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Pike County, Arkansas
Pike County Courthouse, Arkansas
Pike County Courthouse (Murfreesboro, Arkansas)
Map of Arkansas highlighting Pike County
Location in the state of Arkansas
Map of the U.S
Arkansas's location in the U.S.
Founded November 1, 1833
Named for Zebulon Pike
Seat Murfreesboro
Largest city Glenwood
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

614 sq mi (1,590 km²)
601 sq mi (1,557 km²)
14 sq mi (36 km²),
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

10,171
Congressional district 4th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5

Pike County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,171.[1] The county seat is Murfreesboro.[2] Pike County is Arkansas's 25th county, formed on November 1, 1833, and named for Lieutenant Zebulon Pike, the explorer who discovered Pikes Peak. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county. The current judge is Dewight Mack.

History[]

The first known residents of the area now considered Pike County were Native Americans. The Quapaw tribe was prominent in the area, as well as the Kadohadacho, and Cahinnio tribes. Expeditions led by Hernando de Soto and Sieur de La Salle passed through the area. Around 1800, the Kadohadocho tribe migrated to Texas to avoid further repeated attacks by the Osage, who would venture in from the Oklahoma area.

Pike County was part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, and on November 1, 1833, Pike County was created out of Clark and Hempstead counties by the Arkansas territorial legislature and named after Zebulon Pike. A post office was established in what is now Murfreesboro, with the town itself receiving its name from some of its first residents having originated from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Until it was officially named, Murfreesboro had been referred to as "Forks of the Missouri" or "Three Forks.” Much of the county's documented history was destroyed in the court house fires of 1855 and 1895.

During the Civil War, Pike County men formed two full companies for service in regiments formed in Montgomery County, in the Confederate Army, with the most active being the 4th Arkansas Infantry, and the county was firmly in support of the Confederate States of America. In 1864, Murfreesboro served as a winter quarters for the Confederate regiments assigned to that area, with Union Army regiments wintering just eighteen miles away in and around Antoine.

In 1900, Martin White Greeson, who owned property in Pike County and also owned and operated the Murfreesboro-Nashville Southwest RailRoad, began campaigning for a dam on the Little Missouri River to alleviate flooding. It was not until 1941 that the project was approved, and construction began on June 1, 1948, and was completed on July 12, 1951. The lake created by the dam was named Lake Greeson in Greeson's honor.

In the early 20th century, Rosboro, Arkansas was the headquarters of one of the state's most productive lumber mills and received its name from Thomas Whitaker Rosborough, owner of the lumber company. That company, originating in Rosboro, eventually moved to Springfield, Oregon, where today it is one of the largest forest product producers in the U.S., and it operates under the name of the "Rosboro Timber Company.”

During World War II, Murfreesboro was used as a site to house and work German prisoners of war.

Since the late 19th century, the county's main source of employment has been the timber industry.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 614 square miles (1,590 km2), of which 601 square miles (1,560 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (2.2%) is water.[3]

Major highways[]

  • US 70 U.S. Highway 70
  • Arkansas 8 Highway 8
  • Arkansas 19 Highway 19
  • Arkansas 26 Highway 26
  • Arkansas 27 Highway 27
  • Arkansas 29 Highway 29
  • Arkansas 84 Highway 84

Adjacent counties[]

National protected area[]

  • Ouachita National Forest (part)

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1840 969
1850 1,861 92.1%
1860 4,025 116.3%
1870 3,788 −5.9%
1880 6,345 67.5%
1890 8,537 34.5%
1900 10,301 20.7%
1910 12,565 22.0%
1920 12,397 −1.3%
1930 11,792 −4.9%
1940 11,786 −0.1%
1950 10,032 −14.9%
1960 7,864 −21.6%
1970 8,711 10.8%
1980 10,373 19.1%
1990 10,086 −2.8%
2000 11,303 12.1%
2010 11,291 −0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]
1790–1960[5] 1900–1990[6]
1990–2000[7] 2010–2020[1]
USA Pike County, Arkansas age pyramid

Age pyramid, Pike County[8]

2020 census[]

Pike County racial composition[9]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 8,525 83.82%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 238 2.34%
Native American 83 0.82%
Asian 16 0.16%
Other/Mixed 478 4.7%
Hispanic or Latino 831 8.17%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,171 people, 4,280 households, and 2,969 families residing in the county.

2000 census[]

As of the 2000 census,[10] there were 11,303 people, 4,504 households, and 3,265 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile (7/km2). There were 5,536 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.04% White, 3.47% Black or African American, 0.65% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.60% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. 3.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,504 households, out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.90% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.90% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,695, and the median income for a family was $32,883. Males had a median income of $27,294 versus $17,266 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,385. About 12.80% of families and 16.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.80% of those under age 18 and 20.20% of those age 65 or over.


Government[]

Over the past few election cycles Pike County has trended heavily towards the GOP. The last Democrat (as of 2020) to carry this county was Bill Clinton in 1996.

United States presidential election results for Pike County, Arkansas[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 3,519 82.88% 644 15.17% 83 1.95%
2016 3,150 79.13% 685 17.21% 146 3.67%
2012 2,847 75.16% 851 22.47% 90 2.38%
2008 2,727 68.76% 1,089 27.46% 150 3.78%
2004 2,013 59.79% 1,310 38.91% 44 1.31%
2000 2,275 57.29% 1,604 40.39% 92 2.32%
1996 1,401 32.86% 2,362 55.41% 500 11.73%
1992 1,577 37.26% 2,168 51.23% 487 11.51%
1988 2,105 55.44% 1,681 44.27% 11 0.29%
1984 2,665 64.72% 1,443 35.04% 10 0.24%
1980 1,916 46.77% 2,094 51.11% 87 2.12%
1976 1,234 30.35% 2,822 69.40% 10 0.25%
1972 2,316 73.69% 798 25.39% 29 0.92%
1968 1,104 33.51% 656 19.91% 1,535 46.59%
1964 1,241 44.53% 1,531 54.93% 15 0.54%
1960 1,013 48.19% 997 47.43% 92 4.38%
1956 905 47.56% 985 51.76% 13 0.68%
1952 742 38.29% 1,163 60.01% 33 1.70%
1948 256 18.95% 997 73.80% 98 7.25%
1944 405 31.35% 877 67.88% 10 0.77%
1940 424 30.09% 974 69.13% 11 0.78%
1936 283 22.14% 994 77.78% 1 0.08%
1932 176 10.61% 1,480 89.21% 3 0.18%
1928 698 47.07% 779 52.53% 6 0.40%
1924 378 31.93% 732 61.82% 74 6.25%
1920 921 50.69% 849 46.73% 47 2.59%
1916 605 33.93% 1,178 66.07% 0 0.00%
1912 331 29.45% 603 53.65% 190 16.90%
1908 601 49.96% 568 47.22% 34 2.83%
1904 517 51.19% 432 42.77% 61 6.04%
1900 413 42.19% 566 57.81% 0 0.00%
1896 231 21.04% 864 78.69% 3 0.27%
1892 231 18.84% 656 53.51% 339 27.65%



Attractions[]

  • Crater of Diamonds State Park & Water park

Communities[]

Cities[]

  • Delight
  • Glenwood
  • Murfreesboro (county seat)

Towns[]

  • Antoine
  • Daisy
  • Nathan
  • Pisgah
  • Salem

Census designated place[]

  • Kirby
  • Newhope

Other unincorporated communities[]

  • Billstown
  • Highland
  • Langley
  • Lodi
  • Rosboro

Townships[]

Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas and some may have incorporated towns or cities within part of their space. Townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the US Census does list Arkansas population based on townships (often referred to as "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps. The townships of Pike County are listed below with the town(s) and/or city that are fully or partially inside them listed in parentheses.


[12][13]

  • Antoine (most of CDP Kirby)
  • Brewer
  • Clark (Glenwood)
  • Eagle (small part of CDP Kirby)
  • Missouri (Delight)
  • Mountain
  • Muddy Fork
  • Pike City
  • Saline
  • Self Creek (Daisy, part of CDP Kirby)
  • Thompson (Murfreesboro)
  • White
  • Wolf Creek (Antoine)

Notable residents[]

  • Former U.S. Representative Thomas Dale Alford was born in Pike County. A leading ophthalmologist in Little Rock, he served in Congress from 1959 to 1963, having first been elected as a write-in candidate.
  • Singer Glen Campbell was born in Billstown, Arkansas, and raised in nearby Delight.
  • Former Arkansas State Treasurer and state auditor Gus Wingfield was born in Antoine, Arkansas, and attended school in Delight.

See also[]

  • List of lakes in Pike County, Arkansas
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Pike County, Arkansas

References[]

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05109.html. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_05.txt. 
  4. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  5. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  6. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ar190090.txt. 
  7. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  8. ^ Based on 2000 census data
  9. ^ "Explore Census Data". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US05109&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2. 
  10. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  11. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/. 
  12. ^ U. S. Census Bureau. 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Pike County, AR (Map). http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05109_pike/BAS11C20510900000_000.pdf. 
  13. ^ "Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/block/2010/cousub/dc10blk_st05_cousub.html#P. 

External links[]

Coordinates: 34°10′00″N 93°39′27″W / 34.1666667, -93.6575


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Pike County, Arkansas. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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