Sebastian County, Arkansas

Last updated

Sebastian County
County
Fort Smith, United States (Unsplash).jpg
Arkansas River
Sebastian County Courthouse-Ft. Smith City Hall, Southeast View.JPG
Sebastian County Courthouse (Fort Smith)
Sebastian County Courthouse in Greenwood, AR 001.jpg
Sebastian County Courthouse (Greenwood)
Parade Ground Aerial View (5ba8cddc-9a30-480e-96df-53a9fa2294b2).jpg
Parade Ground at the Fort Smith National Historic Site
Museum Ceremony-8 (53011536634).jpg
U.S. Marshals Museum
Map of Arkansas highlighting Sebastian County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
Arkansas in United States.svg
Arkansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°35′39″N94°15′29″W / 35.5942°N 94.2581°W / 35.5942; -94.2581
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Arkansas.svg Arkansas
FoundedJanuary 6, 1851
Named after William K. Sebastian
Seat Fort Smith (northern district);
Greenwood (southern district)
Largest cityFort Smith
Area
 • Total
546 sq mi (1,410 km2)
 • Land532 sq mi (1,380 km2)
 • Water14 sq mi (40 km2)  2.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
127,799
 • Estimate 
(2024)
130,035 Increase2.svg
 • Density230/sq mi (90/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts 3rd, 4th
Website www.sebastiancountyar.gov

Sebastian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 127,799, [1] making it the fourth-most populous county in Arkansas. The county has two county seats, Greenwood and Fort Smith. [2]

Contents

Sebastian County is part of the Fort Smith metropolitan area.

History

Early settlement

Following the upheaval caused by the 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes in Northeast Arkansas, Cherokee relocated in the area now known as Sebastian County; they were joined by Cherokee relocating from eastern states to form a sizeable community which would conflict with the Osage people who claimed nearby hunting grounds to the west. The United States Military constructed a fort at the confluence of the Arkansas River and the Poteau River, an area known as Belle Point. The fort was named Fort Smith after general Thomas A. Smith. A settlement of the same name grew around the fort, and remained even after the fort was abandoned. A second fort was built in 1836 at the same site and served as the western end of the Trail of Tears during Indian removal, ending the forced displacement at Indian Territory immediately west of Fort Smith. [3] The combination of the historic land route and steamboats coming up the Arkansas River combined to make the area an important crossroads between east and west for American settlers expanding westward across North America during the "manifest destiny" period.

Establishment

The Arkansas General Assembly created Sebastian County as Arkansas's 56th county on January 6, 1851, and named it for William K. Sebastian, United States Senator from Arkansas. Created from parts of Crawford, Polk, and Scott counties; Eaton Tatum's house at Jenny Lind served as temporary county seat while a five-person commission selected the permanent county seat. [4]

Now a commissioner, Tatum, sought to make Jenny Lind the permanent site. Though Fort Smith was the only community of any size within the new county, Jenny Lind was centrally located. The commissioners decided to establish a new town on 40 acres (16 ha) of rural land, which had been donated by commissioner Reuben Coker, to be named Greenwood, in honor of Alfred B. Greenwood, who sat as the first circuit judge.

Fight for the county seat

With many residents finding the site unsuitable, a countywide election was held in 1852 that moved the county seat to Fort Smith. The seat was to be located on a block at N. 2nd Street & A Street donated by John Rogers. In 1854, another election was held returning the county seat to Greenwood. The Arkansas General Assembly established a compromise in 1860 to split Sebastian County into two judicial districts; giving Sebastian County two county seats, Fort Smith and Greenwood. [4] The districts were named for their respective seats; the Fort Smith district consisting of the city limits and Upper Township, with the remainder of Sebastian County making up the Greenwood district. The districts had separate slates of elected officials, separate quorum court and district court, and tax assessment and collection were kept separate.

Following the Civil War, the county seat discussion resumed during the politically charged Reconstruction Era, now between Union sympathizers who had moved around Fort Smith and pro-Confederate sentiment in Greenwood. In 1868, another vote was forced by Fort Smith supporters. Both sides claimed victory in a contested election, but by 1870, the Arkansas Supreme Court declared Fort Smith the seat and all court records were moved to Fort Smith. The Arkansas General Assembly restored the ability for the Sebastian County quorum court to meet in two places by passing a bill written by Caswell B. Neal, powerful member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Greenwood. The following year, another bill from the General Assembly moved the offices of sheriff and county clerk to Fort Smith but restored the Greenwood district's ability to collect separate taxes. Tensions increased, with the sheriff raising the local militia and a posse alleged to be the Ku Klux Klan burning a residence near Greenwood. In 1872, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled having separate elected officials and taxation destroyed the integrity of Sebastian County and restored Greenwood as the lone county seat, but allowed court to be held in both cities per the 1860 act of the General Assembly. [5] During the 1874 Arkansas Constitutional Convention, future Governor of Arkansas William Fishback inserted a paragraph into the draft providing "Sebastian County may have two districts and two county seats", settling the matter when it was ratified as the current Constitution of Arkansas. [6] The following year, the General Assembly provided for two districts, with names and limits as previously established. The districts functioned as separate counties legislatively and judicially, but had a common county judge, county clerk, sheriff, treasurer, and collector. Officials kept separate accounts and files for the two districts; it was the only of Arkansas's ten dual county seat counties with districts operating independently of each other. This idiosyncrasy would remain until Amendment 55 in 1874, which transformed county government in Arkansas.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 546 square miles (1,410 km2), of which 532 square miles (1,380 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (2.6%) is water. [7] It is the second-smallest county by area in Arkansas.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1860 9,238—
1870 12,94040.1%
1880 19,56051.2%
1890 33,20069.7%
1900 36,93511.3%
1910 52,27841.5%
1920 56,7398.5%
1930 54,426−4.1%
1940 62,80915.4%
1950 64,2022.2%
1960 66,6853.9%
1970 79,23718.8%
1980 95,17220.1%
1990 99,5904.6%
2000 115,07115.5%
2010 125,7449.3%
2020 127,7991.6%
2024 (est.)130,035 [8] 1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census [9]
1790–1960 [10] 1900–1990 [11]
1990–2000 [12] 2010 [13]
Age pyramid Sebastian County USA Sebastian County, Arkansas age pyramid.svg
Age pyramid Sebastian County

2020 census

Sebastian County racial composition [15]
RaceNumberPercentage
White (non-Hispanic)82,78564.78%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)7,8916.17%
Native American 2,3791.86%
Asian 5,7004.46%
Pacific Islander 910.07%
Other/Mixed 9,6257.53%
Hispanic or Latino 19,32815.12%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 127,799 people, 51,384 households, and 32,517 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census, [16] there were 115,071 people, 45,300 households, and 30,713 families residing in the county. The population density was 215 inhabitants per square mile (83/km2). There were 49,311 housing units at an average density of 92 per square mile (36/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 82.34% White, 6.16% Black or African American, 1.57% Native American, 3.51% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.71% from other races, and 2.67% from two or more races. 6.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 19.6% were of American, 12.9099999996% German, 11.0% Irish and 9.0% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 5.49% reported speaking Spanish at home, while 1.47% speak Vietnamese and 0.97% Lao. [17]

In 2000 there were 45,300 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.40% were married couples living together, 11.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% were non-families. 27.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.00% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 29.50% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,889, and the median income for a family was $41,303. Males had a median income of $30,056 versus $22,191 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,424. About 10.40% of families and 13.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.60% of those under age 18 and 10.00% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2010 census the population of Sebastian County was 125,744. The racial makeup of the county was 72.83% Non-Hispanic white, 6.24% Non-Hispanic black, 1.88% Native American, 4.06% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.07% Non-Hispanics of some other race, 2.78% Non-Hispanics reporting two or more races and 12.82% Hispanics.

Government

Government

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 a county vary from nine to fifteen, and district boundaries are drawn by the county election commission. The Sebastian County Quorum Court has thirteen 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. [18] [19]

Sebastian County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials [20] [21]
PositionOfficeholderParty
County Judge Steve HotzRepublican
County Clerk Sharon BrooksRepublican
Circuit Clerk Susie HassettRepublican
Sheriff Hobe RunionRepublican
Treasurer/Collector Lora RiceRepublican
Assessor Zack JohnsonRepublican
Coroner Kenny HobbsRepublican

The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 9 Republicans and 4 Democrats. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are: [20] [22] [23]

Additionally, the townships of Sebastian County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the Constitution of Arkansas. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult. [24] The township constables as of the 2024 elections are: [22]

Politics

Whereas most of Arkansas was overwhelmingly blue up to the mid-2000s, Sebastian has been a solidly Republican county at the presidential level since Dwight Eisenhower won it in 1952. Since that election, no Democrat has ever again carried this county, though native son Bill Clinton came within less than 1,000 votes of doing so during both of his campaigns. Jimmy Carter is the only other Democrat to come reasonably close to winning the county. However, Democrats continued to split most local offices and state legislative seats with Republicans well into the 1990s. While Fort Smith has elected Democratic mayors and still elects some Democrats to the state legislature, the rest of the county is powerfully Republican.

United States presidential election results for Sebastian County, Arkansas [25]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1892 1,55834.71%2,69259.97%2395.32%
1896 1,00927.57%2,62271.64%290.79%
1900 96431.21%2,09467.79%311.00%
1904 1,25438.16%1,64550.06%38711.78%
1908 2,05035.73%3,03552.90%65211.36%
1912 51412.53%2,39658.40%1,19329.08%
1916 1,36626.86%3,71973.14%00.00%
1920 3,49246.03%3,85250.78%2423.19%
1924 1,98533.13%3,14852.54%85914.34%
1928 3,46551.84%3,18647.67%330.49%
1932 1,26820.26%4,93778.87%550.88%
1936 1,16120.30%4,53979.35%200.35%
1940 1,96827.16%5,24972.44%290.40%
1944 3,45236.46%6,00863.46%70.07%
1948 2,92833.09%5,07557.36%8459.55%
1952 10,11456.36%7,80243.48%280.16%
1956 10,23457.36%7,48941.98%1180.66%
1960 11,74456.75%8,72642.16%2261.09%
1964 13,11055.80%10,29943.84%840.36%
1968 12,07344.65%6,32023.37%8,64931.98%
1972 25,21981.23%5,77018.58%580.19%
1976 17,67152.79%15,76847.11%340.10%
1980 23,40363.46%10,14127.50%3,3359.04%
1984 27,59574.95%8,68823.60%5341.45%
1988 24,42670.94%9,68428.13%3220.94%
1992 16,81742.40%16,57041.78%6,27215.81%
1996 16,48246.63%15,51443.89%3,3509.48%
2000 23,48358.48%15,55538.73%1,1212.79%
2004 27,30361.76%16,47937.27%4290.97%
2008 28,63766.27%13,67331.64%9022.09%
2012 29,16967.27%13,09230.19%1,1012.54%
2016 29,12765.25%12,30027.56%3,2107.19%
2020 31,19866.18%14,48730.73%1,4553.09%
2024 30,71967.59%13,65230.04%1,0812.38%

Education

Public education is provided by several school districts (listed below from largest to smallest):

Communities

Cities

Towns

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 Sebastian County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township. [26] [27]

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Sebastian County, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Harman, S.W. (1992) [1898]. Hell on the Border. University of Nebraska Press. pp. 21–24. ISBN   9780803272606. OCLC   25833057.
  4. 1 2 Herndon, Dallas T. (1947). Annals of Arkansas. Vol. 2. Hopkinsville, Kentucky: The Historical Record Association. p. 718. ISBN   978-1-56546-450-6. LCCN   48002456. OCLC   3920841.{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  5. ↑ Ross, David (October 2001). "150 Years of Sebastian County" (PDF). Sebastian County, Arkansas. p. 8. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  6. ↑ "34"  . Constitution of the State of Arkansas. Secretary of State of Arkansas. 1874. p. 44 – via Wikisource.
  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 July 22, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  14. ↑ Based on 2000 census data
  15. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  16. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Language Map Data Center". Mla.org. July 17, 2007. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Quorum Courts". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Office of County Judge". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  20. 1 2 "Sebastian County Government > Departments > Elected Officials Listing". www.sebastiancountyar.gov. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  21. ↑ "2022 General ElectionGeneral Election - County, District Officials" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 18, 2022.
  22. 1 2 "Sebastian County, Arkansas, elections, 2024". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  24. ↑ "What is a Constable?". What is a Constable?. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections" . Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  26. ↑ 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Sebastian County, AR (PDF) (Map). U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
  27. ↑ "Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Arkansas Governor John Sebastian Little". National Governors Association. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  29. ↑ "Mathew W. Pitsch". arkansashouse.org. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved April 10, 2015.

35°35′39″N94°15′29″W / 35.59417°N 94.25806°W / 35.59417; -94.25806

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