Little River County, Arkansas

Little River County
County
Little River County Courthouse in Ashdown
Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
Arkansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°41′53″N94°13′18″W / 33.698055555556°N 94.221666666667°W / 33.698055555556; -94.221666666667
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
Founded	March 5, 1867
Named for	Little River [1]
Seat	Ashdown
Largest city	Ashdown
Area
• Total	565 sq mi (1,460 km2)
• Land	532 sq mi (1,380 km2)
• Water	33 sq mi (90 km2)  5.8%
Population  (2020)
• Total	12,026
• Density	21/sq mi (8.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	4th

Little River County War Memorial during Christmas

Little River County is a county located on the southwest border of the U.S. state of Arkansas, bordering a corner with Texas and Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,026. ^[2] The county seat is Ashdown. ^[3]

Little River County is included in the Texarkana, TX-AR Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Little River County is Arkansas's 59th county, formed from Sevier County on March 5, 1867, during the Reconstruction era and named for the Little River. The county is separated from all other surrounding counties in the state by water (a characteristic shared only with neighboring Miller County). The Little River, Millwood Lake and the Red River form the boundaries of the county within the state.

Around 1895 the Arkansas and Choctaw Railway was built between Arkinda and Ashdown. ^[4] The line was extended from Arkinda into Oklahoma, and from Ashdown to Hope, Arkansas, in the 1902-1903 timeframe. ^[4] That line is now operated by the Kiamichi Railroad. ^{[5] [6]}

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 565 square miles (1,460 km²), of which 532 square miles (1,380 km²) is land and 33 square miles (85 km²) (5.8%) is water. ^[7] It is the third-smallest county in Arkansas by land area and fourth-smallest by total area.

Major highways

• Future Interstate 49
• U.S. Highway 59
• U.S. Highway 71
• Highway 32
• Highway 41
• Highway 108

Adjacent counties

• Sevier County (north)
• Howard County (northeast)
• Hempstead County (east)
• Miller County (southeast)
• Bowie County, Texas (south)
• McCurtain County, Oklahoma (west)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	3,236		—
1880	6,404		97.9%
1890	8,903		39.0%
1900	13,731		54.2%
1910	13,597		−1.0%
1920	16,301		19.9%
1930	15,515		−4.8%
1940	15,932		2.7%
1950	11,690		−26.6%
1960	9,211		−21.2%
1970	11,194		21.5%
1980	13,952		24.6%
1990	13,966		0.1%
2000	13,628		−2.4%
2010	13,171		−3.4%
2020	12,026		−8.7%
2023 (est.)	11,805	[8]	−1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [9] 1790–1960 [10] 1900–1990 [11] 1990–2000 [12] 2010 [13]

Age pyramid Little River County

2020 census

Little River County racial composition ^[15]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	8,593	71.45%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	2,164	17.99%
Native American	161	1.34%
Asian	19	0.16%
Pacific Islander	9	0.07%
Other/Mixed	671	5.58%
Hispanic or Latino	409	3.4%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,026 people, 5,363 households, and 3,523 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, ^[16] there were 13,628 people, 5,465 households, and 3,912 families residing in the county. The population density was 26 people per square mile (10 people/km²). There were 6,435 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (4.6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 74.52% White, 21.27% Black or African American, 1.45% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 1.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,465 households, out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% 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 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.20% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,417, and the median income for a family was $36,207. Males had a median income of $32,489 versus $18,435 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,899. About 11.90% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.80% of those under age 18 and 17.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government

United States presidential election results for Little River County, Arkansas ^[17]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	3,744	76.42%	1,084	22.13%	71	1.45%
2020	3,715	71.76%	1,226	23.68%	236	4.56%
2016	3,605	68.97%	1,397	26.73%	225	4.30%
2012	3,385	67.02%	1,552	30.73%	114	2.26%
2008	3,247	63.02%	1,753	34.03%	152	2.95%
2004	2,575	48.64%	2,677	50.57%	42	0.79%
2000	2,283	43.38%	2,883	54.78%	97	1.84%
1996	1,409	27.56%	3,183	62.27%	520	10.17%
1992	1,483	25.94%	3,327	58.18%	908	15.88%
1988	2,347	45.85%	2,740	53.53%	32	0.63%
1984	3,155	59.58%	2,090	39.47%	50	0.94%
1980	2,272	45.22%	2,631	52.37%	121	2.41%
1976	1,431	31.29%	3,142	68.71%	0	0.00%
1972	2,550	70.04%	1,091	29.96%	0	0.00%
1968	745	22.51%	1,092	32.99%	1,473	44.50%
1964	1,141	35.72%	2,040	63.87%	13	0.41%
1960	692	29.79%	1,514	65.17%	117	5.04%
1956	828	37.67%	1,308	59.51%	62	2.82%
1952	783	33.93%	1,522	65.94%	3	0.13%
1948	169	11.09%	900	59.06%	455	29.86%
1944	326	25.29%	961	74.55%	2	0.16%
1940	276	19.83%	1,104	79.31%	12	0.86%
1936	192	15.30%	1,056	84.14%	7	0.56%
1932	118	7.74%	1,399	91.80%	7	0.46%
1928	457	33.24%	916	66.62%	2	0.15%
1924	276	31.80%	546	62.90%	46	5.30%
1920	618	40.63%	853	56.08%	50	3.29%
1916	364	30.18%	842	69.82%	0	0.00%
1912	232	22.42%	615	59.42%	188	18.16%
1908	435	35.17%	660	53.35%	142	11.48%
1904	388	38.84%	557	55.76%	54	5.41%
1900	281	27.05%	751	72.28%	7	0.67%
1896	273	23.97%	852	74.80%	14	1.23%

Communities

Cities

• Ashdown (county seat)
• Foreman
• Winthrop

Towns

• Ogden
• Wilton

Census-designated places

• Alleene
• Yarborough Landing

Other unincorporated places

• Comet
• Richmond
• Rocky Comfort
• Cerro Gordo

Townships

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, 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 Little River County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township. ^{[18] [19]}

• Arden
• Arkinda
• Burke
• Caney
• Cleveland (Wilton)
• Franklin (Yarborough Landing)
• Jackson (Foreman)
• Jeff Davis
• Jefferson (Ashdown)
• Jewell
• Johnson (Ogden)
• Lick Creek
• Little River (Winthrop)
• Red River
• Richland
• Wallace

Notable people

• Marion H. Crank, Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives, 1963–1964; Democratic gubernatorial nominee, 1968; resided in Foreman, interred there at Holy Cross Cemetery ^[20]
• Jeff Davis, Democratic United States Senator from Arkansas and the 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas ^[21]

See also

• List of lakes in Little River County, Arkansas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Little River County, Arkansas
• Ashdown School District
• Foreman School District

References

1. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p.  188.
2. "Census - Geography Profile: Little River County, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 20, 2023.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. "Hope, AR" (PDF). All Aboard, January–February 1994, p.17-18, The Frisco Rail Museum, (accessed on CondrenRails.com). Retrieved October 11, 2022.
5. "Kiamichi Railroad Company KRR #424". Union Pacific. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
6. "Railroad Map of Arkansas" (PDF). Arkansas Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
8. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
11. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
12. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
13. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
14. Based on 2000 census data
15. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
16. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
17. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections" . Retrieved November 18, 2016.
18. 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Little River County, AR (PDF) (Map). U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
19. "Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 29, 2014.
20. "Crank, Marion". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
21. "Arkansas Governor Jefferson Davis". National Governors Association. Retrieved August 17, 2012.

33°41′53″N94°13′18″W / 33.69806°N 94.22167°W / 33.69806; -94.22167