrison proper). Harriso
KTKO-TV 8.1
also known as TKO 8, provides coverage for local events including Goblin Sports, Harrison City Council meetings, and Boone County Quorum Court meetings. It is an affiliate of the Me-TV Network showing a wide range of classic television programming. K26GS is a
This TV This TV (also known as This TV Network and alternately stylized as thisTV) was an American free-to-air television network owned by Allen Media Broadcast Networks, LLC, part of the Allen Media Group division of Entertainment Studios. Originally ...
affiliate and also provides local programming to Harrison. KWBM, a Daystar affiliate, is also licensed to Harrison, however its offices are in Springfield, while its transmitter is located in Taney County, Missouri. KWBM leases part of its signal to Springfield Fox affiliate
KRBK KRBK (channel 49) is a television station licensed to Osage Beach, Missouri, United States, serving the Springfield area as an affiliate of the Fox network. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside MyNetworkTV affiliate KOZL-TV (channel ...
, in order to relay reliable Fox TV coverage to Harrison and the southern portions of the Springfield TV market. Harrison is part of the Springfield, Missouri, television market, and receives stations from Springfield, including: KYTV (NBC),
KOLR KOLR (channel 10) is a television station in Springfield, Missouri, United States, affiliated with CBS. It is owned by Mission Broadcasting, which maintains a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Nexstar Media Group, owner of MyNetworkTV affili ...
(CBS),
KSPR KSPR-LD (channel 33) is a low-power broadcasting#Television, low-power television station in Springfield, Missouri, United States, affiliated with American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It is owned by Gray Media alongside NBC affiliate KYTV (TV st ...
(ABC), KOZL (MyNetworkTV), and
KRBK KRBK (channel 49) is a television station licensed to Osage Beach, Missouri, United States, serving the Springfield area as an affiliate of the Fox network. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside MyNetworkTV affiliate KOZL-TV (channel ...
(Fox). It was also featured in a
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
TV show in the UK named ''Miriam's Big American Adventure'', hosted by
Miriam Margolyes Miriam Margolyes ( ; born 18 May 1941) is a British and Australian actress. Known for her work as a character actor across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs. Mingott in Marti ...
.


Infrastructure


Transportation

A segment of the route between Seligman, Missouri and Harrison, Arkansas was operated as the Arkansas & Ozarks Railroad from 1948 to 1960. Harrison is served by Boone County Regional Airport. Scheduled flights from Harrison to
Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...
, and Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, are offered by
Southern Airways Express Southern Airways Express is a commuter airline operating across the United States with headquarters in Palm Beach, Florida. Southern Airways Express, commonly referred to as 'Southern', acts as a local service airline for dozens of cities across ...
. The closest airport with service from a carrier aside from Southern Airways Express is
Branson Airport Branson Airport is a public use airport located eight nautical miles (15 km) south-southeast of the central business district of Branson, a city in Taney County, Missouri, United States. Branson Airport, LLC is a private company operati ...
(served only by
Frontier Airlines Frontier Airlines, Inc. is a major American ultra low-cost airline headquartered in Denver, Colorado. It operates flights to over 120 destinations in the United States, Caribbean, Mexico and Central America, and employs more than 5,000 staff. ...
), and the closest airport served by multiple airlines or a
legacy carrier In the United States, a legacy carrier is an airline that was once economically regulated by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) during the period of airline regulation 1938–1978 or can trace its origin to one that did. The CAB was a now defunct f ...
is
Northwest Arkansas National Airport Northwest Arkansas National Airport in Northwest Arkansas is a public-use airport located in Benton County, Arkansas, serving the rapidly growing Northwest Arkansas region, northwest of Fayetteville and northwest of Springdale. Since its op ...
. Highways in the area include: *
US 62 U.S. Route 62 or U.S. Highway 62 (US 62) is an east–west United States Highway in the southern and northeastern United States. It runs from the Mexican border at El Paso, Texas, to Niagara Falls, New York, near the Canadian bo ...
/
US 412 U.S. Route 412 is an east–west United States highway, first commissioned in 1982. U.S. 412 overlaps expressway-grade Cimarron Turnpike from Tulsa west to Interstate 35 and the Cherokee Turnpike from east of Chouteau, Oklahoma, to west of th ...
*
U.S. Highway 65 U.S. Route 65 (US 65) is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 425 in Clayton, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at Interstate 35 just south of I ...
* U.S. Route 65 Business *
Arkansas Highway 7 Arkansas Highway 7 (AR 7) is a north–south state highway in Arkansas, United States. As Arkansas's longest state highway, the route runs from the Louisiana state line north to Diamond City. With the exception of the segment north of Harris ...
*
Arkansas Highway 43 Arkansas Highway 43 (AR 43) is a designation for three List of state highways in Arkansas, state highways in Arkansas, United States. One segment runs from Arkansas Highway 264, Highway 264 in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, Siloam Springs ...
* Arkansas Highway 123 * Arkansas Highway 392 *
Arkansas Highway 397 Highway 397 (AR 397 and Hwy. 397) is a north-south List of state highways in Arkansas, state highway in Boone County, Arkansas. The highway is maintained by the Arkansas Department of Transportation. Route description The ArDOT maintains High ...
*
Arkansas Highway 980 Highway 980 (AR 980, Ark. 980, and Hwy. 980) is a state highway designation for all state maintained airport roads in Arkansas. __TOC__ List of routes Arkansas County Almyra Arkansas Highway 980 is a List of Arkansas state highways, state high ...


Health care

The North Arkansas Regional Medical Center is in Harrison.


Notable people

* Daniel Boatwright, Democratic politician in California *
Brandon Burlsworth Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth (September 20, 1976 – April 28, 1999) was an American football player who was an offensive lineman of the Arkansas Razorbacks football team from 1995 to 1998. He initially joined the team as a walk-on, eventually ea ...
, All-American offensive lineman, played for 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 ...
in the late 1990s; Drafted by the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...
in the third round of the
1999 NFL draft The 1999 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17–18, 1999, at the Theater at M ...
*
John Burris John Leonard Burris (born May 8, 1945) is an American civil rights attorney, based in Oakland, California, known for his work in police brutality cases representing plaintiffs. The John Burris law firm practices employment, criminal defense, DUI, ...
, politician * Faye Della Wilson Copeland, born in Harrison, along with her husband Ray became the oldest couple sentenced to death in the U.S. * George J. Crump, Confederate officer, state legislator, lawyer, and U.S. Marshal *
John Paul Hammerschmidt John Paul Hammerschmidt (May 4, 1922 – April 1, 2015) was an American politician from the state of Arkansas. A Republican, Hammerschmidt served thirteen terms in the United States House of Representatives for Arkansas's 3rd congressional ...
, U.S. representative, 1967–1993, author of the law preserving the
Buffalo National River The Buffalo National River, in Northern Arkansas, was the first National River to be designated in the United States. The Buffalo River is long. The lower flow within the boundaries of an area managed by the National Park Service, where the s ...
as a free-flowing stream and adding it to the National Park System in 1972 * Ben C. Henley, lawyer, businessman, and chairman of the
Arkansas Republican Party The Republican Party of Arkansas (RPA), headquartered at 1201 West 6th Street in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, Little Rock, is the affiliate of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party in Arkansas. It is currently the dominant p ...
from 1955 to 1962, U.S. Senate candidate in 1956, lived in Harrison * J. Smith Henley, federal judge, retired to senior status in Harrison; the federal building in Harrison is named in his honor * Elgin Bryce Holt, geologist *
Courtney Rae Hudson Courtney Rae Hudson (born 1973) is an American lawyer who has served an associate justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court. She was elected to the position in 2010. Education Hudson graduated Phi Beta Kappa and ''magna cum laude'' from the Unive ...
, Arkansas Supreme Court justice, was born in Harrison * H. Dale Jackson, ethicist * Uvalde Lindsey, politician *
Brian McComas Brian McComas (born May 23, 1972) is an American country music artist. Originally signed to Mercury Nashville Records, and then Lyric Street Records in 2001, McComas charted two minor singles in 2001 and 2002. A year later, he charted the Top T ...
, country-western singer, originally from Harrison *
Bryce Molder Bryce Wade Molder (born January 27, 1979) is an American former professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. Early life Molder was born in Harrison, Arkansas and attended public school in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Conway, Arkansas. He has Poland s ...
, professional golfer, was born in Harrison * Gracie Pfost, first woman elected to Congress from Idaho, was born in Harrison *
Charles Robinson Charles, Charlie or Charley Robinson may refer to: In arts and entertainment *Charles Dorman Robinson (1847–1933), American painter *Charles Napier Robinson (1849–1936), English journalist and story writer *Charles M. Robinson (architect) (18 ...
, Arkansas State Treasurer; native of Harrison *
Tim Sherrill Timothy Shawn Sherrill (born September 10, 1965) is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) left-handed relief pitcher who played in 18 games for the St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based ...
, former pitcher for the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
from 1990 to 1991 * Vance Trimble,
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...
-winning journalist * Robert Wadley, politician * William Wirt Watkins, politician *
John A. White John Austin White Jr (born December 5, 1939) is an American academic who was the fourth chancellor of the University of Arkansas. He succeeded Daniel Ferritor in 1997 after previously serving as the dean of Georgia Institute of Technology's Colleg ...
, President of the University of Arkansas * Jack Williams,
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
recipient


In popular culture

In 2020, the video '' Holding a Black Lives Matter Sign in America's Most Racist Town'' was filmed in Harrison.


See also

*
List of sundown towns in the United States A sundown town is a municipality or neighborhood within the United States that practices or once practiced a form of racial segregation characterized by intimidation, hostility, or violence among White people directed toward non-Whites, especial ...


References


Further reading

* * * * * *


External links


City of Harrison official websiteHarrison Convention & Visitors BureauHarrison entry in the Encyclopedia of ArkansasCity government information
from local..gov {{Authority control Cities in Boone County, Arkansas Cities in Arkansas Harrison, Arkansas micropolitan area County seats in Arkansas Populated places established in 1869 1869 establishments in Arkansas Sundown towns in Arkansas White supremacy in the United States