Fredonia (Biscoe), Arkansas

Fredonia (Biscoe), Arkansas
City
Location of Fredonia (Biscoe) in Prairie County, Arkansas.
Coordinates: 34°49′10″N91°24′37″W / 34.81944°N 91.41028°W / 34.81944; -91.41028
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	Prairie
Area [1]
• Total	0.95 sq mi (2.47 km2)
• Land	0.95 sq mi (2.47 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation [2]	190 ft (60 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	305
• Density	319.37/sq mi (123.26/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	72017 [3]
FIPS code	05-25060
GNIS feature ID	2406523 [2]

Fredonia (Biscoe) is a city ^[4] in Prairie County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 363 at the 2010 census.

Local myth claimed the town's name "Fredonia" was for the Republic of Fredonia movement of Mexican Texas in the 1820s by a group of Arkansas Cherokee people settled near Nacogdoches, Texas. The settlers backed by white Southerners from the U.S. wanted to establish an independent Native nation but the dream ended in an armed conflict by Mexican troops.

"Biscoe" was the town's official name for most of its history, being written in parentheses. It was founded in the 1810s by several thousand Cherokee settlers from Tennessee in a piece of land set aside for the Western band of Cherokee, who lost their sovereignty when Arkansas became a state in 1836. The town has an African-American majority from a history of slavery in the antebellum era and agricultural labor afterwards.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.4 km² (0.9 mi²), all land.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1920	310		—
1930	402		29.7%
1940	395		−1.7%
1950	406		2.8%
1960	350		−13.8%
1970	340		−2.9%
1980	486		42.9%
1990	484		−0.4%
2000	476		−1.7%
2010	363		−23.7%
2020	305		−16.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [5] 2014 Estimate [6]

2020 Census

Fredonia (Biscoe) town, Arkansas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000 [7]	Pop 2010 [8]	Pop 2020 [9]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	197	181	194	41.39%	49.86%	63.61%
Black or African American alone (NH)	277	178	99	58.19%	49.04%	32.46%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	0	0	0	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Asian alone (NH)	0	0	0	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	0	0	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	0	0	0	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)	2	0	10	0.42%	0.00%	3.28%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	0	4	2	0.00%	1.10%	0.66%
Total	476	363	305	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census ^[10] of 2000, there were 476 people, 176 households, and 130 families residing in the town. The population density was 197.6/km² (509.3/mi²). There were 202 housing units at an average density of 83.9/km² (216.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 58.19% Black or African American, 0.42% from two or more races, and 41.39% White.

There were 176 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 22.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the town the population was spread out, with 29.6% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $21,406, and the median income for a family was $23,571. Males had a median income of $22,344 versus $14,063 for females. The per capita income for the town was $9,641. About 23.4% of families and 27.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.3% of those under age 18 and 20.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public education for early childhood, elementary and secondary school students is provided from the Hazen School District, ^[11] which operates Hazen High School.

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fredonia (Biscoe), Arkansas
3. "Biscoe ZIP Code". zipdatamaps.com. 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
4. Local.Arkansas.gov - Biscoe , retrieved September 3, 2012
5. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
6. "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.
7. "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Fredonia (Biscoe) town, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau .
8. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fredonia (Biscoe) town, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau .
9. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fredonia (Biscoe) town, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau .
10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
11. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Prairie County, AR" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved February 19, 2023.