Little River County, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Little River County
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County
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Little River County Courthouse in Ashdown
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Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
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 Arkansas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Arkansas |
| Founded | March 5, 1867 |
| Named for | Little River |
| Seat | Ashdown |
| Largest city | Ashdown |
| Area | |
| • Total | 565 sq mi (1,460 km2) |
| • Land | 532 sq mi (1,380 km2) |
| • Water | 33 sq mi (90 km2) 5.8%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 12,026 |
| • Density | 21.285/sq mi (8.218/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
Little River County is a county located on the southwest border of the U.S. state of Arkansas, bordering a corner with Texas and Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,026. The county seat is Ashdown.
Little River County is included in the Texarkana, TX-AR Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
Little River County is Arkansas's 59th county, formed from Sevier County on March 5, 1867, during the Reconstruction era and named for the Little River. The county is separated from all other surrounding counties in the state by water (a characteristic shared only with neighboring Miller County). The Little River, Millwood Lake and the Red River form the boundaries of the county within the state.
Around 1895 the Arkansas and Choctaw Railway was built between Arkinda and Ashdown. The line was extended from Arkinda into Oklahoma, and from Ashdown to Hope, Arkansas, in the 1902-1903 timeframe. That line is now operated by the Kiamichi Railroad.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 565 square miles (1,460 km2), of which 532 square miles (1,380 km2) is land and 33 square miles (85 km2) (5.8%) is water. It is the third-smallest county in Arkansas by land area and fourth-smallest by total area.
Major highways
Future Interstate 49
U.S. Highway 59
U.S. Highway 71
Highway 32
Highway 41
Highway 108
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Adjacent counties
- Sevier County (north)
- Howard County (northeast)
- Hempstead County (east)
- Miller County (southeast)
- Bowie County, Texas (south)
- McCurtain County, Oklahoma (west)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 3,236 | — | |
| 1880 | 6,404 | 97.9% | |
| 1890 | 8,903 | 39.0% | |
| 1900 | 13,731 | 54.2% | |
| 1910 | 13,597 | −1.0% | |
| 1920 | 16,301 | 19.9% | |
| 1930 | 15,515 | −4.8% | |
| 1940 | 15,932 | 2.7% | |
| 1950 | 11,690 | −26.6% | |
| 1960 | 9,211 | −21.2% | |
| 1970 | 11,194 | 21.5% | |
| 1980 | 13,952 | 24.6% | |
| 1990 | 13,966 | 0.1% | |
| 2000 | 13,628 | −2.4% | |
| 2010 | 13,171 | −3.4% | |
| 2020 | 12,026 | −8.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 11,805 | −10.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 |
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2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 8,593 | 71.45% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 2,164 | 17.99% |
| Native American | 161 | 1.34% |
| Asian | 19 | 0.16% |
| Pacific Islander | 9 | 0.07% |
| Other/Mixed | 671 | 5.58% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 409 | 3.4% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,026 people, 5,363 households, and 3,523 families residing in the county.
Communities
Cities
Towns
Census-designated places
Other unincorporated places
- Comet
- Richmond
- Rocky Comfort
- Cerro Gordo
Townships
Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the United States Census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "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 and publications. The townships of Little River County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township.
Notable people
- Marion H. Crank, Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives, 1963–1964; Democratic gubernatorial nominee, 1968; resided in Foreman, interred there at Holy Cross Cemetery
- Jeff Davis, Democratic United States Senator from Arkansas and the 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas
