West Fork, Arkansas

West Fork, Arkansas
City
Historic Woolsey Bridge over the West Fork, White River
Motto:  "Where the best begins!" [1]
Location of West Fork in Washington County, Arkansas.
Coordinates: 35°56′08″N94°10′48″W / 35.93556°N 94.18000°W / 35.93556; -94.18000
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	Washington
Founded	1848
Incorporated	May 18, 1885
Area [2]
• Total	3.73 sq mi (9.67 km2)
• Land	3.67 sq mi (9.50 km2)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.17 km2)
Elevation [3]	1,362 ft (415 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,331
• Density	635.84/sq mi (245.47/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	72774
Area code	479
FIPS code	05-74360
GNIS feature ID	2405707 [3]
Website	www.westforkar.com

West Fork is a city in Washington County, Arkansas, United States. The population is 2,331 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Northwest Arkansas region.

History

West Fork was incorporated as a city in 1885. ^[4]

Geography

West Fork is located at 35°56′08″N94°10′48″W / 35.93556°N 94.18000°W / 35.93556; -94.18000 (35.9356771, -94.1801038) at an elevation of 1,358 feet (414 m). ^[3] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.5 km²), all land. ^[5]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1930	343		—
1940	392		14.3%
1950	359		−8.4%
1960	350		−2.5%
1970	919		162.6%
1980	1,526		66.1%
1990	1,607		5.3%
2000	2,042		27.1%
2010	2,317		13.5%
2020	2,331		0.6%
Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture [6]

As of the census ^[7] of 2000, there were 2,042 people, 750 households, and 600 families residing in the city. The population density was 612.8 inhabitants per square mile (236.6/km²). There were 800 housing units at an average density of 240.1 per square mile (92.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.56% White or European American, 0.44% Black or African American, 0.93% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 1.71% from other races, and 1.81% from two or more races. 3.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 750 households, out of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.9% were non-families. 16.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.72 and the average family size was 4.04.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.

Economically one of the poorer regions of the Northwest Arkansas region, the median income for a household in the city was $31,356, and the median income for a family was $34,818. Males had a median income of $28,037 versus $20,091 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,976. About 34.6% of families and 25.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.3% of those under age 18 and 19.7% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

The West Fork of the White River flows through the east side of the town. The town sits on the West Fork of the White River, hence the name. ^[8] Alongside the river is Riverside Park, a common spot for recreational activities such as parties and reunions. The park features playground equipment, several pavilions, many benches, and a walking path. The town is flanked by mountains on both the east and west with Bloyd Mountain on the east has an elevation of 2,020 feet (620 m). ^[8]

Education

West Fork Public Schools ^[9] serves the city, and includes:

• West Fork Elementary
• West Fork Middle School
• West Fork High School

All of the West Fork schools are co-located on School Avenue, west of the White River. West Fork's official school mascot is a tiger.

Media

West Fork is the home of the Washington County Observer newspaper. ^[10]

Transportation

As of 2023, there is no fixed route transit service in West Fork. Ozark Regional Transit operates demand-response service in the city. ^[11] The nearest intercity bus service is provided by Jefferson Lines in nearby Fayetteville. ^[12]

Notable people

• Mildred Earp, professional women's baseball player

• Bubba Carpenter, Professional baseball player

See also

• Mineral Springs Community Building

References

1. "The City of West Fork, Arkansas". The City of West Fork, Arkansas. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
2. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
3. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: West Fork, Arkansas
4. History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Higginson Book Company. 1889. p. 265.
5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
6. Campbell, Denele (December 28, 2011). "West Fork (Washington County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture . Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System . Retrieved July 7, 2013.
7. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
8. Arkansas Atlas and Gazetteer (Map) (Second ed.). DeLorme. 2002. p. 30. ISBN   0-89933-345-1.
9. "School Website, CMS & Communications Platform | Finalsite". www.finalsite.com.
10. "Washington County Observer". Washington County Observer. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
11. "Demand Response" . Retrieved September 28, 2023.
12. "Arkansas Bus Stops" . Retrieved September 28, 2023.

External links

• The City of West Fork, Arkansas Portal style website, Government, Business, Library, Recreation and more
• Local.Arkansas.gov