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33-637: The Van Buren Historic District encompasses eight blocks of historic buildings along Main Street in Van Buren, Arkansas . Many of the structures are pre-1920 Victorian and Italianate buildings closely related to the history of commerce in the city. Positioned between the city's train depot and the Arkansas River , the businesses constituting the Van Buren Historic District have played a vital role in

66-466: A lumber yard , although it serves the same purpose. Lumber yards use forklift trucks to move the large heavy units of lumber around the yard. Saws may also be available to cut boards to a desired length for customers. At timber yards (also sometimes referred to as lumber yards), logs and other forest products are processed and stored. Additional activities include inspection for signs of rot, utilizing stacking techniques to prevent rot from forming, and

99-410: A household in the city was $ 33,608, and the median income for a family was $ 37,198. Males had a median income of $ 28,798 versus $ 21,201 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 14,948. About 13.5% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over. Van Buren is home to many large corporations within

132-657: A nonprofit environmental group in Portland, Oregon, began operations sourcing and purveying environmentally friendly "green wood" products. The group specializes in offering wood products that are sourced from trees in non-threatened forests. In the United States, the National Fire Protection Association has been documenting incidences of lumber yard fires since 1998. Products at lumber yards are very prone to fires, and electrical problems at lumber yards are

165-518: A significant cause of fires. In Murray, Utah , after a large lumber yard fire caused approximately US$ 1 million in damage at the CECO Concrete Construction company, city residents called for companies in the city to take further preventative actions to prevent fires from occurring. In some cities, such as Phoenix, Arizona , city fire protection and prevention codes for lumber yards exist. In Sydney , Australia, convicts have worked at

198-457: A three-story clock tower with bell, cast roof rises and a classic portico constitute the building's facade. Wings flank the building to the southeast and northwest. A fountain featuring Hebe and 1832 log schoolhouse used by Albert Pike are located on the courthouse grounds, as well as the Confederate soldier monument in front of the structure. The Van Buren Confederate Monument was listed on

231-461: A year, with 0.2 nights per year dropping below 0 °F (−17.8 °C). The city's highest temperature was 113 °F (45.0 °C), recorded in 1936. The lowest temperature recorded was −15 °F (−26.1 °C), in 1899. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 23,218 people, 8,990 households, and 6,011 families residing in the city. As of the census of 2000, there were 18,986 people, 6,947 households, and 5,182 families residing in

264-412: Is 24,138. With a 4% growth rate from 2020 to 2023, Van Buren is Arkansas’s eighth-fastest growing city. The area was settled by David Boyd and Thomas Martin in 1818. After Arkansas became a territory in 1819, Daniel and Thomas Phillips constructed a lumber yard in the community to serve as a fuel depot for traffic along the Arkansas River . In 1831, a post office was constructed for the community, at

297-572: Is also located at the junction of several state and U.S. highways including Arkansas Highway 59 , US 64 , and US 71 . A private airport, Twin Cities Airport (code 39AR), was operational to the southeast of the city, but has been closed for many years. Modern railroads in the city include the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad . Intercity bus service to the city

330-697: Is built in Van Buren, provide local news and weather. The city's major newspaper is the Van Buren Press Argus-Courier ; however many people also read Fort Smith's Southwest Times Record , as well as the Northwest Edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette . Van Buren's location at the junction of Interstate 40 , Interstate 540 , and the Arkansas / Oklahoma border yields surprisingly large tourism and hospitality industries. The city

363-830: Is provided by Jefferson Lines . The Van Buren School District is the largest school district in Crawford County, consisting of six elementary schools (grades K-5), two middle schools (grades 6–8), one ninth grade academy (grade 9) and one high school (grades 10–12). The Van Buren High School is in the 5A/6A-West Division of Arkansas high school sports. Lumber yard Generally, timber yards are locations where raw logs and other wood or forest products are processed and stored. The terms "lumber yard" and "timber yard" are sometimes used interchangeably, and timber yards may include additional aspects that lumber yards encompass, and vice versa. Lumber yards sell products made at lumber mills , where customers pick up products at

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396-621: Is water. Van Buren lies within a humid subtropical climate area. The city also lies on the eastern edge of the region known as Tornado Alley . Average temperatures range from 36 °F in January, to as high an average of 81 °F in July with temperatures reaching the high 90s and low 100s in August. The average annual temperature is approximately 60 °F. Average precipitation is about 41 total inches, with only six inches being snow. July and August are

429-743: The National Register of Historic Places in 1996 as part of the Civil War Commemorative Sculpture Multiple Property Submission. Originally placed in 1908 by the Women's Village Improvement Society, a gold-painted iron statue of Hebe , the Greek goddess of youth and happiness, has remained on the Crawford County Courthouse lawn ever since. The Women's league of Van Buren raised funds, and the original Hebe

462-464: The county seat of Crawford County , Arkansas , United States. The city is located directly northeast of Fort Smith at the Interstate 40  –  Interstate 540 junction. The city was incorporated in 1845 and as of the 2020 census had a population of 23,218, ranking it as the state's 21st largest city. According to 2023 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Van Buren’s population

495-613: The Scottish Rite's Southern Jurisdiction and established lodges throughout the South following the war. Pike later refused an honorary degree from Harvard University , a school he had been accepted to but elected to become a teacher rather than attend. Van Buren, Arkansas Van Buren ( / v æ n ˈ b jʊər ə n / van BURE -ən ) is the second-largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area and

528-516: The Van Buren gauge over the course of several days, and the flooding damaged 25 homes in the Crawford County area. While one Crawford County levee sustained damage, no levee breaches occurred in Van Buren. On April 21, 1996 , at 11:12 p.m., an F3 tornado hit the Fort Smith/Van Buren area causing extensive damage. The tornado, which spawned in Oklahoma and crossed into west Fort Smith near

561-504: The age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were classified as non-families by the United States Census Bureau . Of 6,947 households, 362 were unmarried partner households: 304 heterosexual, 12 same-sex male, and 46 same-sex female households. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who

594-497: The city. The population density was 1,260.7 inhabitants per square mile (486.8/km ). There were 7,427 housing units at an average density of 493.2 per square mile (190.4/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 87.37% White , 1.64% Black or African American , 1.96% Native American , 2.82% Asian , 3.17% from other races , and 3.03% from two or more races. 6.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 6,947 households, of which 40.4% had children under

627-528: The condition that Van Buren become the county seat. The Drennen Reserve is one of the town's existing historical sites from the 1830s. Van Buren was incorporated on January 4, 1845. Walker Institute was established near Van Buren in 1857. Peter A. Moses was principal. On December 28, 1862, Union and Confederate forces clashed in and around Van Buren, resulting in a defeat for the Confederates, led by Major General T. C. Hindman , driving them south across

660-576: The confluence of the Arkansas and Poteau rivers, killed two, injured 89 and caused $ 300 million in damage. The fatalities were small children from Fort Smith. At its worst, the tornado was one half mile across. After leaving the downtown area of Fort Smith, it traveled northeast through industrial and residential sections of north Fort Smith, then crossed the Arkansas River again into the Mount Vista area on

693-477: The history and economy of the city and region. The district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic District on April 30, 1976. The Crawford County Courthouse , originally built in 1842, is the oldest operating courthouse west of the Mississippi River . Following a fire in 1876, the courthouse was rebuilt using the original walls that survived the blaze. Doric columns,

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726-444: The hottest months of the year, with an average high of 93 °F (34 °C) and an average low of 71.5 °F (21.9 °C). Temperatures above 100 °F (37.8 °C) are not uncommon, occurring on average eleven times a year. December and January are the coldest months with an average high of 50.5 °F (10.3 °C) and an average low of 30 °F (−1 °C). Highs below 32 °F (0.0 °C) occur on average five times

759-606: The late 19th century, part of the old downtown historic area. At the south end of the historical downtown is the Crawford County courthouse, the oldest functioning courthouse west of the Mississippi River . To the north is the Old Frisco Station which was originally a station on the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway , pictured at the top of this page. As part of the primary Fort Smith metropolitan area, many Fort Smith based television stations including KHBS and KFSM , whose radio mast

792-655: The northeast who moved to western Arkansas in 1833. Pike did not teach at the school long before moving to Little Rock , where he became involved in politics, law, and the Arkansas Gazette . Pike would go on to become a noted poet and writer in addition to serving as a general for the Confederate States of America , most notably serving at the Battle of Pea Ridge . He also served the Freemasons as Sovereign Grand Commander of

825-815: The removal of bark and spraying of pesticides to prevent insect infestation. Some lumber/timber yards use cranes to move logs, and sprinklers to keep the logs moist. Ransfords, located in Shropshire , England, operates one of the largest timber yards in Europe, and processes 70,000 tonnes of logs annually. Some lumber yards sell products that are assessed and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council 's (FSC), per its standards. One lumber yard in Portland, Oregon limits its product line to only those that meet or exceed FSC's requirements. In 2008, Sustainable Northwest,

858-594: The river with minimal casualties. Federal forces captured 100 prisoners, as stated in an official report by Major General Samuel R. Curtis . In late May to early June 2019 , the Arkansas River flooded near Van Buren, cresting at nearly 41 feet (12 m), which is 21 feet (6.4 m) above the flood stage. Significant rainfall in the South-central United States forced U.S. Army Corps of Engineers workers to release large amounts of water to ease flooding upstream. The river approached 41 feet (12 m) at

891-527: The state and employs a great deal of the city's population within its Port and Industrial Park district. Manufacturing, food processing, and medicine are sustaining industries in Van Buren. Major employers include poultry processor Simmons Foods , the Van Buren School District , USA Truck, and Baptist Health. Van Buren is home of the King Opera House , a Victorian -style performance hall from

924-410: The time known as Phillips Landing. This post office was named after newly appointed Secretary of State and future President Martin Van Buren . John Drennen, along with his partner David Thompson, purchased the area for US$ 11,000. They moved their business of supplying firewood for steamboats to this new location on higher ground. The courthouse was constructed on a lot of land donated by Drennen on

957-502: The west side of Van Buren and damaged a highly residential area where no fatalities occurred, although this area was very populated at the time. The total distance it traveled on the ground was 7 miles (11 km). In total, there were around 1,800 homes damaged, the majority of which were in Van Buren. Van Buren is located in the southwest corner of Crawford County with the Arkansas– Oklahoma state line just 2 miles (3 km) to

990-414: The west. The Arkansas River forms the southern boundary of the city, separating it from Fort Smith of Sebastian County . Lee Creek flows through the western side of the city into the Arkansas River. According to the United States Census Bureau , Van Buren has a total area of 16.5 square miles (42.7 km ), of which 15.4 square miles (40.0 km ) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.7 km ), or 6.34%,

1023-488: The yard themselves or request that an order be built and delivered to them by the lumber yard. Lumber yards may also sell wood-plastic composites, such as Trex , any other type of construction material or supplies, and general hardware store items . Lumber yards are the primary resources for contractors and homeowners when construction material is needed. Some big box stores, such as Home Depot , Lowe’s , and Menards , also have lumber sections, but this may not be considered

Van Buren Historic District - Misplaced Pages Continue

1056-452: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.12. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.6% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males. The median income for

1089-475: Was replaced after falling to disrepair. In 2003, a bronze-cast statue was unveiled and the original was placed in the Crawford County Museum. The original steel cap around the fountain was restored and returned to service. One of the oldest buildings in Arkansas, the log schoolhouse on the southwest portion of the courthouse grounds was built circa 1820. It was used by Albert Pike , a schoolteacher from

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