Clark County, Arkansas

{{short description|County in Arkansas, United States}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox U.S. county | county = Clark County | state = Arkansas | seal = | founded year = 1818 | founded date = December 15 | seat wl = Arkadelphia | largest city wl = Arkadelphia | area_total_sq_mi = 883 | area_land_sq_mi = 866 | area_water_sq_mi = 17 | area percentage = 1.9% | population_as_of = 2020 | population_total = 21446 | pop_est_as_of = 2025 | population_est = 20938 {{loss}} | density_sq_mi = auto | web = https://clarkcountyar.gov/ | district = 4th | time zone = Central | ex image = Clark County Courthouse (Arkansas) 001.jpg | ex image cap = Clark County Courthouse in Arkadelphia | named for = William Clark }}

'''Clark County''' is a county located in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,446.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Clark County, Arkansas|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Clark_County,_Arkansas?g=0500000US05019|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 19, 2023}}</ref> The county seat is Arkadelphia.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> The Arkadelphia, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Clark County.

==History== Ancient Indigenous peoples occupied areas along the waterways for thousands of years prior to European exploration. Among the various cultures was the Caddoan Mississippian culture, which developed by 1000 AD and occupied certain sites in Arkansas at different times. This was the westernmost expression of the Mississippian culture, which developed a vast network and numerous centers of development throughout the Mississippi Valley and its tributaries. The Caddoans constructed substantial earthwork mounds in the areas of Arkansas and Texas; the largest in Arkansas is Battle Mound Site, built from 1200 to 1400 AD in what is present-day Lafayette County. Archeological evidence has established there was unbroken continuity from the Caddoan Mississippian people to the historic Caddo people and related Caddo-language speakers who encountered the first Europeans. Their descendants formed the modern Caddo Nation of Oklahoma.<ref name=TejasLinguistics>{{Cite web | url= http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/tejas/fundamentals/languages.html | title= Tejas-Caddo Fundamentals-Caddoan Languages and Peoples | access-date= February 4, 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100310203249/http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/tejas/fundamentals/languages.html | archive-date= March 10, 2010 | url-status= live }}</ref>

===19th century=== Settlers in the 19th century found earthwork mounds, 10 to 15 feet in height, in areas around what developed as Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Some were excavated for pottery and other grave goods.<ref name="earlyhist">[http://genealogytrails.com/ark/clark/cohist.html Laura Scott Butler, "History of Clark County"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915180121/http://genealogytrails.com/ark/clark/cohist.html |date=September 15, 2016 }}, ''Publications of The Arkansas Historical Association''; Edited by John Hugh Reynolds; Vol. 1; 1906</ref>

At the time of European-American settlement after the United States acquired this territory in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, the pioneers encountered three major Native American tribes: the Caddo, who lived along the banks of the Caddo River; the Quapaw on the Ouachita River, for several miles below what is now Arkadelphia; and the Lenape (known then as Delaware, who were driven to this area by European pressure from the mid-Atlantic East Coast) along the lower Ouachita to below present-day Camden. (This site had been named as ''Écore à Fabre'', after a colonial French trader Fabre.)<ref name="earlyhist"/>

Clark County was the third county formed by Americans in Arkansas, on December 15, 1818, together with Hempstead and Pulaski counties. The county is named after William Clark, then Governor of the Missouri Territory, which included present-day Arkansas. On November 1, 1833, the Arkansas territorial legislature created Pike County from western Clark County and part of northern Hempstead County. It was named after US explorer Zebulon Pike.

Arkadelphia was designated as the county seat in 1842. It became increasingly important as a hub after railroads were constructed to here that connected with numerous markets. Timber harvesting became important by the end of the century. By 1890, forest products were ranked next to agriculture in economic importance. In the 20th century, continued modern technological developments established the industry's continued importance in the county's economy.

Three of the six lynchings recorded in Clark County from 1877 to 1950<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://eji.org/sites/default/files/lynching-in-america-third-edition-summary.pdf |title=Summary: ''Lynching in America'', 3rd edition, 2015 |access-date=October 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023063004/https://eji.org/sites/default/files/lynching-in-america-third-edition-summary.pdf |archive-date=October 23, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> took place in a mass event in late January 1879. An African-American man, Ben Daniels, and three of his four sons (ranging in age from 22 to 18) were arrested as suspects in an alleged robbery and assault of a white man and held in the county jail. Daniels and two of his sons were forcibly taken out of the jail by a white mob and lynched by hanging from trees in the courthouse square, without trial. One son, believed to be Charles Daniels (22), survived for trial. He was convicted and served in prison until about 1886 or 1887.<ref name="AREnc">[http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=9242 Nancy Snell Griffith, "Arkadelphia Lynching of 1879/ aka: Lynching of Daniels Family"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023011436/http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=9242 |date=October 23, 2017 }}, ''Arkansas Encyclopedia of History and Culture'', February 11, 2016; accessed October 22, 2017</ref>

==20th century to present== From 1920 to 1960, the county population declined, as may be seen on the table below. The cotton culture had been affected by the invasion of the boll weevil, which attacked the plants; and mechanization of agriculture, reducing the need for workers. In this period, many African-American families, who still constituted most of the farm workers, also left Arkansas and other parts of the rural South to escape Jim Crow oppression and seek better employment in Northern and Midwestern cities in the Great Migration. In the latter part of this period, some migrated to the West Coast, where the defense industry developed during and after World War II offered higher paying jobs.

At the same time, the lumber industry declined, also causing a loss of jobs. Several companies had operated sawmills and related businesses in Clark County in the early part of the century. The founders of the lumber town Graysonia, Arkansas moved to Springfield, Oregon, renaming their company as Roseboro Lumber. While manufacturing industries had entered the county, several had a downturn in the 1980s.

In the 1970s, the DeGray Dam and Lake were completed along the Caddo River, providing new areas in the county for tourism and recreation, which have become major components of the economy.

==Geography== According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|883|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|866|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|17|sqmi}} (1.9%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_05.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 25, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904095236/http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_05.txt|archive-date=September 4, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Major highways=== *20px Interstate 30 *20px U.S. Highway 67 *20px Highway 7 *20px Highway 8 *20px Highway 26 *20px Highway 51 *20px Highway 53

===Adjacent counties=== * Hot Spring County (northeast) * Dallas County (east) * Ouachita County (southeast) * Nevada County (southwest) * Pike County (west) * Montgomery County (northwest)

==Demographics== {{US Census population | 1830 = 1369 | 1840 = 2309 | 1850 = 4070 | 1860 = 9735 | 1870 = 11953 | 1880 = 15771 | 1890 = 20997 | 1900 = 21289 | 1910 = 23686 | 1920 = 25632 | 1930 = 24932 | 1940 = 24402 | 1950 = 22998 | 1960 = 20950 | 1970 = 21537 | 1980 = 23326 | 1990 = 21437 | 2000 = 23546 | 2010 = 22995 | 2020 = 21446 | estyear = 2025 | estimate = 20938 | estref =<ref name="USCensusEst2025">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 16, 2026}}</ref> {{decrease}} | align-fn = center | footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 25, 2015}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|archive-date=August 11, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ar190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=August 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924115742/http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ar190090.txt|archive-date=September 24, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=August 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218203824/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|archive-date=December 18, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05019.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607031756/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05019.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> | align = right }}

===2020 census=== As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 21,446. The median age was 35.4 years. 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.9 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=county%3A019&in=state%3A05|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=December 27, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=county%3A019&in=state%3A05|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=December 27, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

The racial makeup of the county was 66.8% White, 23.9% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.9% from some other race, and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.1% of the population.<ref name="Census2020PL"/>

47.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 53.0% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=county%3A019&in=state%3A05|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=December 27, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 8,170 households in the county, of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.2% were married-couple households, 19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 9,977 housing units, of which 18.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 63.5% were owner-occupied and 36.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 16.5%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

===2000 census=== As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR8">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> there were 23,546 people, 8,912 households, and 5,819 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|27|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 10,166 housing units at an average density of {{convert|12|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 74.28% White, 22.02% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.37% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. 2.40% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,912 households, out of which 29.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.80% were married couples living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.70% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.70% under the age of 18, 20.00% from 18 to 24, 23.80% from 25 to 44, 19.90% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 92.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,845, and the median income for a family was $37,092. Males had a median income of $28,692 versus $19,886 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,533. About 13.50% of families and 19.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.90% of those under age 18 and 18.40% of those age 65 or over.

==Culture== An alcohol prohibition (dry) county since 1943, Clark County voted in 2011 to make the county wet, allowing countywide retail alcohol sales.<ref>{{cite news |title=Arkansas decides wet counties |url=https://www.ksla.com/story/13434825/southwest-arkansas-decides-wet-counties/ |access-date=July 19, 2023 |work=KSLA-12 News |agency=AP |publisher=Gray Television |date=November 3, 2010 |location=Shreveport, Louisiana}}</ref>

==Politics and 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 Clark County Quorum Court has eleven 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Quorum Courts |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/quorum-courts-6348/ |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Office of County Judge |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/office-of-county-judge-5720/ |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref>

Republicans hold every county-wide office except the Sheriff and Collector, and have a seven-to-four super-majority on the Quorum Court. Most positions regularly go unopposed with only one candidate making the general election ballot.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=December 8, 2022 |title=2023 County & District Officials |url=https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6092/2023_county_and_district_officials.pdf |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Association of Arkansas Counties}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=November 8, 2022 |title=2022 General Election and Nonpartisan Judicial Runoff Election |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AR/Clark/115778/web.307039/#/summary?v=314048%2F |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Arkansas Secretary of State}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Quorum Court – Clark County Arkansas |url=https://clarkcountyar.gov/?page_id=7448 |access-date=March 3, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref> Democrats picked up one seat in 2022 by flipping District 2.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Phelps |first=Joel |date=November 9, 2022 |title=Hannah, Johns, Angle keep JP seats; Buscher ousted |url=https://arkadelphian.com/2022/11/08/most-jp-incumbents-maintain-seats/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=News in Arkadelphia and Southwest Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |+Clark County, Arkansas Elected County-Wide Officials<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> !Office !Officeholder !Party |-style="background-color:#F48882; |County Judge |Troy Tucker |Republican |-style="background-color:#F48882; |County Clerk |Tracey Pruitt |Republican |-style="background-color:#F48882; |Circuit Clerk |Brian Daniel |Republican |-style="background-color:#92C5DE; |Sheriff/Collector |Jason Watson |Democratic |-style="background-color:#F48882; |Treasurer |Karen Arnold |Republican |-style="background-color:#F48882; |Assessor |Mona Vance |Republican |-style="background-color:#F48882; |Coroner |Tim Welch |Republican |-style="background-color:#F48882; |Constable (Caddo Township) |George Hawthorn |Republican |} The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 7 Republicans and 4 Democrats. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are: {| class="wikitable" |+Quorum Court<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Quorum Court – Clark County Arkansas |url=https://clarkcountyar.gov/quorum-court/ |access-date=2025-04-28 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Clark County, Arkansas, elections, 2024 |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Clark_County,_Arkansas,_elections,_2024 |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref> !District !Justice of the Peace !Party !District description |-style="background-color:#92C5DE; |1 |Zach Bledsoe |Democratic |North-east Arkadelphia, including Ouachita Baptist University |-style="background-color:#92C5DE; |2 |Michael L. Ankton |Democratic |Most of southern Arkadelphia |-style="background-color:#92C5DE; |3 |Vanilla Nelson Hannah |Democratic |North-central Arkadelphia, including Henderson State University |-style="background-color:#92C5DE; |4 |Llewellyn Terry Sr. |Democratic |Stretches from central Arkadelphia to south-east Arkadelphia |-style="background-color:#F48882; |5 |Jimmy King |Republican |North-west Arkadelphia |-style="background-color:#F48882; |6 |Stuart Thomas |Republican |North-central Clark County, including part of Hollywood, with an arm reaching north-west into parts of Alpine and Fendley |-style="background-color:#F48882; |7 |Jenna Scott |Republican |North-east Clark County, including Caddo Valley and Joan |-style="background-color:#F48882; |8 |Garry (B.J.) Johns |Republican |North-west Clark County, including Amity and parts of Alpine and Fendley |-style="background-color:#F48882; |9 |Andrea Angle |Republican |Starts just south of Okolona and stretches south-east, including Burtsell, most of Gurdon, and part of Beirne |-style="background-color:#F48882; |10 |Wayne Baumgardner |Republican |Stretches from central Clark County to its western border with Pike County, including Okolona, Boswell, and part of Hollywood |-style="background-color:#F48882; |11 |Tracy Ellis Drake |Republican |South-east Clark County, including Whelen Springs, Barringer, Kansas, Vaden, and part of Gurdon, with an arm reaching north to Curtis and Gum Springs |}

===Politics=== John Kerry was the last Democrat to win the county in a presidential election, in 2004. John McCain and Mitt Romney defeated Barack Obama by single-digit margins here, and Donald Trump beat former Arkansas First Lady Hillary Clinton by a nine-point margin. Four years later, Trump defeated Joe Biden by a margin of over 14 points, the largest margin for a Republican since Richard Nixon defeated George McGovern by over 20 points in 1972. Mike Ross was the last Democrat to win the county in a gubernatorial election, in 2014. Conner Eldridge was the last Democrat to win the county in a US Senate election, in 2016.

As of 2023, Clark County is split between districts 89 and 90 in the Arkansas House of Representatives and fully contained within District 3 in the Arkansas Senate.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 24, 2021 |title=2021 House Boundaries |url=https://arkansasredistricting.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/House2021_FinalBoundaries_Landscape.pdf |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Arkansas Board of Apportionment}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 24, 2021 |title=2021 Senate Boundaries |url=https://arkansasredistricting.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Senate2021_FinalBoundaries_Landscape_ARCH_E.pdf |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Arkansas Board of Apportionment}}</ref> All three seats are held by Republicans Justin Gonzales, Richard Womack, and Steve Crowell, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Members of the 94th General Assembly - Arkansas House of Representatives |url=https://www.arkansashouse.org/representatives/members |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=www.arkansashouse.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Senators |url=https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Arkansas Senate |language=en}}</ref>{{PresHead|place=Clark County, Arkansas|source=<ref name="DL">{{cite web|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|access-date=November 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709214827/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|archive-date=July 9, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>}}  {{PresRow|1896|Democratic|833|1,910|82|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1900|Democratic|753|1,232|134|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1904|Republican|732|722|182|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1908|Democratic|1,007|1,206|103|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1912|Democratic|376|1,051|299|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1916|Democratic|678|1,975|0|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1920|Democratic|1,020|1,507|19|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1924|Democratic|483|1,223|204|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1928|Democratic|913|1,817|6|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1932|Democratic|183|3,037|15|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1936|Democratic|193|1,962|8|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1940|Democratic|311|2,008|8|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1944|Democratic|637|1,981|3|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1948|Democratic|383|1,750|376|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1952|Democratic|1,679|2,963|5|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1956|Democratic|1,973|2,809|58|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1960|Democratic|1,357|3,295|431|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,884|4,127|26|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1968|American Independent|1,642|2,733|2,776|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1972|Republican|4,173|2,741|46|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,816|6,641|22|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1980|Democratic|2,743|6,122|288|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1984|Democratic|4,185|4,638|30|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1988|Democratic|3,389|4,675|66|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1992|Democratic|2,403|5,767|752|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|1996|Democratic|2,112|5,281|729|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|2000|Democratic|3,776|4,661|189|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|2004|Democratic|4,144|4,990|77|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|2008|Republican|4,608|4,267|219|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,343|3,811|255|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|2016|Republican|4,404|3,620|502|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|2020|Republican|4,616|3,438|341|Arkansas}} {{PresRow|2024|Republican|4,526|2,959|172|Arkansas}} {{PresFoot}}

==Communities==

===Incorporated cities=== * Amity * Arkadelphia (county seat) * Caddo Valley * Gurdon

===Incorporated towns=== * Gum Springs * Okolona * Whelen Springs

===Census-designated places=== * Alpine * Beirne

===Other unincorporated communities=== * Barringer<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sesser |first=David |date=June 12, 2019 |title=Barringer (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/barringer-clark-county-11151/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref> * Boswell<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sesser |first=David |date=June 21, 2021 |title=Boswell (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/boswell-clark-county-11143/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref> * Burtsell<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sesser |first=David |date=February 18, 2023 |title=Burtsell (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/burtsell-clark-county-11146/ |access-date=March 3, 2021 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref> * Curtis<ref>{{Cite web |last=Worthan |first=Jacob |date=January 18, 2023 |title=Curtis (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/curtis-clark-county-7382/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref> * Fendley<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sesser |first=David |date=June 21, 2021 |title=Fendley (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/fendley-clark-county-11131/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref> * Hollywood<ref>{{Cite web |last=Worthan |first=Jacob |date=December 8, 2021 |title=Hollywood (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/hollywood-clark-county-7159/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref> * Joan<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sesser |first=David |date=September 14, 2020 |title=Joan (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/joan-clark-county-11139/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref> * Kansas<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sesser |first=David |date=June 21, 2021 |title=Kansas (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/kansas-clark-county-11154/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref> * Vaden<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sesser |first=David |date=September 14, 2020 |title=Vaden (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/vaden-clark-county-11157/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref>

===Ghost towns and former communities===

* Clear Spring<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sesser |first=David |date=July 12, 2022 |title=Clear Spring (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/clear-spring-clark-county-11132/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref> * Graysonia * Greenville (former county seat)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pinkston |first=Lori |date=March 19, 2019 |title=Greenville (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/greenville-clark-county-1201/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref> * Halfway<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sesser |first=David |date=September 14, 2020 |title=Halfway (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/halfway-clark-county-11135/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref> * Lenox<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sesser |first=David |date=July 13, 2022 |title=Lenox (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/lenox-clark-county-11134/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref> * Rome<ref>{{Cite web |last=Worthan |first=Jacob |date=December 6, 2021 |title=Rome (Clark County) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/rome-clark-county-7414/ |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas}}</ref>

===Townships=== '''Note:''' Unlike most Arkansas counties, Clark County has only one township. That township encompasses the entire county.

{{Arkansas Townships About|County = Clark}} <ref>{{Cite map |publisher = U. S. Census Bureau |title = 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Clark County, AR |url = http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05019_clark/BAS11C20501900000_000.pdf |access-date = August 23, 2011 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121019170332/http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05019_clark/BAS11C20501900000_000.pdf |archive-date = October 19, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/block/2010/cousub/dc10blk_st05_cousub.html#C | title = Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision | publisher = United States Census Bureau | access-date = May 27, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140528050635/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/block/2010/cousub/dc10blk_st05_cousub.html#C | archive-date = May 28, 2014 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

* Caddo

==Notable residents==  * Daniel Davis, actor, best known for playing "Niles the butler" in the television series ''The Nanny'', was born in Gurdon. * Jody Evans, singer of country music, started his music career in Clark County, and works for the Arkadelphia Police Department. * Cliff Harris, football player, Dallas Cowboys NFL, played college football for the Ouachita Baptist University football team. * Bob C. Riley, politician, was born and raised in Arkadelphia. The Democrat served as Lieutenant Governor from 1971 to 1975. * Jerry Thomasson, politician and state representative, was born and raised in Arkadelphia. He switched to the Republican Party in 1966 and ran unsuccessfully for state attorney general in 1966 and 1968. * Billy Bob Thornton, film actor, grew up in Alpine.

==References==

==External links==

* [http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/1infcob.html 1st Arkansas Infantry Regiment, CSA, Company B] * [http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/arhonor.html Lt. Andrew J. Pitner and Pvt. Charles Trickett, CSA Medal of Honor] * [http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/STANFIELD/1999-09/0937488943 Stanford-Sellers murder, 1893] * [http://clarkcoso.org/ Clark County Sheriff's Office]

{{Geographic Location | Centre = Clark County, Arkansas | North = Hot Spring County | Northeast = | East = Dallas County | Southeast = Ouachita County | South = | Southwest = Nevada County | West = Pike County | Northwest = }}

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Category:Clark County, Arkansas Category:1818 establishments in Missouri Territory Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1818