Clark County, Arkansas
CountyClark County
StateArkansas
Founded year1818
Founded dateDecember 15
Seat wlArkadelphia
Largest city wlArkadelphia
Area total883 sq mi
Area land866 sq mi
Area water17 sq mi
Area percentage1.9%
Population as of2020
Population total21446
Pop est as of2025
Population est20938
Webhttps://clarkcountyar.gov/
District4th
Time zoneCentral
Ex imageClark County Courthouse (Arkansas) 001.jpg
Ex image capClark County Courthouse in Arkadelphia
Named forWilliam 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.[1] The county seat is Arkadelphia.[2] 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.[3]

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.[4]

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.)[4]

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[5] 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.[6]

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 883 square miles (2,290 km2), of which 866 square miles (2,240 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (1.9%) is water.[7]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

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.[8][9]

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.[9]

47.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 53.0% lived in rural areas.[10]

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.[8]

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%.[8]

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,[11] there were 23,546 people, 8,912 households, and 5,819 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 /mi2. There were 10,166 housing units at an average density of 12 /mi2. 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.[12]

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.[13][14]

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.[15][16][17] Democrats picked up one seat in 2022 by flipping District 2.[18]

Clark County, Arkansas Elected County-Wide Officials[15][16]
OfficeOfficeholderParty
County JudgeTroy TuckerRepublican
County ClerkTracey PruittRepublican
Circuit ClerkBrian DanielRepublican
Sheriff/CollectorJason WatsonDemocratic
TreasurerKaren ArnoldRepublican
AssessorMona VanceRepublican
CoronerTim WelchRepublican
Constable (Caddo Township)George HawthornRepublican

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:

Quorum Court[15][19][20]
DistrictJustice of the PeacePartyDistrict description
1Zach BledsoeDemocraticNorth-east Arkadelphia, including Ouachita Baptist University
2Michael L. AnktonDemocraticMost of southern Arkadelphia
3Vanilla Nelson HannahDemocraticNorth-central Arkadelphia, including Henderson State University
4Llewellyn Terry Sr.DemocraticStretches from central Arkadelphia to south-east Arkadelphia
5Jimmy KingRepublicanNorth-west Arkadelphia
6Stuart ThomasRepublicanNorth-central Clark County, including part of Hollywood, with an arm reaching north-west into parts of Alpine and Fendley
7Jenna ScottRepublicanNorth-east Clark County, including Caddo Valley and Joan
8Garry (B.J.) JohnsRepublicanNorth-west Clark County, including Amity and parts of Alpine and Fendley
9Andrea AngleRepublicanStarts just south of Okolona and stretches south-east, including Burtsell, most of Gurdon, and part of Beirne
10Wayne BaumgardnerRepublicanStretches from central Clark County to its western border with Pike County, including Okolona, Boswell, and part of Hollywood
11Tracy Ellis DrakeRepublicanSouth-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.[21][22] All three seats are held by Republicans Justin Gonzales, Richard Womack, and Steve Crowell, respectively.[23][24]

Communities

Incorporated cities

Incorporated towns

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Ghost towns and former communities

Townships

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

[39][40]

  • Caddo

Notable residents

See also

References

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Clark County, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Tejas-Caddo Fundamentals-Caddoan Languages and Peoples". Archived March 10, 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 4, 2010.
  4. ^ Laura Scott Butler, "History of Clark County" Archived September 15, 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Publications of The Arkansas Historical Association; Edited by John Hugh Reynolds; Vol. 1; 1906
  5. ^ "Summary: Lynching in America, 3rd edition, 2015". Archived from the original on October 23, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  6. ^ Nancy Snell Griffith, "Arkadelphia Lynching of 1879/ aka: Lynching of Daniels Family" Archived October 23, 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Arkansas Encyclopedia of History and Culture, February 11, 2016; accessed October 22, 2017
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived September 4, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  8. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  9. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  10. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  11. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  12. ^ "Arkansas decides wet counties". KSLA-12 News. Shreveport, Louisiana: Gray Television. AP. November 3, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  13. ^ "Quorum Courts". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  14. ^ "Office of County Judge". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  15. ^ "2023 County & District Officials". Association of Arkansas Counties. December 8, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  16. ^ "2022 General Election and Nonpartisan Judicial Runoff Election". Arkansas Secretary of State. November 8, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  17. ^ "Quorum Court – Clark County Arkansas". Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  18. ^ Phelps, Joel (November 9, 2022). "Hannah, Johns, Angle keep JP seats; Buscher ousted". News in Arkadelphia and Southwest Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  19. ^ "Quorum Court – Clark County Arkansas". Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  20. ^ "Clark County, Arkansas, elections, 2024". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  21. ^ "2021 House Boundaries". Arkansas Board of Apportionment. November 24, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  22. ^ "2021 Senate Boundaries". Arkansas Board of Apportionment. November 24, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  23. ^ "Members of the 94th General Assembly - Arkansas House of Representatives". www.arkansashouse.org. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  24. ^ "Senators". Arkansas Senate. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  25. ^ Sesser, David (June 12, 2019). "Barringer (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  26. ^ Sesser, David (June 21, 2021). "Boswell (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  27. ^ Sesser, David (February 18, 2023). "Burtsell (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  28. ^ Worthan, Jacob (January 18, 2023). "Curtis (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  29. ^ Sesser, David (June 21, 2021). "Fendley (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  30. ^ Worthan, Jacob (December 8, 2021). "Hollywood (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  31. ^ Sesser, David (September 14, 2020). "Joan (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  32. ^ Sesser, David (June 21, 2021). "Kansas (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  33. ^ Sesser, David (September 14, 2020). "Vaden (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  34. ^ Sesser, David (July 12, 2022). "Clear Spring (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  35. ^ Pinkston, Lori (March 19, 2019). "Greenville (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  36. ^ Sesser, David (September 14, 2020). "Halfway (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  37. ^ Sesser, David (July 13, 2022). "Lenox (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  38. ^ Worthan, Jacob (December 6, 2021). "Rome (Clark County)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  39. ^ 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Clark County, AR. U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  40. ^ "Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 28, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2014.