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81-632: Woodruff County is located in the Arkansas Delta in the U.S. state of Arkansas . The county is named for William E. Woodruff , founder of the state's first newspaper, the Arkansas Gazette . Created as Arkansas's 54th county in 1862, Woodruff County is home to one incorporated town and four incorporated cities, including Augusta , the county seat . The county is also the site of numerous unincorporated communities and ghost towns . Occupying only 587 square miles (152,000 ha), Woodruff County

162-768: A Beebe Republican, since January 2013. In the Arkansas House of Representatives , Prairie County is entirely within District 13, which also contains portions of Arkansas, Lonoke, and White counties. District 13 has been represented by David Hillman of Almyra since 2013. Hillman switched to the Republican Party shortly after winning reelection in November 2016. Des Arc (County seat) DeValls Bluff (County seat) Hazen Fredonia (Biscoe) Ulm Townships in Arkansas are

243-551: A real estate businessman from Wynne in Cross County , and in the 61st district of the Arkansas House of Representatives by Republican Jeremiah Moore, a real estate broker from Clarendon in Monroe County . The county is part of the 1st congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives , and is represented by Republican Rick Crawford . The Woodruff County Airport located along US 64 between Patterson and Augusta

324-432: A boardwalk through a swamp, marks the starting point of the survey. During the antebellum era, American settlers used enslaved African Americans as laborers to drain swamps and clear forests along the river to cultivate the rich alluvial plain. They began to develop cotton plantations, which produced the chief commodity crop of the region. After achieving territorial status in 1819, Arkansas reneged on an 1818 treaty with

405-554: A cash-poor economy. These two measures caused sharp declines in the number of African-American and white voters; by 1895 no African-American members were left in the General Assembly. The Republican Party was hollowed out, and the farmer-labor alliance collapsed. Most blacks were kept off the rolls and out of electoral politics for more than six decades, until after Congressional passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 , although

486-457: A central role in the lives of residents. African-American gospel music's roots are deep in the Delta. Unlike the blues, which has been historically dominated by men throughout the Delta, women established a pioneering role in gospel music. From the quartet traditions that dominate south Arkansas, to the classic and contemporary solo artists who have found national prominence in the east, gospel music in

567-510: A concerted effort in the 1940s increased voter registration. Social tensions rose in the area after World War I, as black veterans pushed for better conditions. Unlike other mass riots of Red Summer 1919, when whites attacked blacks in numerous northern and midwestern cities because of labor and social competition, the Elaine Race Riot , now known as the "Elaine Massacre", was the result of rural forces. It occurred near Elaine, Arkansas in

648-534: A county vary from nine to fifteen, and district boundaries are drawn by the county election commission. The Woodruff County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the county judge, who serves as the chief executive officer of the county. The county judge is elected at-large and does not vote in quorum court business, although capable of vetoing quorum court decisions. Woodruff County, like most rural white Southern counties , leaned heavily Democratic for most of its history, particularly in

729-480: A female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.00% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 24.50% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

810-527: A fertile backdrop of juke joints, clubs and dance halls which have so completely nurtured this music. Many of the nation's blues pioneers were either born in the Arkansas Delta or lived in the region. Today the region hosts several blues events throughout the year, culminating in the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Fest. The festival attracts an average of about 85,000 people per day over its three-day run; it

891-537: A few dwellings at a crossroads that have adopted a common place name over time. Some are officially listed as populated places by the United States Geological Survey , and others are listed as historic settlements. Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However,

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972-534: A household in the county was $ 29,990, and the median income for a family was $ 36,131. Males had a median income of $ 28,413 versus $ 18,808 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 15,907. About 12.20% of families and 15.50% of the population were below the poverty line , including 21.00% of those under age 18 and 16.80% of those age 65 or over. The economy of Prairie County is primarily agricultural (25.6%), followed by government employees (14.3%), and professional services (14.3%). The county government

1053-630: A long history of Democratic hegemony. In the House of Representatives , Prairie County is within the Arkansas 1st district with many other agricultural Delta counties on the eastern side of the state. The Arkansas 1st has been represented by Rick Crawford since 2010 . In the Arkansas Senate , Prairie County is within the 28th District with portions of Arkansas, Lonoke, Monroe, White, and Woodruff counties. The district has been represented by Jonathan Dismang ,

1134-447: A major east–west Interstate highway running from California to North Carolina , as well as four United States highways ( U.S. Route 63 [US 63], US 70 , US 79 , and US 165 ). Eleven Arkansas state highways run in the county. Prairie County is served by two public owned/public use general aviation airports and six potable water systems. The county at first was land given to Cherokee Indians resettled from Tennessee and

1215-481: A new source of revenue for Arkansas Delta farmers, along with poultry production. The Delta has some of the lowest population densities in the American South , sometimes fewer than 1 person per square mile. Slightly more than half the population is African American, reflecting their deep history in the area. Eastern Arkansas has the most cities in the state with majority African-American populations. Urbanization and

1296-412: A wide margin, as well as Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter , Alabama Governor George Wallace (running as an independent), and Texas native Lyndon Johnson . Following Clinton, the county has turned increasingly Republican, supporting Donald Trump 72.7% in 2016. In Congress , Arkansas has been represented by two Republican senators ( John Boozman and Tom Cotton ) since January 3, 2015, ending

1377-549: Is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Arkansas and the Arkansas Code . The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are called justices of the peace and are elected from county districts every even-numbered year. The number of districts in a county vary from nine to fifteen, and district boundaries are drawn by

1458-553: Is in the Central Arkansas region of the U.S. state of Arkansas . The county is named for the Grand Prairie , a subregion of the Arkansas Delta known for rice cultivation and aquaculture that runs through the county. Created as Arkansas's 54th county in 1846, Prairie County is home to four incorporated towns , including DeValls Bluff , the southern district county seat , and two incorporated cities, including Des Arc ,

1539-534: Is land and 7.2 square miles (19 km) (1.2%) is water. Major hydrologic features include the Cache River, which roughly bisects the county north–south, Bayou De View , which runs through eastern Woodruff County, and the White River, which serves as the county's western boundary. Prior to settlement, Woodruff County was densely forested, with bayous, sloughs, and swamps crossing the land. Seeking to take advantage of

1620-459: Is now one of Prairie County's seats. Prairie County suffered greatly during the Civil War . Des Arc was partly destroyed, and a local historian estimated that not more than 15 horses were left in the county by the war's end. The rest had been taken by soldiers of one army or the other. On September 5, 1913, Lee Simms became the first person to be executed in Arkansas by the electric chair . He

1701-483: Is rated in the top 10 music events in the nation by festivals.com. Gospel music , the mother of Delta Blues, is enshrined in the lives and social fabric of residents. Many popular Delta artists in all other genres had their start singing or playing in church choirs and quartets. Given the historic racism and entrenched segregation in the Delta, the African-American church and, by extension, its music, have taken on

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1782-689: Is subdivided into five unique sub-regions, including the St. Francis River Basin, Crowley's Ridge , the White River Lowlands , the Grand Prairie , and the Arkansas River Lowlands (also called "the Delta Lowlands"). The underlying impermeable clay layer in the Stuttgart soil series that allowed the region to be a flat grassland plain initially appeared to stunt the region's growth relative to

1863-554: Is surrounded by five other Delta counties: Jackson County to the north, Cross County to the northeast, St. Francis County to the southeast, Monroe County to the south and Prairie County to the southwest. West of Woodruff County is White County , which is something of combination point for the Delta, Ozarks , and Central Arkansas . Woodruff County has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa ). Woodruff County experiences all four seasons, although summers can be extremely hot and humid and winters are mild with little snow. July

1944-462: Is the 13th smallest county in Arkansas. As of the 2020 Census , the county's population was 6,269. Based on population, the county is the second-smallest county of the 75 in Arkansas. Located in the Arkansas Delta, the county is largely flat with fertile soils. Historically covered in forest, bayous and swamps, the area was cleared for agriculture by early settlers. It is drained by the Cache River and

2025-488: Is the coldest month with an average high of 48 °F (8.9 °C) and an average low of 31 °F (−0.6 °C). The highest temperature was 109 °F (42.8 °C), and the lowest temperature recorded was −5 °F (−21 °C). Record snowfall in Des Arc occurred January 7, 1912, with 18 inches (46 cm). As of the 2020 United States census , there were 8,282 people, 3,776 households, and 2,495 families residing in

2106-436: Is the hottest month of the year, with an average high of 93 °F (33.9 °C) and an average low of 70 °F (21.1 °C). Temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) are not uncommon. January is the coldest month with an average high of 49 °F (9.4 °C) and an average low of 27 °F (−2.8 °C). The highest temperature was 112 °F (44.4 °C), recorded in 1936 and 1972. The lowest temperature recorded

2187-658: Is the only public own/public use airport in the county. It is a general aviation airport, serving primarily agricultural (spraying) and recreational operations. For the twelve-month period ending June 30, 2014, the facility saw 5,500 general aviation operations. The Arkansas Department of Health is responsible for the regulation and oversight of public water systems throughout the state. Woodruff County contains seven community water systems: Augusta Waterworks, Breckenridge Union Water Association (UWA), Cross County Rural Water System, Cotton Plant Waterworks, McCrory Waterworks, Patterson Waterworks, and West Woodruff Water District. Within

2268-553: Is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. The townships of Prairie County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township. Prairie County contains two public owned/public use general aviation airports. Both were built during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces , and turned over to local municipalities following

2349-594: The 1812 New Madrid earthquake , which was felt throughout the region and taken as a portent. Some Native Americans considered the earthquake to be a sign of punishment for trading with the European settlers. The beginning point of all subsequent surveys of the Louisiana Purchase was placed in the Arkansas Delta near Blackton . In 1993 this site was named a National Historic Landmark and later preserved as Louisiana Purchase State Park . A granite marker, accessible via

2430-582: The Arkansas Delta (in Arkansas, usually referred to as "the Delta"). The Arkansas Delta is a subregion of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain , which is a flat area consisting of rich, fertile sediment deposits from the Mississippi River between Louisiana and Illinois . The county is often described as being within the Grand Prairie , a subdivision of the Arkansas Delta known today for rice farming and aquaculture, rather than Central Arkansas or

2511-693: The Arkansas River just outside Little Rock down through Pine Bluff . There the border shifts to Bayou Bartholomew , stretching south to the Arkansas - Louisiana state line. While the Arkansas Delta shares many geographic similarities with the Mississippi Delta , it is distinguished by its five unique sub-regions: the St. Francis Basin, Crowley's Ridge, the White River Lowlands, the Grand Prairie and

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2592-689: The Great Depression , benefited from the New Deal's Agricultural Adjustment Act , which paid them to leave fields fallow, thereby raising the price of cotton by reducing the supply. The effect was devastating for sharecroppers and tenant farmers. In response, two young Socialists , advised by Norman Thomas , the leader of the Socialist Party , formed the Southern Tenant Farmers Union . They organized racially integrated meetings throughout

2673-691: The Jim Crow and immediate post-Jim Crow eras. Since 1880 , the county has failed to back the Democratic nominee in a presidential election only four times: in 1968 , when it backed the third-party candidacy of George Wallace (who was otherwise affiliated with the Democratic Party); in 1972 , when it and every other county in the state backed Republican Richard Nixon amidst a national landslide; and in 2016 and 2020 , when it voted for Republican Donald Trump amidst large Republican gains in rural areas across

2754-605: The Mississippi River from Eudora north to Blytheville and as far west as Little Rock . It is part of the Mississippi embayment , itself part of the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain . The flat plain is bisected by Crowley's Ridge , a narrow band of rolling hills rising 250 to 500 feet (76 to 152 m) above the flat delta plains. Several towns and cities have been developed along Crowley's Ridge, including Jonesboro . The region's lower western border follows

2835-681: The Nodena site , Parkin Archaeological State Park , and Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park . French explorers and colonists encountered the historic Quapaw people in this region, who lived along the Arkansas River and its tributaries. The first European settlement in what became the state was the French trading center, Arkansas Post . The post was founded by Henri de Tonti while searching for Robert de La Salle in 1686. The commerce in

2916-474: The U.S. Civil War , numerous Delta counties had majority-black and enslaved populations. As Arkansas was developed later than some other areas of the Deep South, its wealthy planters did not construct as many grand plantation mansions as in other states. The American Civil War ended that antebellum period. The Civil War resulted in destruction to the river levees and other property damage. Expensive investment

2997-470: The United States Fish and Wildlife Service and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission , respectively. The county is located approximately 53 miles (85 km) east of Little Rock and 90 miles (140 km) west of Memphis , Tennessee . Prairie County is surrounded by five other counties: White County to the north, Woodruff County to the northeast, Monroe County to the east, Arkansas County to

3078-485: The United States census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. The townships of Woodruff County are listed below; listed in parentheses are

3159-595: The White River . Along the Cache River , the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) runs north–south across the county, preserving bottomland forest, sloughs and wildlife habitat. Although no Interstate highways are located in Woodruff County, two United States highways ( US 49 and US 64 ) and twelve Arkansas state highways run in the county. Two Union Pacific Railroad lines cross

3240-489: The poverty line , including 38.10% of those under age 18 and 27.00% of those age 65 or over. The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Arkansas and the Arkansas Code . The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are called justices of the peace and are elected from county districts every even-numbered year. The number of districts in

3321-476: The Arkansas Delta and signed up over 2,000 members. By 1935, the Southern Tenant Farmers' Union had over 10,000 members in 80 chapters. The union mounted a cotton pickers strike in the Delta in 1935, and after months marked by violence, the cotton pickers returned to the fields with considerably higher wages. But the union's power was greatly diminished by 1939. In the 1940s the mechanized cotton picker

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3402-562: The Arkansas Delta, with black slaves forming the majority of the population in these counties. This region developed political interests different from outlying areas where yeomen farmers were concentrated. Many African Americans were brought into the Delta throughout the early-to-mid-19th century through the domestic slave trade, transported from the Upper South. The counties with the largest populations of slaves by 1860 included Phillips (8,941), Chicot (7,512), and Jefferson (7,146). Prior to

3483-629: The Arkansas River Lowlands (also called "the Delta Lowlands"). Much of the region is within the Mississippi lowland forests ecoregion. The Arkansas Delta includes the entire territories of 15 counties: Arkansas , Chicot , Clay , Craighead , Crittenden , Cross , Desha , Drew , Greene , Lee , Mississippi , Monroe , Phillips , Poinsett , and St. Francis . It also includes portions of another 10 counties: Jackson , Lawrence , Prairie , Randolph , White , Pulaski , Lincoln , Jefferson , Lonoke and Woodruff counties. The Delta

3564-406: The Delta has made and continues to make a significant mark on the cultural landscape. The Arkansas Delta's country music roots have depth, with legendary performers coming from the area. While more geographically dispersed throughout the region, these artists represent the very best in country genres, including bluegrass , rockabilly , folk music , and alternative country . This music expresses

3645-520: The Delta, where local planters were trying to discourage the formation of an agricultural union among blacks. White mobs killed an estimated 237 blacks; five whites were killed in the unrest. The area suffered extensively during the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 , which put tens of thousands of acres underwater, caused extensive property damage, and left many people homeless. In the mid-1930s, large cotton plantations, under stress because of

3726-463: The Delta. It is this geographic feature from which the county derives its name. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 676 square miles (1,750 km ), of which 648 square miles (1,680 km ) is land and 28 square miles (73 km ) (4.1%) is water. Prior to settlement, Prairie County was large, flat grassland distinct from the swamps and bayous in the nearby Delta. Although cotton and other row crops grew well in

3807-556: The Election Law of 1891, which required secret ballots, and standardized ballots, eliminating many illiterate voters. It also created a centralized election board, providing for consolidation of Democratic political power. Having reduced voter rolls, in 1892 the Democrats passed a poll tax amendment to the constitution, creating another barrier to voter registration for struggling white and black workers alike, many unable to pay such fees in

3888-607: The NWR is listed as a Ramsar wetlands of international importance , and serves as a key wintering area for ducks and the largest contiguous tract of bottomland hardwood forest in North America . The NWR aggressively seeks willing property owners to sell land to add to the NWR's boundaries, adding 2,000 acres (810 ha) in 2015. The county is located approximately 75 miles (121 km) northeast of Little Rock and 81.3 miles (130.8 km) west of Memphis , Tennessee . Woodruff County

3969-657: The Native Americans. French trappers often married Quapaw women and lived in their villages, increasing their alliances for trade. Around 1800 United States settlers gradually entered this area. In 1803 the US acquired the territory from France by the Louisiana Purchase . As settlers began to acquire and clear land, they encroached on Quapaw territory and traditional hunting and fishing practices. The two cultures had divergent views of property. Relations deteriorated further after

4050-573: The Prairie's silty loam soil, rice production changed the cultivation patterns in the county at the turn of the nineteenth century. Although some prairie and riparian areas has been preserved in conservation areas, a large portion (44 percent) of the county remains in cultivation. Another large land use in Prairie County is the Cache River NWR and Wattensaw Wildlife Management Area (WMA), owned by

4131-524: The Quapaw south to Louisiana in 1825-1826. The Quapaw returned to southeast Arkansas by 1830, but were permanently relocated to Oklahoma in 1833 under the Indian Removal Act passed by Congress. High cotton prices encouraged many planters to concentrate on cotton as a commodity crop, and the large plantations were dependent on slave labor . The plantation economy and a slave society were developed in

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4212-515: The Quapaw. Territory officials began removing the Quapaw from their fertile homeland in the Arkansas delta. The Quapaw had inhabited lands along the Arkansas River and near its mouth at the Mississippi River for centuries. The invention of the cotton gin had made short-staple cotton profitable, and the Deep South was developed for cotton cultivation. It grew well in fertile delta soils. Settlers took these fertile lands for agriculture and pushed

4293-512: The area was initially based on fishing and wild game. The fur trade and lumber later were critical to the economy. Early European-American settlers crossed the Mississippi and settled among the swamps and bayous of east Arkansas. Frontier Arkansas was a rough, lawless place infamous for violence and criminals. Settlers, who were mostly French and Spanish colonists, generally engaged in a mutually beneficial give-and-take trading relationship with

4374-517: The area's fertile soils, settlers cleared the land to better suit row crops . Although some swampland has been preserved in the Cache River NWR and some former farmland has undergone reforestation, the majority (56 percent) of the county remains in cultivation. Another large land use in Woodruff County is the Cache River NWR, owned by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service . Stretching approximately 90 miles (140 km) across adjacent counties,

4455-554: The cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township. As of the 2020 United States Census , there were 6,269 people, 2,932 households, and 1,855 families residing in the county. As of the 2000 United States Census , there were 8,741 people, 3,531 households, and 2,439 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile (5.8 people/km). There were 4,089 housing units at an average density of 7 units per square mile (2.7 units/km). The racial makeup of

4536-604: The county election commission. The Prairie County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the county judge, who serves as the chief operating officer of the county. The county judge is elected at-large and does not vote in quorum court business, although capable of vetoing quorum court decisions. Since the late 20th century, the majority-white Prairie County has traditionally supported Republican Party presidential candidates, except when an alternative from another Southern state has been present. The county supported Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton by

4617-419: The county was 67.86% White , 30.75% Black or African American , 0.23% Native American , 0.07% Asian , 0.10% Pacific Islander , 0.17% from other races , and 0.81% from two or more races. 0.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 3,531 households, out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.60% were married couples living together, 16.70% had

4698-480: The county's center. Cotton Plant and Hunter are both located in the southern part of Woodruff County, with 2020 populations of 529 and 103, respectively. Woodruff County has dozens of unincorporated communities and ghost towns within its borders. This is due to early settlers in Arkansas tending to cluster in small clusters rather than incorporated towns. For example, Fitzhugh and Gregory had post offices at some point in their history. Other communities are simply

4779-467: The county, Augusta Waterworks has the largest retail population (2,284), followed by McCrory (1,647), and Breckenridge UWA (1,267). All community water systems in Woodruff County use groundwater as their source of raw water, except West Woodruff Water District, who purchases all water from Patterson. 35°11′42″N 91°13′17″W  /  35.19500°N 91.22139°W  / 35.19500; -91.22139 Arkansas Delta The region runs along

4860-470: The county. As of the 2000 United States Census , there were 9,539 people, 3,894 households, and 2,795 families residing in the county. The population density was 6/km (16/sq mi). There were 4,790 housing units at an average density of 3/km (7.8/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 84.83% White , 13.71% Black or African American , 0.36% Native American , 0.18% Asian , 0.28% from other races , and 0.64% from two or more races. 0.81% of

4941-462: The county. The county is located in the Arkansas Delta, one of the six primary geographic regions of Arkansas. The Arkansas Delta is a subregion of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain , which is a flat area consisting of rich, fertile sediment deposits from the Mississippi River between Louisiana and Illinois . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 594 square miles (1,540 km), of which 587 square miles (1,520 km)

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5022-779: The culture of the Arkansas Delta along with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 's University and Cultural Museum. The Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas in Pine Bluff is charged with highlighting and promoting works of Delta artists. The ivory-billed woodpecker , which had not been sighted since 1944 and is believed to be extinct , was reportedly seen in a swamp in east Arkansas in 2005. 35°00′N 90°30′W  /  35.0°N 90.5°W  / 35.0; -90.5 Prairie County, Arkansas 34°49′41″N 91°32′12″W  /  34.82806°N 91.53667°W  / 34.82806; -91.53667 Prairie County

5103-477: The divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the United States census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city

5184-504: The facility saw 35,000 general aviation operations, 3,000 military operations, and 2,500 air taxi operations. The Arkansas Department of Health is responsible for the regulation and oversight of public water systems throughout the state. Prairie County contains six community water systems: Biscoe Waterworks, Des Arc Waterworks, DeValls Bluff Waterworks, East Prairie County Public Water Authority (PWA), Hazen Waterworks, Southeast [White County] PWA, and Ulm Waterworks. Des Arc Waterworks has

5265-446: The long-standing relationship between blues and country. R&B music has also had a presence as an outgrowth of the strong blues and gospel traditions. The East Central Delta area has produced a small number of talented and influential R&B artists. The Arkansas Delta economy is still dominated by agriculture. The main commodity crop is soybeans ; other crops include rice, cotton, and corn. Catfish farming has been developed as

5346-448: The nation. The 2020 election marked a historic shift, as the county swung substantially to the right despite Trump losing the national election. This marked the first time in history that a Democrat was elected president without carrying Woodruff County, and Trump's 28-point win was the largest Republican margin in the county's history. Woodruff County is represented in the 10th district of the Arkansas Senate by Republican Ron Caldwell ,

5427-420: The northern district county seat. The county is also the site of numerous unincorporated communities and ghost towns . Occupying 676 square miles (175,000 ha), Prairie County is the median-sized county in Arkansas. As of the 2020 Census , the county's population was 8,282. Based on population, the county is the ninth-smallest county of the 75 in Arkansas. The county is crossed by Interstate 40 (I-40),

5508-442: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 3,894 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.60% were married couples living together, 11.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 25.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

5589-455: The rest of the Delta. But in 1897, William Fuller began cultivating rice , a crop that requires inundation, with great success. Rice cultivation still features prominently in the region's economy and culture today. Riceland Foods , the world's largest rice miller and marketer, is based in Stuttgart, Arkansas on the Grand Prairie. In the earth's history, after the Gulf of Mexico withdrew from what

5670-806: The sharecropping world was already disappearing, and the landscape of today—huge fields, giant machines, battered towns, few people—beginning to emerge." The Arkansas Delta is known for its rich musical heritage. While defined primarily by its deep blues/gospel roots, it is distinguished somewhat from its Mississippi Delta counterpart by more intricately interwoven country music and R&B elements. Arkansas blues musicians have defined every genre of blues from its inception, including ragtime , hokum , country blues , Delta blues , boogie-woogie , jump blues , Chicago blues , and blues-rock . Eastern Arkansas' predominantly African-American population in cities such as Helena , West Memphis , Pine Bluff , Brinkley , Cotton Plant , Forrest City and others has provided

5751-522: The shift to mechanization of farm technology during the past 60 years has sharply reduced jobs in the Delta. People have followed jobs out of the region, leading to a declining tax base. This hampers efforts to support education, infrastructure development, community health and other vital aspects of growth. The region's remaining people suffer from unemployment, extreme poverty, and illiteracy. The Delta Cultural Center in Helena seeks to preserve and interpret

5832-452: The south, and Lonoke County to the west. Prairie County has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa ). Prairie County experiences all four seasons, although summers can be extremely hot and humid and winters are mild with little snow. July is the hottest month of the year, with an average high of 92 °F (33.3 °C) and an average low of 73 °F (22.8 °C). Temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) are not uncommon. January

5913-467: The war. Both are predominantly used for agricultural (spraying) operations. The Hazen Municipal Airport is located west of Hazen along US 70. For the twelve-month period ending April 30, 2014, the facility saw 32,000 general aviation operations. The Stuttgart Municipal Airport is located in southern Prairie County near the Arkansas County line. For the twelve-month period ending July 31, 2014,

5994-400: Was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.88. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.90% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males. The median income for

6075-415: Was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 22,099, and the median income for a family was $ 27,824. Males had a median income of $ 24,051 versus $ 17,995 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 13,269. About 21.70% of families and 27.00% of the population were below

6156-502: Was Missouri, many floods occurred in the Mississippi River Delta, building up alluvial deposits. In some places the deposits measure 100 feet (30 m) deep. The region was occupied by succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples for thousands of years. Some cultures built major earthwork mounds, with evidence of mound-building cultures dating back more than 12,000 years. These mounds have been preserved in three main locations:

6237-530: Was executed for the crime of violent rape . Stern's Medlar , a previously unknown plant species, was discovered in Prairie County as recently as 1990. It is not known to grow anywhere else in the world. The plant is critically endangered, with only 25 known specimens, all growing within a single small wood, now protected as the Konecny Grove Natural Area. The county is located between two primary geographic regions of Arkansas: Central Arkansas and

6318-576: Was introduced into regional agriculture. This led to a significant decline in demand for manual labor. During World War II, the defense industry in California and other western locations attracted many African-American workers from Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas in a second wave of the Great Migration , resulting in a marked population decrease in the Delta. The lack of jobs continued to cause a decline. Charles Bowden of National Geographic wrote, "By 1970

6399-439: Was required to repair the levees. The region's continued reliance on agriculture kept wages low, and the cotton market did not recover. Many freedmen stayed in the area, working by sharecropping and tenant farming as a way of life. Like other states of the former Confederacy, the state legislature of Arkansas passed laws to disenfranchise most blacks and many poor whites, in an effort to suppress Republican voting. It passed

6480-570: Was the Western band of Cherokee reservation from 1812 to 1836. Even today, an estimated 2,000 residents have some American Indian ancestry. The town of Fredonia (Biscoe) was named for the unsuccessful 1826 attempt of Arkansas Cherokee and to create the Republic of Fredonia by Arkansas Cherokee and Texan settlers in then Mexican Texas . The town of DeValls Bluff was the Western Cherokee's seat, and

6561-499: Was −11 °F (−24 °C), on January 8, 1942. Four incorporated cities and one incorporated town are located within the county. The largest city and county seat, Augusta, is located in the western part of the county near the White River and the White County border. Augusta's population was 1,998 as of the 2020 Census , well below its peak of 3,496 at the 1980 Census. McCrory and Patterson are adjacent to each other, located near

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