Augusta, Arkansas

Augusta, Arkansas
City
Woodruff County courthouse in Augusta
Location of Augusta in Woodruff County, Arkansas.
Augusta, Arkansas Location in Arkansas.
Coordinates: 35°17′19″N91°22′09″W / 35.28861°N 91.36917°W / 35.28861; -91.36917
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	Woodruff
Founded	1848
Incorporated	July 9, 1860
Named for	Founder Thomas Hough's niece, Augusta Cald
Area [1]
• Total	2.09 sq mi (5.41 km2)
• Land	2.07 sq mi (5.37 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Elevation [2]	217 ft (66 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,998
• Density	964.29/sq mi (372.25/km2)
Time zone	UTC−06:00 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−05:00 (CDT)
ZIP Code	72006
Area code	870
FIPS code	05-02740
GNIS feature ID	2403137 [2]

Augusta is a city in Woodruff County, Arkansas, United States, located on the east bank of the White River. The population was 1,998 as of the 2020 Census. ^[3] The city is the county seat of Woodruff County. ^[4]

History

The location was a natural riverboat landing spot on the navigable White River. ^{[5] [6]} After the chaos of the American Civil War and its immediate aftermath, the town entered its greatest period of prosperity in the 1870’s as a year-round riverboat transport point for a wide variety of goods, serving vessels from as far away as Memphis and New Orleans. ^[6] Thus, when railroads began entering the county in the late 1800’s, the good people of Augusta opted out of the apparently-unnecessary innovation and allowed their town to be bypassed by the tracks. ^[6] When river traffic began to decline, the citizens realized their mistake, and decided to build their own railroad to link to the national rail grid. ^[6] What became the Augusta Railroad lasted from 1886 to 1958 or 1959. ^{[6] [7] [8]}

Geography

Augusta is located approximately 75 miles (121 km) northeast of Little Rock and 81 miles (130 km) west of Memphis, Tennessee. ^{[Note 1]} According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²), all land.

Region

See also: Arkansas Delta

Augusta 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. Prior to settlement, Woodruff County was densely forested, with bayous, sloughs, and swamps crossing the land. Seeking to take advantage of the area's fertile soils, settlers cleared the land to better suit row crops.

County

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. ^{[Note 2]}

The nearby Cache River NWR, owned by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, is a preservation area maintaining the original features of the area. Stretching approximately 90 miles (140 km) across adjacent counties, 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.

Climate

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 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 was −11 °F (−24 °C), on January 8, 1942.

Climate data for Augusta Climate Data
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	87 (31)	85 (29)	90 (32)	97 (36)	99 (37)	109 (43)	112 (44)	112 (44)	109 (43)	98 (37)	87 (31)	81 (27)	112 (44)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	49 (9)	54 (12)	63 (17)	73 (23)	81 (27)	89 (32)	93 (34)	92 (33)	85 (29)	74 (23)	62 (17)	51 (11)	72 (22)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	27 (−3)	31 (−1)	39 (4)	48 (9)	58 (14)	67 (19)	70 (21)	69 (21)	60 (16)	48 (9)	39 (4)	30 (−1)	49 (9)
Record low °F (°C)	−11 (−24)	−10 (−23)	9 (−13)	24 (−4)	36 (2)	44 (7)	52 (11)	48 (9)	34 (1)	24 (−4)	11 (−12)	−4 (−20)	−11 (−24)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	3.6 (91)	3.8 (97)	4.8 (120)	5.0 (130)	5.5 (140)	2.9 (74)	3.7 (94)	2.7 (69)	3.4 (86)	4.7 (120)	5.2 (130)	5.0 (130)	50.3 (1,281)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	0.8 (2.0)	1.0 (2.5)	0.1 (0.25)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0.1 (0.25)	2.0 (5.1)
Source 1: The Weather Channel [11]
Source 2: Weather Database [12]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	702		—
1890	519		−26.1%
1900	1,040		100.4%
1910	1,520		46.2%
1920	1,731		13.9%
1930	2,243		29.6%
1940	2,235		−0.4%
1950	2,317		3.7%
1960	2,272		−1.9%
1970	2,777		22.2%
1980	3,496		25.9%
1990	2,759		−21.1%
2000	2,665		−3.4%
2010	2,199		−17.5%
2020	1,998		−9.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [13] 2014 Estimate [14]

2020 census

Augusta Racial Composition ^[15]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White	959	48.0%
Black or African American	908	45.45%
Native American	3	0.15%
Asian	4	0.2%
Other/Mixed	87	4.35%
Hispanic or Latino	37	1.85%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,998 people, 966 households, and 597 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census ^[16] of 2000, there were 2,665 people, 1,070 households, and 741 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,357.4 inhabitants per square mile (524.1/km²). There were 1,164 housing units at an average density of 592.9 per square mile (228.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55% White, 42.99% Black or African American, 2% Native American, 0.08% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. 0.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,070 households, out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples living together, 22.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.3% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $21,500, and the median income for a family was $24,506. Males had a median income of $24,781 versus $18,176 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,865. About 23.6% of families and 28.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.9% of those under age 18 and 24.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Augusta High School

Public education for early childhood, elementary and secondary school students is provided by the Augusta School District, which leads to graduation from Augusta High School.

Transportation

Augusta sits on US Route 64 and State Highway 33. ^[17]

Woodruff County Airport ( FAA LID : M60) is a county-owned public-use airport four nautical miles (5 mi, 7 km) east of the central business district of Augusta. ^[18]

Historic sites

Main article: National Register of Historic Places listings in Woodruff County, Arkansas

Multiple sites in and around Augusta are on the National Register of Historic Places including the Augusta Commercial Historic District (roughly bounded by 1st, Main, 2nd, and Pearl streets), the Augusta Electrical Generating Plant, the Augusta Memorial Park Historic Section, the Augusta Presbyterian Church, the Ferguson House, the George Washington Carver High School Home Economics Building, Gregory House, the Jess Norman Post 166 American Legion Hut, the Mathis-Hyde House, and the Woodruff County Courthouse.

Other local attractions

Cache River National Wildlife Refuge, headquartered in Augusta but located just south of town, protects wetland habitats for migrating waterfowl together with other wildlife, and includes some of the most intact and least disturbed bottomland hardwood forests in the Mississippi Valley region. ^[19]

The 64 Speedway was a popular short track motor racing location which closed in 2007. ^[20]

Notable people

• Michael John Gray, Democratic former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives (2015-2019) and state Democratic Party chairman ^[21]
• Jimmy Gunn, professional football player. ^[22]
• John D. Price, U.S. Navy admiral who held five aviation world records. ^[23]
• Billy Ray Smith, Sr., professional football player; father of Billy Ray Smith, Jr. ^[24]

See also

• United Statesportal

Notes

1. Mileages are based on highway miles. ^[9]
2. In 2014, 114 thousand acres of soybeans, 58.7 thousand acres of rice, 14.6 thousand acres of wheat, 17 thousand acres of corn and 7 thousand acres of sorghum were planted in Woodruff County. ^[10] Total acreage for those two crops is 211,600. Woodruff County is 594 square miles, which is 380,160 acres based on 640 acres per square mile. Acreage for the total crops (211,600) divided by acreage for the county (380,160) is 55.7 percent.

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Augusta, Arkansas
3. "Augusta (city), Arkansas". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
5. "Woodruff County". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
6. "Augusta (Woodruff County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
7. "Augusta Railroad Company, Decisions of the Interstate Commerce Commission of the United States (Valuation Reports), April-June 1926, pp.756-766". Interstate Commerce Commission. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
8. "Augusta Railroad Memorabilia Value Guide". Railroad Collectibles. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
9. "Google Maps (Search for Augusta, AR)" . Retrieved January 22, 2016.
10. "National Agricultural Statistics Service County Level Data". U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
11. "Monthly Averages for Augusta, AR" (Table). The Weather Channel . Retrieved January 23, 2016.
12. "Monthly Snowfall Averages for Augusta, AR" (Table). Weather Database. Retrieved January 23, 2016.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
13. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
14. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Archived from the original on May 22, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
15. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
16. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
17. "Augusta, Arkansas". Google Maps. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
18. FAA Airport Form 5010 for M60 PDF . Federal Aviation Administration, effective 7 September 2023.
19. "Cache River National Wildlife Refuge". U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
20. "MUST SELL: 64 Speedway, Augusta Arkansas". STL Racing. January 6, 2008.
21. "Michael John Gray". arkansashouse.org. Archived from the original on April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
22. "Jimmy Gunn". databaseSports.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
23. "Ex-Aviator John Price Dies at 65". The Victoria Advocate . December 20, 1957.
24. "Billy Ray Sr. Smith". Pro-Football Reference. Retrieved January 21, 2014.

External links

• city history