Smackover, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Smackover, Arkansas
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Central Smackover
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Location of Smackover in Union County, Arkansas.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Union |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.35 sq mi (11.26 km2) |
| • Land | 4.35 sq mi (11.26 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 121 ft (37 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,630 |
| • Density | 374.80/sq mi (144.71/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
71762
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| Area code(s) | 870 |
| FIPS code | 05-64730 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405472 |
Smackover is a small city in northern Union County, Arkansas, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population was at 1,865. It had a large oil boom in the 1920s, with production continuing for some time.
Contents
History
In 1686, the French settlers called this area "Sumac Couvert", which translates to "covered in sumac bushes". This was transliterated, that is, phonetically Anglicized by the English-speaking settlers of the 19th century and later to the name "Smackover."
The name Bayou de Chemin Couvert (Smackover Creek) first appeared in an April 5, 1789, letter written by the commandant of Fort Miro (Monroe, Louisiana) to the French territorial governor.
Oil was discovered in this area in 1922; it attracted national attention, speculators, and an economic boom. Smackover was incorporated in 1923. In the 1920s there was a large-scale oil industry in Smackover. The industry declined here and across southern Arkansas by the 1960s, at a cost of many jobs and major losses to the area economy.
Smackover Oil Field
The Smackover Oil Field was discovered on April 14, 1922. The J.T. Murphy well drilled by Oil Operators Trust, reached the Upper Cretaceous Nacatoch sand at a depth of 2,024 feet (617 m), part of the Norphlet dome. Within a year, almost 1,000 wells had produced 25 million barrels of oil.
In October 1922, a lighter oil was produced further west, from the Meakin sand, at depths between 2,230 and 2,350 feet (680 and 720 m) and 2,350 feet (720 m). Oil was discovered in the Blossom sand at a depth of 2,610 feet (800 m) in March 1923. The Graves sand was exploited for oil at a depth of 2,501 feet (762 m) in January 1925.
On May 8, 1936, oil was discovered in the Jurassic Smackover Formation limestone at a depth of 4,800 feet (1,500 m) by the Phillips Petroleum Company. Oil and gas were produced from the porous Reynolds oolite at a depth of 4,897 feet (1,493 m).
Geography
The city is in northern Union County along Smackover Creek. El Dorado lies about ten miles to the south-southeast along Arkansas Route 7. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (11 km2), all land.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Smackover has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 2,544 | — | |
| 1940 | 2,235 | −12.1% | |
| 1950 | 2,495 | 11.6% | |
| 1960 | 2,434 | −2.4% | |
| 1970 | 2,058 | −15.4% | |
| 1980 | 2,453 | 19.2% | |
| 1990 | 2,232 | −9.0% | |
| 2000 | 2,005 | −10.2% | |
| 2010 | 1,865 | −7.0% | |
| 2020 | 1,630 | −12.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,099 | 67.42% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 400 | 24.54% |
| Native American | 5 | 0.31% |
| Asian | 1 | 0.06% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.06% |
| Other/Mixed | 88 | 5.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36 | 2.21% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,630 people, 728 households, and 463 families residing in the city.
Education
Public education for early childhood, elementary and secondary school students is primarily provided by the Smackover School District, which includes:
- Smackover Elementary School, serving prekindergarten through grade 6.
- Smackover High School, serving grades 7 through 12.
The school district's athletic emblem is the Battlin' Buckaroos with black and white as the school colors.
Culture
A street-mounted antique stop light is located in the center of town and western-style store fronts line Main Street. It is home to the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources. The Museum depicts the history and culture of Smackover and the surrounding area with an indoor reconstruction of the city's downtown, an Oil Field Park, and numerous exhibits illustrating South Arkansas's oil industry. Smackover hosts an annual four-day Oil Town Festival held in June.
Longtime college coaching legend Wayne Hardin, a former Smackover resident, was inducted into the NFF College Hall of Fame in 2013. The city has two natives in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Notable people
- Nathan Fletcher (born 1976), California politician
- Wayne Hardin (1926–2017), college football player
- Sleepy LaBeef (1935–2019), Rockabilly/roots musician
- Clyde Scott (1924–2018), football player
See also
In Spanish: Smackover (Arkansas) para niños
