Editing Beebe, Arkansas

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Beebe, Arkansas
| settlement_type                 = [[List of cities and towns in Arkansas|City]]
| image_skyline                   = 
| imagesize                       = 
| image_caption                   = Streetside along N. Main Street in downtown Beebe
| image_flag                      = Flag of Beebe, Arkansas.png
| image_seal                      = Beebe-seal.gif
| image_map                       = File:White County Arkansas Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Beebe Highlighted 0504600.svg
| mapsize                         = 250x200px
| map_caption                     = Location of Beebe in White County, Arkansas.
| pushpin_label                   = Beebe
| pushpin_map                     = Arkansas#USA#North America
| pushpin_map_caption             = Location in Arkansas
| coordinates                     = {{coord|35|04|23|N|91|53|05|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name                = United States
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of counties in Arkansas|County]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Arkansas]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[White County, Arkansas|White]]
| established_date                = 
| government_type                 = 
| leader_title                    = 
| leader_name                     = 
| unit_pref                       = Imperial
| area_footnotes                  = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_05.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
| area_total_km2                  = 26.56
| area_total_sq_mi                = 10.25
| area_land_km2                   = 26.27
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 10.14
| area_water_km2                  = 0.29
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.11
| elevation_footnotes             = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft                    = 249
| population_total                = 8437
| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_density_km2          = 321.13
| population_density_sq_mi        = 831.72
| population_metro                = 
| postal_code_type                = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code                     = 72012
| area_code                       = [[Area code 501|501]]
| website                         = [http://www.beebeark.org beebeark.org]
| footnotes                       = 
| timezone                        = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset                      = -6
| timezone_DST                    = CDT
| utc_offset_DST                  = -5
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 05-04600
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info                     = 2403835<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2403835}}</ref>
}}

'''Beebe''' is a city in [[White County, Arkansas|White County]], [[Arkansas]], [[United States]]. The population was 8,437 at the [[United States Census 2010|2020 U.S. Census]], making it the second most populous in the county. The city is home to [[Arkansas State University-Beebe]]. ASU-Beebe also has branch campuses in [[Heber Springs, Arkansas|Heber Springs]] and [[Searcy, Arkansas|Searcy]] and at [[Little Rock Air Force Base]].

==History==
The community was named after [[Roswell Beebe]], a railroad executive responsible for bringing the rail line that runs through the city. Beebe was incorporated in 1875.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|4.3|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 428
|1900= 904
|1910= 873
|1920= 995
|1930= 1108
|1940= 1189
|1950= 1192
|1960= 1697
|1970= 2805
|1980= 3599
|1990= 4455
|2000= 4930
|2010= 7315
|2020= 8437
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref><br />2014 Estimate<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2014/SUB-EST2014-3.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522132816/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2014/SUB-EST2014-3.html|archive-date=May 22, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Beebe racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US0504600&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 31, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 6,858
| 81.28%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 527
| 6.25%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 41
| 0.49%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 73
| 0.87%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 2
| 0.02%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 565
| 6.7%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 371
| 4.4%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 8,437 people, 3,198 households, and 2,047 families residing in the city.

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2010, there were 7,315 people, 1,930 households, and 1,397 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|1,142.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 2,115 housing units at an average density of {{convert|490.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 90.87% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 5.86% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.47% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.63% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.55% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.58% from two or more races. 1.34% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 1,930 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,252, and the median income for a family was $41,307. Males had a median income of $31,143 versus $20,881 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $16,989.  About 6.6% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 13.0% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.

== Education ==
The city's education corridor is among the most prominent aspects in Beebe, with the city's public schools grouped in an extensive campus situated across the street from [[Arkansas State University Beebe]]. Significant additions have been made to the campus since [[Tornado outbreak of January 21–23, 1999|January 1999]], when a powerful tornado destroyed nearly complete new school buildings and historic residential areas surrounding the downtown area. The public school district grew in 2004 when schools from nearby [[McRae, Arkansas|McRae]] were consolidated into the district, which today serves most of southwestern and south-central White County — proceeding westward to [[El Paso, Arkansas|El Paso]], eastward to [[Garner, Arkansas|Garner]], and to other communities in between. Beebe's district also includes the headquarters of a four-county educational service [[cooperative]] named for noted former U.S. Representative [[Wilbur Mills]], and located on the city's Main Street.

Public education is supported by the Beebe School District consisting of:
[[File:Beebe, AR 002.jpg|upright=1.4|thumb|Beebe High School]]
* [[Beebe High School]] (9-12)
* Beebe Junior High School (7-8)
* Beebe Middle School (5-6)
* Beebe Elementary School (1-4)
* Badger Elementary (2-4)
* Beebe Early Childhood School (KG-1)
* Badger Academy (7-12 alternative school)

Privately run day care and preschool services are also available in Beebe. In addition, Lighthouse [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] Church in eastern Beebe provides religious-based K-12 and post-secondary education.

Founded as the Junior Agricultural School of Central Arkansas in 1927, Arkansas State University Beebe's campus has evolved and grown to become a center for long-distance learning and technical trade programs in central Arkansas. The school has been affiliated with the [[Arkansas State University System]] since 1955. State Hall, the campus' administration building constructed in 1949, is among both the oldest buildings on the campus and in Beebe's educational community. In the fall of 2005, ASU-Beebe had the second highest enrollment among Arkansas's two-year colleges and universities, trailing only [[Pulaski Technical College]] in [[North Little Rock, Arkansas|North Little Rock]]. ASU-Beebe today is the parent campus to branch campuses in Searcy (at the former Foothills Vocational-Technical Institute) and Heber Springs, and an educational center inside [[Little Rock Air Force Base]] in Jacksonville.

==Transportation==
Beebe is served by three main U.S. highways, [[U.S. Route 64 in Arkansas|US 64]], [[U.S. Route 67 in Arkansas|US 67]], and [[U.S. Route 167 in Arkansas|US 167]].  US 64 connects Beebe with the growing city of [[Conway, Arkansas|Conway]], located {{convert|35|mi|km}} west of Beebe. From Conway, US 64 meets [[Interstate 40 in Arkansas|I-40]], which provides access to [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]]. U.S. 67/167 is a four-lane [[freeway]] that officially became [[Interstate 57|I-57]] on November 7, 2024 and connects Beebe with [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]] to the southwest and with [[Searcy, Arkansas|Searcy]], [[Newport, Arkansas|Newport]], and [[Walnut Ridge, Arkansas|Walnut Ridge]] to the northeast. At Exit 28, US 64 joins US 67/167 as it goes northeast to [[Bald Knob, Arkansas|Bald Knob]] where it branches off of US 67 and goes east to [[Wynne, Arkansas|Wynne]] and eventually [[West Memphis, Arkansas|West Memphis]] in eastern Arkansas, while US 167 also splits from US 67 at Bald Knob to provide connection to [[Batesville, Arkansas|Batesville]].

Additionally, [[U.S. Route 67B (Beebe, Arkansas)|U.S. Route 67B]] starts from just east of US 67/US 167 at Exit 28 and goes east into downtown Beebe via W. Center Street, passing between the Beebe Public Schools main campus and ASU-Beebe. The path proceeds north from downtown near the historic [[Beebe Railroad Station]] back to US 64/US 67/US 167, as it is a [[Concurrency (road)|concurrent]] highway with [[Arkansas Highway 31]] (N. Main Street).

Beebe is also served by [[Arkansas Highway 367]] (DeWitt Henry Drive), which is a former alignment of US 67 prior to the building of the US 67/US 167 freeway. A spur of Arkansas 367 is concurrent with a portion of the city's N. Pecan Street, to join the freeway at Exit 29 and serve as ASU-Beebe's primary freeway link. Just outside the city limits of Beebe, the rural areas are served by [[Arkansas Highway 321|Highway 321]] and [[Arkansas Highway 267|Highway 267]] to the northeast, and [[Arkansas Highway 13|Highway 13]] to the east.

Just like many towns in central and north central Arkansas, Beebe was formed near a railroad and the [[Union Pacific]] railroad tracks traverse through the south and east portions of town. The city of Searcy has the nearest airport, as the [[Searcy Regional Airport]] is located {{convert|15|mi|km}} northeast of Beebe. Passenger service is available at [[Clinton National Airport]], approximately {{convert|35|mi|km}} southwest of Beebe on the east side of the city of Little Rock.

==Repeated blackbird death incidents==
{{see also|2010–2011 midwinter animal mass death events|Bird kill}}
Beebe made international news in early January 2011 following the death of more than 3,000 [[red-winged blackbird]]s and [[European starling]]s over the community. Arkansas state wildlife authorities first received reports on December 31, 2010, shortly before midnight. Further investigation revealed the birds fell over a one-mile (1.6&nbsp;km) area of Beebe, with no other dead birds found outside that concentrated zone. The birds showed signs of physical trauma, leading one ornithologist with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to speculate the blackbirds might have been killed by lightning, high-altitude hail or possibly even fireworks. The birds were sent to laboratories in Georgia and Wisconsin for [[autopsy|necropsies]] and to determine the cause of death.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110102/ap_on_fe_st/us_odd_dead_birds_arkansas ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111145739/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110102/ap_on_fe_st/us_odd_dead_birds_arkansas |date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine| url=https://newsfeed.time.com/2011/01/03/why-did-thousands-of-birds-drop-dead-in-the-arkansas-sky/ | magazine=Time | date=January 3, 2011 | title=Why Did Thousands of Birds Drop Dead in the Arkansas Sky?}}</ref> On January 5, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission confirmed that the incident was caused by a resident setting off professional-grade [[fireworks]], startling the birds into a panic flight.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-01-05-arkansas-dead-birds-fireworks_N.htm | work=USA Today | first=Elizabeth | last=Weise | title=Fireworks likely cause of massive Ark. bird kill | date=January 5, 2011}}</ref>

On New Year's Eve 2011, a few hours before entering into 2012, blackbirds again were reported to be falling to the ground in Beebe. Several hundred had plunged to their deaths according to the local television station [[KATV]] which also reported that its radar had shown a "large mass" over the town.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Dead blackbirds fall again in Arkansas town |url= http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/12/31/dead_blackbirds_fall_again_in_arkansas_town/ |work= [[Boston Globe]] |agency= [[Associated Press|AP]] |date= December 31, 2011 |access-date= January 1, 2012}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|United States}}
* [http://www.beebeark.org Beebe city government] website
*[http://www.beebechamberofcommerce.com Beebe Chamber of Commerce], Beebe Chamber of Commerce
* [http://www.beebenews.com The Beebe News], city newspaper
*[http://www.asub.edu ASU-Beebe], ASU-Beebe
* [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=1013 Beebe (White County)], Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture

{{White County, Arkansas}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Beebe, Arkansas| ]]
[[Category:Cities in White County, Arkansas]]
[[Category:Cities in Arkansas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1875]]
[[Category:1875 establishments in Arkansas]]