Editing Randolph County, Arkansas (section)

==Geography==
{{See also|Geography of Arkansas|Arkansas Delta}}
Randolph County is located where the foothills of the [[Ozark Mountains]] intersect the Arkansas Delta (in Arkansas, usually referred to as "the Delta") in the southeast part of the county. Two of the six primary geographic regions of Arkansas, the Ozarks are a mountainous subdivision of the [[U.S. Interior Highlands]], and the Arkansas Delta is a subregion of the [[Mississippi Alluvial Plain]], which is a flat area consisting of rich, fertile sediment deposits from the [[Mississippi River]] between [[Louisiana]] and [[Illinois]].<ref name="eoc" >{{ Cite encyclopedia |title= Randolph County |url= http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=803 |encyclopedia= [[Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture]] |publisher= Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System |date= January 23, 2016 |first= Derek Allen |last= Clements |access-date= December 18, 2016 }}</ref> The [[Black River (Arkansas)|Black River]] roughly divides the two regions in Randolph County.<ref name="ran">{{Cite map |author= Transportation Planning and Policy Division |publisher= Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department |title= General Highway Map, Randolph County, Arkansas |url= http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/RandolphCounty.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100922141212/http://arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/RandolphCounty.pdf |archive-date=September 22, 2010 |url-status=live |location= Little Rock |format= PDF |date= May 12, 2008 |scale= 1:62500 |access-date= December 19, 2016 }}</ref> According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|656.04|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|651.83|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|4.21|sqmi}} (0.6%) is water.<ref name="area" />

The county is located approximately {{convert|144|mi|km}} northeast of [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]], {{convert|108|mi|km}} northwest of [[Memphis, Tennessee]], and {{convert|204|mi|km}} southwest of [[St. Louis, Missouri]].{{#tag:ref|Mileages from Randolph County to Little Rock, Memphis, and St. Louis are based on highway miles using county seat Pocahontas for Randolph County.<ref>{{cite web
  |title=Google Maps (Search for Pocahontas, AR)
  |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pocahontas,+AR+72455/@36.2663518,-91.040679,12z
  |access-date= August 28, 2016 }}</ref>
|group=Note}} Randolph County is surrounded by three Delta counties: [[Clay County, Arkansas|Clay County]] to the east, [[Greene County, Arkansas|Greene County]] to the southeast, [[Lawrence County, Arkansas|Lawrence County]] to the south, one Ozark county, [[Sharp County, Arkansas|Sharp County]], to the west, and two [[Missouri]] counties, [[Oregon County, Missouri|Oregon County]] to the northwest, and [[Ripley County, Missouri|Ripley County]] to the northeast.

===Hydrology===
{{See also|List of lakes in Randolph County, Arkansas}}
[[File:Davidsonville Historic State Park 007.jpg|right|thumb|Lake in Davidsonville Historic State Park]]
Water is an extremely important part of Randolph County's geography, history, economy, and culture. The many rivers, streams, and ditches crossing the county have featured prominently since prehistoric times, and many of the hundreds of archaeological sites are along waterways. Tribes of [[Lenape]], [[Shawnee]], and [[Cherokee]] were settled in the area along rivers but left the area following the [[1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes]].<ref name="eoc" />

Randolph County is home to five major rivers: Black River, [[Current River (Ozarks)|Current River]], [[Eleven Point River]], [[Fourche River]], and [[Spring River (Arkansas)|Spring River]].

Running from east to west toward its own mouth in the southern tip of Randolph County, the Black receives the Current River and Fourche River east of Pocahontas. The Current River serves as the northeastern county boundary with Clay County before turning southwest, passing Reyno and Biggers and meeting the Black east of Pocahontas. The Fourche River enters Randolph County near [[Doniphan, Missouri]] and runs south to meet the Black east of Pocahontas. The Black meets the Spring at the southern tip of Randolph County near [[Black Rock, Arkansas|Black Rock]].

The Spring River serves as the county's southwestern boundary with Lawrence County between Davidsonville Historic State Park and [[Ravenden, Arkansas|Ravenden]]. The Eleven Point River enters from [[Missouri]] near [[Billmore, Missouri|Billmore]] and runs south to empty into the Spring just west of the state park.

Rivers brought early prosperity to the county during white settlement for navigation. Control of the rivers and [[Pitman's Ferry]] led to military action in the county during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], including a skirmish in 1862. Following the war, natural [[mineral spring]]s purported to have healing properties attracted visitors to [[Warm Springs, Arkansas|Warm Springs]] and Ravenden Springs.

===Protected areas===
Randolph County contains one [[List of Arkansas state parks|state park]], Davidsonville Historic State Park, and two [[List of Arkansas Wildlife Management Areas|Wildlife Management Areas]] (WMAs), Dave Donaldson/Black River WMA and Robert L. Hankins/Mud Creek Upland WMA, owned by the [[Arkansas Game and Fish Commission]].

Black River WMA preserves [[bottomland hardwood forest]] habitat and [[Mississippi Flyway|wintering habitat for migratory birds]]. Created in 1957, Black River WMA contains over {{convert|25000|acre|ha}} total and extends into Clay and Greene counties.<ref>{{ cite web |title= Wildlife Management Area Details |work= Dave Donaldson Black River WMA |url= http://www.agfc.com/hunting/Pages/wmaDetails.aspx?show=170 |publisher= Arkansas Game and Fish Commission |location= Little Rock |year= 2011 |access-date= December 28, 2016 }}</ref> Mud Creek Upland WMA was created in 1989 with {{convert|1250|acre|ha}} of [[Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest|upland hardwood forest]]. The area is open to [[birding]], hunting, and hiking.<ref>{{ cite web |title= Wildlife Management Area Details |work= R.L. Hankins Mud Creek Upland WMA |url= http://www.agfc.com/hunting/Pages/wmaDetails.aspx?show=555 |publisher= Arkansas Game and Fish Commission |location= Little Rock |year= 2011 |access-date= December 28, 2016 }}</ref>

Davidsonville Historic State Park is a {{convert|163|acre|ha|abbr=off|adj=on}} history state park focused on the interpretation and archaeology of the abandoned frontier town of Davidsonville. Once a very important stop on the Black River and [[Southwest Trail]] within [[Arkansaw Territory]], Davidsonville was abandoned by 1836 following the decline of river transport and the shifting of the Southwest Trail. The park is owned and operated by the [[Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism]].