Editing Drew County, Arkansas

{{short description|County in Arkansas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county          = Drew County
 | state              = Arkansas
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1846
 | founded date    = November 26
 | seat wl          = Monticello
 | largest city wl  = Monticello
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 836
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 828
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 7.3
 | area percentage      = 0.9%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 17350
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 16945 {{loss}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | time zone           = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = https://drewcoar.com/
 | ex image             = Drew County Courthouse 004.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Drew County Courthouse]] in Monticello
 | named for            = [[Thomas Stevenson Drew|Thomas Drew]]
 | district             = 4th
 |leader_title    = County Judge
 |leader_name = Jessi Griffin }}

'''Drew County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the southeast region of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Arkansas]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 17,350.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Drew County, Arkansas|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Drew_County,_Arkansas?g=0500000US05043|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 19, 2023}}</ref> The [[county seat]] and largest city is [[Monticello, Arkansas|Monticello]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> Drew County was formed on November 26, 1846, and named for [[Thomas Stevenson Drew|Thomas Drew]],<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n103 109]}}</ref> the third governor of Arkansas.

==History==
Located on the edge of the [[Arkansas Delta]] and the [[Arkansas Timberlands]], its fertile lowland soils produced prosperity for early settlers in the antebellum era. Cotton was the major commodity crop, cultivated by the labor of [[Slavery in the United States|enslaved African Americans]]. Corn, apples, peaches and tomatoes were also grown through their work.

Following the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], the boundaries of Drew County changed as some property, including Mill Creek Township, was reassigned to the new [[Lincoln County, Arkansas|Lincoln County]] established by the Reconstruction-era legislature in 1871.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, timber harvesting became a more important industry here than cotton. The population declined from 1910 to 1970, as fewer workers were needed in timber. In addition, many African Americans left the oppressive social conditions of racial violence, [[Disenfranchisement after the Reconstruction era|disfranchisement]], and [[Jim Crow]] laws to join the [[Great Migration (African American)|Great Migration]] to northern and midwestern industrial cities. After World War II, an even greater number migrated to the West Coast.

As a variety of industries began to move to the county, several colleges <!-- or were these the equivalent of seminaries/high schools? -->were founded here in the early part of the 20th century. One developed as [[University of Arkansas at Monticello]]. Today, the county has a diverse economy and is an economic center in southeast Arkansas. Its population is majority white; these voters are mostly affiliated with the Republican Party.

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|836|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|828|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|7.3|sqmi}} (0.9%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_05.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 26, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref>

''Loggy Bayou'' is a [[swamp]] in Drew County, not to be confused with a [[bayou]] of the same name in northwestern Louisiana.

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
*[[Image:I-69 (Future).svg|20px]] [[Interstate 69|Future Interstate 69]]
*[[Image:US 65.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 65 (Arkansas)|U.S. Highway 65]]
*[[Image:US 165.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Highway 165]]
*[[Image:US 278.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Highway 278]]
*[[Image:US 425.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Highway 425]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 530.svg|25px]] [[Highway 530 (Arkansas)|Highway 530]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 4.svg|20px]] [[Highway 4 (Arkansas)|Highway 4]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 8.svg|20px]] [[Highway 8 (Arkansas)|Highway 8]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 35.svg|20px]] [[Highway 35 (Arkansas)|Highway 35]]
*[[File:Arkansas 133.svg|20 px]] [[Arkansas Highway 133|Highway 133]]

{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Lincoln County, Arkansas|Lincoln County]] (north)
* [[Desha County, Arkansas|Desha County]] (northeast)
* [[Chicot County, Arkansas|Chicot County]] (southeast)
* [[Ashley County, Arkansas|Ashley County]] (south)
* [[Bradley County, Arkansas|Bradley County]] (west)
* [[Cleveland County, Arkansas|Cleveland County]] (northwest)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 3276
|1860= 9078
|1870= 9960
|1880= 12231
|1890= 17352
|1900= 19451
|1910= 21960
|1920= 21822
|1930= 19928
|1940= 19831
|1950= 17959
|1960= 15213
|1970= 15157
|1980= 17910
|1990= 17369
|2000= 18723
|2010= 18509
|2020= 17350
|estyear=2023
|estimate=16945
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 30, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ar190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05043.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 20, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607032146/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05043.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>
}}

[[Image:USA Drew County, Arkansas age pyramid.svg|thumb|left|150px|Age pyramid Drew County<ref>Based on [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] data</ref>]]

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Drew County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US05043&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 12, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|11,148
|64.25%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|4,815
|27.75%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|68
|0.39%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|100
|0.58%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|9
|0.05%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|554
|3.19%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|656
|3.78%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 17,350 people, 7,157 households, and 4,651 families residing in the county.

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR8">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> there were 18,723 people, 7,337 households, and 5,091 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|23|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 8,287 housing units at an average density of {{convert|10|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 70.30% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 27.16% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.25% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.42% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.00% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 7,337 households, out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 26.00% of all households are made and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 12.60% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,627, and the median income for a family was $37,317. Males had a median income of $30,794 versus $20,707 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $16,264. About 13.10% of families and 18.20% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 21.90% of those under age 18 and 21.80% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==

=== 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 Drew 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>{{Cite web |title=Quorum Courts |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/quorum-courts-6348/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Office of County Judge |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/office-of-county-judge-5720/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Drew County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials<ref>{{Cite web |title=Departments – DrewCo Website |url=https://drewcoar.com/departments/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Drew {{!}} Association of Arkansas Counties |url=https://www.arcounties.org/counties/drew/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=www.arcounties.org}}</ref><ref>https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6033/november_races.pdf</ref>
!Position
!Officeholder
!Party
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|County Judge
|Jessie Griffin
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|County Clerk
|Stephanie Chisom
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#92C5DE;
|Circuit Clerk
|Beverly Burks
|Democratic
|-style="background-color:#999999;
|Sheriff
|Tim Nichols
|Independent
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Treasurer
|Charles Searcy
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Collector
|Tonya Loveless
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Assessor
|Cheri Adcock
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Coroner
|Charles Dearman Jr.
|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>{{Cite web |title=Quorum Court – DrewCo Website |url=https://drewcoar.com/departments/quorum-court/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Drew County, Arkansas, elections, 2024 |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Drew_County,_Arkansas,_elections,_2024 |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref>

* District 1: Orlando Jones (R)
* District 2: Ben David Higginbotham (R) 
* District 3: Roger Harris (R)
* District 4: Sheila Maxwell (R)
* District 5: Steven Pigott (R)
* District 6: Donna Harton Usry (R)
* District 7: Craig Kaminicki (R)
* District 8: Frank Appleberry (R)
* District 9: Zachary Hill (R)

Additionally, the townships of Drew 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>{{Cite web |title=What is a Constable? |url=https://www.uaex.uada.edu/business-communities/ced-blog/posts/2022/may/what-is-a-constable.aspx |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=What is a Constable? |language=en}}</ref> The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:<ref name=":0" />

* Clear Creek: Jessica Moore (R)
* Collins: John W. Beatty (R)
* Cominto: Michael Frisby (R)
* Marion: John Kyle Day (R)
* Saline: Steve Sturgis (R)
* Veasey: Scott Chapman (R)

=== Politics ===
Since the late 20th century, conservative white voters of Drew County have favored GOP presidential candidates. The last Democrat at the presidential level (as of 2024) to carry this county was Vice President [[Al Gore]] in 2000, who was a son of the South from Tennessee.
{{PresHead|place=Drew County, Arkansas|source=<ref name="DL">{{cite web|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|access-date=November 18, 2016}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|4,203|2,050|112|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|4,349|2,426|133|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|3,968|2,365|262|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|3,887|2,630|116|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|3,860|2,598|152|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,262|2,952|35|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|2,756|3,060|106|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,657|3,570|448|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,938|3,748|612|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,995|2,578|47|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,407|2,638|28|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|2,272|3,757|155|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,730|3,750|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,334|1,168|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|1,040|1,324|2,307|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|2,109|1,980|32|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|889|2,107|376|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|1,265|2,234|87|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|1,040|2,261|5|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|182|1,204|641|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|320|1,370|1|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|152|1,329|30|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|70|1,229|2|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|198|1,760|11|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|500|1,452|4|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|563|1,018|22|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|773|1,397|28|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|838|1,627|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|424|882|297|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|679|1,123|56|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|593|953|38|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|569|1,099|17|Arkansas}}
{{PresFoot|1896|Democratic|603|1,754|11|Arkansas}}

==Communities==

===Cities===
* [[Monticello, Arkansas|Monticello]] (county seat)
* [[Tillar, Arkansas|Tillar]] (partly in Desha County)
* [[Wilmar, Arkansas|Wilmar]]

===Towns===
* [[Jerome, Arkansas|Jerome]]
* [[Winchester, Arkansas|Winchester]]

===Townships===
[[File:Drew County Arkansas 2010 Township Map large.jpg|thumb|Townships in Drew County, Arkansas as of 2010]]

{{Arkansas Townships About|County = Drew}}
<ref>{{Cite map
 |publisher   = U. S. Census Bureau
 |title       = 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Drew County, AR
 |url         = http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05043_drew/BAS11C20504300000_000.pdf
 |access-date  = August 7, 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20121019125140/http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05043_drew/BAS11C20504300000_000.pdf
 |archive-date = October 19, 2012
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/block/2010/cousub/dc10blk_st05_cousub.html#D | title = Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision | publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date = May 28, 2014}}</ref>

* [[Bartholomew Township, Drew County, Arkansas|Bartholomew]] (contains [[Jerome, Arkansas|Jerome]])
* [[Bearhouse Township, Drew County, Arkansas|Bearhouse]]
* [[Clear Creek Township, Drew County, Arkansas|Clear Creek]]
* [[Collins Township, Drew County, Arkansas|Collins]]
* [[Cominto Township, Drew County, Arkansas|Cominto]]
* [[Crook Township, Drew County, Arkansas|Crook]]
* [[Franklin Township, Drew County, Arkansas|Franklin]] (contains part of [[Tillar, Arkansas|Tillar]])
* [[Live Oak Township, Drew County, Arkansas|Live Oak]] (contains [[Winchester, Arkansas|Winchester]])
* [[Marion Township, Drew County, Arkansas|Marion]] (contains [[Monticello, Arkansas|Monticello]])
* [[Saline Township, Drew County, Arkansas|Saline]] (contains [[Wilmar, Arkansas|Wilmar]])
* [[Spring Hill Township, Drew County, Arkansas|Spring Hill]]
* [[Veasey Township, Drew County, Arkansas|Veasey]]<ref name=2010-Census-PDF1 />

===Census-designated places===
* [[Collins, Arkansas|Collins]]
* [[Lacey, Arkansas|Lacey]]

===Other unincorporated communities===
* [[Baxter, Arkansas|Baxter]]
* [[Coleman, Arkansas|Coleman]]
* [[Montongo, Arkansas|Montongo]]
* [[Selma, Arkansas|Selma]]
* [[Tennessee, Arkansas|Tennessee]]

==See also==
* [[List of lakes in Drew County, Arkansas]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Drew County, Arkansas]]

==References==
{{reflist | refs =
<ref name=2010-Census-PDF1>
 {{cite web
 | url = https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-1-5.pdf
 | title = Summary Population and Housing Characteristics, CPH-1-5, Arkansas
 | work = 2010 Census of Population and Housing
 | publisher = United States Census Bureau
 | date = September 2012
 | access-date = May 31, 2014
}}
</ref>
}}

{{Geographic Location
| Centre    = Drew County, Arkansas
| North     = [[Lincoln County, Arkansas|Lincoln County]]
| Northeast = [[Desha County, Arkansas|Desha County]]
| East      =
| Southeast = [[Chicot County, Arkansas|Chicot County]]
| South     = [[Ashley County, Arkansas|Ashley County]]
| Southwest =
| West      = [[Bradley County, Arkansas|Bradley County]]
| Northwest = [[Cleveland County, Arkansas|Cleveland County]]
}}

{{Drew County, Arkansas}}
{{Arkansas}}

{{coord|33|35|04|N|91|43|51|W|region:US-AR_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Drew County, Arkansas| ]]
[[Category:1846 establishments in Arkansas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1846]]