Searcy County, Arkansas

Searcy County (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,828.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat is Marshall.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was formed December 13, 1838, from a portion of Marion County and named for Richard Searcy, the first clerk and judge in the Arkansas Territory. The city of Searcy, Arkansas, some 70 miles away, shares the name despite having never been part of Searcy County. The county is an alcohol prohibition or dry county.

History

During the American Civil War, Searcy County, Arkansas had strong, pro-Union leanings, forming an organization known as the "Arkansas Peace Society".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Chocolate Roll Capital of the World

The Chocolate Roll is a dessert endemic to Searcy but little known outside the near region. A typical Chocolate Roll is made from pie dough spread with a mixture of cocoa powder, shortening, and sugar, then rolled up and baked.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2012 The Greater Searcy County Chamber of Commerce declared Searcy County the "Chocolate Roll Capital of the World™", and asserted trademarks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Since 2012 Marshall High School has hosted an annual Chocolate Roll Festival that includes the World Champion Chocolate Roll Contest.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 6th was held on March 18, 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

• File:US 65.svg U.S. Highway 65
• File:Arkansas 14.svg Arkansas Highway 14
• File:Arkansas 16.svg Arkansas Highway 16
• File:Arkansas 27.svg Arkansas Highway 27
• File:Arkansas 66.svg Arkansas Highway 66
• File:Arkansas 74.svg Arkansas Highway 74
• File:Arkansas 235.svg Arkansas Highway 235
• File:Arkansas 333.svg Arkansas Highway 333
• File:Arkansas 374.svg Arkansas Highway 374
• File:Arkansas 377.svg Arkansas Highway 377

Adjacent counties

• Marion County (north)
• Baxter County (northeast)
• Stone County (east)
• Van Buren County (south)
• Pope County (southwest)
• Newton County (west)
• Boone County (northwest)

National protected areas

• Buffalo National River (part)
• Ozark National Forest (part)

Demographics

File:USA Searcy County, Arkansas age pyramid.svg

Age pyramid Searcy County<ref>Based on 2000 census data</ref>

2020 census

Searcy County racial composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	7,092	90.6%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	5	0.06%
Native American	65	0.83%
Asian	20	0.26%
Pacific Islander	5	0.06%
Other/Mixed	501	6.4%
Hispanic or Latino	140	1.79%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,828 people, 3,327 households, and 2,333 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 8,261 people, 3,523 households, and 2,466 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 4,292 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 97.26% White, 0.04% Black or African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. 1.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,523 households, out of which 27.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.50% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.70% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 24.50% from 25 to 44, 26.70% from 45 to 64, and 19.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $21,397, and the median income for a family was $27,580. Males had a median income of $21,768 versus $16,276 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,536. About 17.80% of families and 23.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.00% of those under age 18 and 26.60% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Government

The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Arkansas and the Arkansas Code. The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are called justices of the peace and are elected from county districts every even-numbered year. The number of districts in a county vary from nine to fifteen, and district boundaries are drawn by the county election commission. The Searcy County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the county judge, who serves as the chief operating officer of the county. The county judge is elected at-large and does not vote in quorum court business, although capable of vetoing quorum court decisions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Searcy County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6033/november_races.pdf</ref>

Position	Officeholder	Party
County Judge	Tony Horton	Republican
County/Circuit Clerk	Cassy Ward	(Unknown)
Sheriff/Collector	Kenny Cassell	Republican
Treasurer	Mary Beth Martin	Republican
Assessor	Randy Crumley	Republican
Coroner	Jerry Patterson	Republican

The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 9 Republicans. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• District 1: Rob Woods (R)
• District 2: Kim D. Loftin (R)
• District 3: James Matt Smith (R)
• District 4: Danny Loggins (R)
• District 5: Wayne Witcher (R)
• District 6: Joel Brian Ragland (R)
• District 7: Jason Ragland (R)
• District 8: Cindi Silor (R)
• District 9: Jerry Loggins (R)

Additionally, the townships of Stone County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the Constitution of Arkansas. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:<ref name=":1" />

• District 1: Bill Sellers (R)
• District 2: Troy Dye (R)

Politics

Along with adjacent Newton County, Searcy is unique among Arkansas counties in being traditionally Republican in political leanings even during the overwhelmingly Democratic "Solid South" era. This Republicanism resulted from their historical paucity of slaves, in turn created by infertile soils unsuitable for intensive cotton farming, and produced support for the Union during the Civil War.Template:Citation needed These were the only two counties in Arkansas to be won by Alf Landon in 1936,<ref>Geographie Electorale</ref> Wendell Willkie in 1940, Charles Evans Hughes in 1916, and even Calvin Coolidge in 1924. In Presidential elections post-1932, Harry S. Truman and Jimmy Carter are the only Democrats to carry the county.<ref>David Leip's Election Atlas (Electoral Maps for Arkansas by year)</ref> In the 1992 election George H. W. Bush won his second-highest margin in the state, despite former Arkansas governor Bill Clinton being the Democratic nominee. In fact, Republican nominee Bob Dole also carried the county 4 years later despite Clinton's success almost everywhere else in the state. Republicans have received over 60 percent of the vote in the county in every election since 2000.<ref>The New York Times electoral map (Zoom in on Arkansas)</ref> In 2016, Donald Trump received more than 79 percent of the vote in the county, while former Arkansas First Lady Hillary Clinton received just 16 percent. In 2020, Trump received more than 83 percent of the vote, and in 2024 he received over 85%. Trump's performances in each of these elections are the best of any candidate in the county's history.

The county is in Arkansas's 1st congressional district, which from Reconstruction until 2010 sent only Democrats to the U.S. House. That year, it elected Republican Rick Crawford, who currently holds the seat as of 2023. In the Arkansas House of Representatives Searcy County is represented by first-term Republican Steven Walker from the 27th district.<ref>Arkansas House page</ref> The state senator, Missy Thomas Irvin, is also a Republican, serving her fourth term from the 24th district.<ref>Arkansas Senate site Template:Webarchive</ref>

Since 1980, in gubernatorial races, the county has tended to favor Republicans in all but one contest. It voted for Frank White in his successful run against freshman Democratic incumbent Bill Clinton in 1980. It supported White again in 1982 and 1986 in rematches with Clinton. It also voted for Woody Freeman over Clinton in 1984. It was the only county in Arkansas where Republican Sheffield Nelson won in both 1990 and 1994.<ref>David Leip's Election Atlas (Gubernatorial electoral Maps for Arkansas by year)</ref> In 1990, it was Nelson's best county in the entire state, winning 64 percent to then-Governor Bill Clinton's 36 percent in Searcy County. In 1994, Searcy County was among the two counties to vote for Nelson over incumbent Democrat Jim Guy Tucker, Benton County being the other (which actually voted for Clinton over Nelson in 1990).

In 1998, Searcy County voted for Republican Mike Huckabee with just under 70 percent, and again in 2002, albeit with a reduced margin of 57 percent. In 2006, it voted 52 percent for Republican ex-Congressman Asa Hutchinson, who lost to Democrat Mike Beebe. In 2010, however, it did vote for incumbent Democrat Mike Beebe with a margin of 57 percent to 40 percent over former state Senator Jim Keet, the first time it had done so since 1978. Keet was regarded as a weak candidate, as he failed to carry a single county.

Education

Public education is provided for early childhood, elementary and secondary education from multiple school districts including:<ref>Template:Cite map - Text list</ref>

• Searcy County School District, which includes Marshall High School
• Ozark Mountain School District, which includes Searcy County-based St. Joe Elementary School (also it formerly had St. Joe High School)
• Hector School District
• Mountain View School District
• Yellville-Summit School District

Communities

Cities

• Leslie
• Marshall (county seat)

Towns

• Big Flat (mostly in Baxter County)
• Gilbert
• Pindall
• St. Joe

Census-designated places

• Witts Springs

Unincorporated Communities

• Cozahome
• Harriet

Townships

File:Searcy County Arkansas 2010 Township Map large.jpg

Townships in Searcy County, Arkansas as of 2010

Template:Arkansas Townships About <ref>Template:Cite map</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Township	FIPS code	ANSI code (GNIS ID)	Population center(s)	Pop. (2010)	Pop. density (/mi2)	Pop. density (/km2)	Land area (mi2)	Land area (km2)	Water area (mi2)	Water area (km2)	Geographic coordinates
Bear Creek No. 4	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Marshall	989	21.20	8.18	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Bear Creek No. 5	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Marshall	728	492.22	190.08	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Bear Creek No. 6	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Marshall	913	36.64	14.15	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Calf Creek	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		326	4.01	1.55	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Long Creek	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		474	10.72	4.14	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Mount Pleasant	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		465	4.28	1.65	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Oxley	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		364	11.37	4.39	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Prairie	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Pindall	550	13.82	5.34	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Red River	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		321	9.69	3.78	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Rock Creek	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		547	10.48	3.99	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
St. Joe	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	St. Joe	390	13.07	5.05	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Shady Grove	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		189	4.41	2.87	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Spring	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Marshall	588	12.59	4.86	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Tomahawk	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Gilbert, St. Joe	574	10.68	4.12	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Wileys Cove	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Leslie	777	17.18	6.63	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Source: U.S. Census Bureau<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref> Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

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

References

<references />

External links

• Searcy County Arkansas Chamber of Commerce
• Searcy County Library (extensive local genealogy records and fulltime genealogy staff)
• Searcy County entry in the Encyclopedia of Arkansas
• Searcy County Map from Encyclopedia of Arkansas
• Searcy County Map from U. S. Census Bureau