page_title: St. Charles, Arkansas
section_title: Modern day
hierarchical_section_title: St. Charles, Arkansas / History / Modern day
caption_attribution_description: English: Ducks flying over the rice fields of the Arkansas Delta.
context_page_description: St. Charles is a town in Arkansas County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 230 at the 2010 census. The small town has been at the center of various events in Arkansas' history. St. Charles is best known for the Battle of Saint Charles, which was fought on the White River, which borders the town. St. Charles is also known for being in the White River National Wildlife Refuge.
context_section_description: In 1935, the White River was designated a wildlife refuge and was named the White River National Wildlife Refuge, which protects the many types of wetland wildlife that calls the Lower White River home, though this refuge does allow for waterfowl hunting, namely ducks quail and pheasants. Charles has declined in tandem with many Delta towns since the expansion of large-scale industrial farming but has remained intact as a small town due to the influx of hunters, naturalist and birdwatchers that venture to the White River NWR.
  In 2013, the refuge was given the distinction of being a National Blueway by the Fish and Wildlife service. Later in the year, they called for an expansion of more than 100,000 acres, which would be done through purchasing land from willing sellers. The purpose of this expansion would be to protect wildlife that lives on the lower river and it would also preserve the Arkansas "Big Woods", which only 10% remains. In 2014, the refuge was formally renamed the "Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge" to honor former Arkansas Governor Dale Bumpers.
caption: Duck hunting is a common pastime in St. Charles, which draws hunters from other parts of the South.
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