White County, Arkansas

White County, Arkansas
White County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 76,822. The county seat is Searcy. White County is Arkansas's 31st county, formed on October 23, 1835, from portions of Independence, Jackson, and Pulaski counties and named for Hugh Lawson White, a Whig candidate for President of the United States. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county, though a few private establishments (such as the Searcy Country Club, and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in Searcy and Beebe) can serve alcohol.
White County comprises the Searcy, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR Combined Statistical Area.
History
On May 17, 1862, White County was the site of the Little Red Skirmish between Union Major General Samuel J Curtis and a force of about 100 loosely-organized Confederates, followed by the battle at Whitney Lane in June. also known as The Skirmish at Searcy Landing.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.7%) is water. It is the second-largest county by area in Arkansas.
Major highways
Future Interstate 57
U.S. Highway 64
U.S. Highway 67
U.S. Highway 167
Highway 5
Highway 11
Highway 13
Highway 16
Highway 31
Highway 36
Highway 87
Highway 110
Highway 124
Highway 157
Highway 258
Highway 267
Highway 305
Highway 310
Highway 320
Highway 321
Highway 323
Highway 367
Highway 385
Adjacent counties
Independence County (north)
Jackson County (northeast)
Woodruff County (east)
Prairie County (southeast)
Lonoke County (southwest)
Faulkner County (west)
Cleburne County (northwest)
National and state protected areas
Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge
Henry Gray / Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 76,822 people, 28,621 households, and 18,028 families residing in the county.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 67,165 people, 25,148 households, and 18,408 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 27,613 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 93.52% White, 3.56% Black or African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.82% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. 1.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 25,148 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.40% under the age of 18, 12.80% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,203, and the median income for a family was $38,782. Males had a median income of $29,884 versus $20,323 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,890. About 10.40% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.10% of those under age 18 and 14.30% of those age 65 or over.
Government
In 1988, White County elected virtually an entire slate of Republicans to county offices. Though such Republican sweeps had frequently occurred in northern and northwestern Arkansas, White County was the first in the Little Rock area to turn to Republican as the party steadily made inroads toward a two-party system.
A portion of White County is represented in the Arkansas State Senate by the Republican Ronald R. Caldwell, a real estate businessman from Wynne in Cross County. The 45th and current White County Judge is Michael Lincoln of Searcy, who assumed office in January 2007.
Over the past few election cycles White County has trended heavily towards the GOP. The last Democrat (as of 2020) to carry this county was Bill Clinton in 1996.
Economy
One of the state's largest banks, First Security Bank, was established in Searcy in 1932 as Security Bank. First Security now has over $8 billion in assets and 78 locations in Arkansas.
The first Wal-Mart distribution center away from the corporate headquarters in Bentonville was established in Searcy.
Education
Public education
Public education is provided by several public school districts including:
Private education
Colleges and universities
Arkansas State University-Beebe Public, established in 1927 as The Junior Agricultural School of Central Arkansas.
Arkansas State University-Searcy A technical branch of Arkansas State University
Harding University Private, Churches of Christ enrollment over 6000.
Communities
Cities
Bald Knob
Beebe
Bradford
Judsonia
Kensett
McRae
Pangburn
Searcy (county seat)
Towns
Garner
Georgetown
Griffithville
Higginson
Letona
Rose Bud
Russell
West Point
Unincorporated communities
Albion — north-central White County, between Four Mile Hill or "Boothill" and Pangburn, and north of Letona, along Arkansas Highway 16 and surrounding county roads
Antioch — western White County, north of Beebe, along Arkansas Highways 31 and 267 and surrounding county roads
Andrews
Bare Stone
Barrentine Corner
Bee Rock
Belcher
Center Hill — central White County, approximately 8 miles west of Searcy, situated along Arkansas Highway 36 and 305 and surrounding county roads
Clay
Conant
Crosby
Dewey
Dogwood
Doniphan
El Paso — southwestern White County, situated along Arkansas Highway 5 and U.S. Highway 64 West
Enright
Essex
Floyd — western White County, approximately 8 miles southeast of Romance, along Arkansas Highways 31 and 305 and surrounding county roads
Four Mile Hill or "Boot Hill" — central White County, northwest of Searcy and southeast of Albion, along Arkansas Highway 16 and surrounding county roads
Georgia Ridge – home community of Arkansas State Representative Charlotte Douglas of District 75 in Crawford County
Gravel Hill — western White County, northwest of Floyd and south of Joy, situated between Arkansas Highways 31 and 36 along Gravel Hill Road and surrounding county roads
Hammondsville – western White County, between Romance and El Paso, primarily situated along Hammons Chapel Road (connecting Highway 5 and El Paso Road)
Happy
Harmony — central White County, southwest of Center Hill, situated along Arkansas Highway 305 and surrounding county roads
Hart
Hickory Flat
Holly Springs
Joy — central White County, between Rose Bud and Center Hill, situated along Arkansas Highway 36 and surrounding county roads
Keeler Corner
Liberty Valley — eastern White County, between Bald Knob and the White River, along U.S. Highway 64 East and surrounding county roads
Little Red
Midway
Mitchell Corner
Morning Sun — annexed to Higginson in 2008
Nimmo
Opal — southwestern White County, between El Paso and Beebe, along U.S. Highway 64 West and Opal Road and surrounding county roads
Pickens — north-central White County, between Sidon and Letona, along Arkansas Highway 310 (Pickens Chapel Road) and Pickens Road and surrounding county roads
Plainview — northeastern White County, north of Judsonia, along Arkansas Highways 157 and 385 and surrounding county roads
Pryor
Providence — northeastern White County, north of Judsonia and northwest of Bald Knob, along Arkansas Highways 157 and 258 and surrounding county roads; site of White County Central Schools
Rio Vista
Romance — western White County, between Rose Bud and El Paso, along Arkansas Highways 5 and 31 and surrounding county roads
Showalter's Corner
Sidon — north-central White County, west of Pickens and north of Joy, along Arkansas Highway 310 and surrounding county roads
Smyrna
Steprock
Sunnydale
Twentythree
Velvet Ridge — northeastern White County, north of Bald Knob, along U.S. Highway 167 and surrounding county roads
Vinity Corner — south-central White County, south of Garner and southeast of McRae, along West Vinity Road, North Vinity Road, and other county roads southeast of Arkansas Highway 367
Walker — southeastern White County, south of Higginson and west of Griffithville, along Arkansas Highway 11 (Walker Road) and surrounding county roads
Worden
Wright's Corner
Historic towns
Beeler Ferry
Bethel Grove
Denmark
Jasmine
Mount Pisgah
Old Stoney Point
Roosevelt
Russell
Union Hill
Townships
Albion
Antioch
Bald Knob (Bald Knob)
Big Creek (Pangburn)
Cadron
Cane
Chrisp
Clay
Cleveland
Coffey
Coldwell
Crosby
Cypert
Denmark
Des Arc
Dogwood (Griffithville)
El Paso
Francure (Georgetown)
Garner (Garner)
Gravel Hill
Gray (most of Searcy, part of Kensett)
Gum Springs (part of Searcy)
Guthrie
Harrison (most of Judsonia, part of Searcy)
Hartsell Township
Higginson Township (Higginson, part of Searcy)
Jackson
Jefferson
Joy
Kensett (most of Kensett, small part of Searcy)
Kentucky (Rose Bud)
Liberty (Bradford)
McRae (McRae)
Marion (Letona)
Marshall
Mount Pisgah
Red River (West Point, part of Judsonia)
Royal
Russell (Russell)
Union (Beebe)
Velvet Ridge
Walker
Source:
See also
Crow Lake (Arkansas)
List of lakes in White County, Arkansas
National Register of Historic Places listings in White County, Arkansas
References
External links
White County, Arkansas entry on the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture
White County Historical Society
White County official website
1835 establishments in Arkansas Territory
Populated places established in 1835
Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway metropolitan area