Editing Gentry, Arkansas

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Gentry, Arkansas
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|image_skyline            = Gentry arkansas pioneer pizza.jpg
|imagesize                = 200px
|image_caption            = Downtown Gentry
|image_seal               = 
|image_map                = File:Benton County Arkansas Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Gentry Highlighted 0526290.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Gentry in Benton County, Arkansas.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Arkansas|County]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_name1        = [[Arkansas]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Benton County, Arkansas|Benton]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|established_date         = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 13.47
|area_total_sq_mi         = 5.20
|area_land_km2            = 13.40
|area_land_sq_mi          = 5.17
|area_water_km2           = 0.06
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.03
|elevation_ft             = 1191
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 3790
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_km2   = 282.82
|population_density_sq_mi = 732.51
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|coordinates              = {{coord|36|15|27|N|94|29|24|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 72734
|area_code                = [[Area code 479|479]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 05-26290
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2403688<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2403688}}</ref>
|footnotes                = 
|website                  = {{URL|www.gentryarkansas.us}}
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|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>
}}
'''Gentry''' is a city in [[Benton County, Arkansas|Benton County]], [[Arkansas]], United States. The population was 3,790 as of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0526290| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212175258/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0526290| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Gentry city, Arkansas| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=September 23, 2013}}</ref> The city was founded in the [[Ozarks|Ozark Mountains]] in 1894 along what would become the [[Kansas City Southern Railroad]]. The city's prior prosperity in the orchard industry, especially apples, was further strengthened by the rail connection. Following the decline of the apple industry in the 1930s, Gentry shifted its economy towards [[poultry]] along with many other areas of [[Northwest Arkansas]].<ref name="eoa" >{{ Cite encyclopedia |title= Gentry (Benton County) |url= http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=831 |encyclopedia= [[Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture]] |publisher= [[Butler Center for Arkansas Studies]] at the [[Central Arkansas Library System]] |date= May 16, 2012 |last= Lancaster |first= Guy |access-date= May 27, 2013 }}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Gentry, Arkansas (1912).jpg|thumb|left|Gentry in 1912]]
[[File:Bank of Gentry.jpg|left|thumb|upright|The historic [[Bank of Gentry]] building was built in 1904 and added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] (NRHP) in 1988.<ref name="nris" >{{NRISref|2010a}}</ref>]]
Gentry began as a rural Ozark agricultural community named '''Orchard City'''.  Located in western Benton County, it was known for its apple orchards and other produce. The town began to grow when the [[Kansas City Southern Railroad]] was constructed through the town. In 1894, residents of the community petitioned the county to officially incorporate, and the city's name was changed to Gentry, after an official in charge of the construction of the railroad.

The railroad proved important to Gentry, and by 1903 the town had grown to a population of 1,000.

The railroad company built a new depot in Gentry in 1926–1927. It was known as one of the nicest depots on the railway line. A banquet was held for the grand opening, and railway officials arrived on a special train to commemorate the event. Four to six passenger trains a week came through Gentry until passenger service was discontinued in 1964.

In 1937, [[Arkansas Highway 59|Highway 59]] was built, running through the city north and south. It remains the main highway through the city, linking Gentry with other west Benton County communities.<ref name="eoa" />

In 1946, the City Council voted to buy a water tank for $1,650 from the War Assets Corporation in [[Kentucky]].  In 1948, the city held a special election to issue bonds to install larger water mains and additional fireplugs. In the 1950s, the city purchased its own water company. At the beginning of the 21st century, Gentry was expanding water lines into rural areas surrounding the community.

Using donations, local businesses built the first auditorium at the intersection of Main and Collins streets. The building now houses the city's courtroom.

In the 1960s, when agriculture was no longer the economic base it had once been for the city and the railroad, the train depot was torn down.

The next decade saw the beginning of the construction of a [[power plant]] by [[American Electric Power|Southwestern Electric Power Company]] (often known as SWEPCO). The plant, located {{convert|1|mi}} west of the city limits, is a coal-fueled electric generating facility called [[Flint Creek Power Plant]]. Today SWEPCO continues to provide electrical power, and SWEPCO Lake (shown on maps as "Lake Flint Creek") is used for fishing and recreation. To ease traffic through downtown, a new [[Arkansas Highway 12]] bypass was built on the southern edge of town. In the early 1970s, the Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari was established north of town. The {{convert|400|acre|adj=on}} park is home to a variety of exotic animals and consists of a {{convert|4|mi|0}} drive-through, petting parks and walk-through areas for interaction with the animals. In 1983, the [[McKee Foods Corporation]] (then known as McKee Baking Company) opened its manufacturing facility in Gentry.<ref name="eoa" />

The city celebrated its centennial in 1994 and held a 110th Birthday Bash in 2004.

==Geography==
Gentry is located at the intersection of [[Arkansas Highway 12|Highway&nbsp;12]] and Highway&nbsp;59.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|11.0|km2|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.05|sqkm|disp=flip|3}}, or 0.44%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 419
|1910= 668
|1920= 724
|1930= 779
|1940= 726
|1950= 729
|1960= 686
|1970= 1022
|1980= 1468
|1990= 1726
|2000= 2165
|2010= 3158
|2020= 3790
|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>2015 Estimate<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2015/SUB-EST2015-3.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019182931/https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2015/SUB-EST2015-3.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 19, 2016|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015|access-date=June 26, 2016 }}</ref>
}}

[[Image:Gentry Arkansas Lamppost.jpg|upright|left|thumb|Lamppost in Downtown Gentry, Arkansas]]

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Gentry racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US0526290&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=January 1, 2022|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 2,526
| 66.65%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 20
| 0.53%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 154
| 4.06%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 143
| 3.77%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 3
| 0.08%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 320
| 8.44%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 624
| 16.46%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 3,790 people, 1,449 households, and 1,076 families residing in the city.

===2010 census===
As of 2010 the population of Gentry was 3,158.  The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 75.4% non-Hispanic white, 0.2% black, 5.6% Native American, 4.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.1% from some other race, 3.3% from two or more races and 12.0% Hispanic or Latino.<ref>2010 general profile of population and housing characteristics of Genetry from the US census</ref>

===2000 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 2000, there were 2,165 people, 842 households, and 607 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|908.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 930 housing units at an average density of {{convert|390.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 89.84% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.18% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 3.42% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.32% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 3.33% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.91% from two or more races.  5.59% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 842 households, out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.1% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,765, and the median income for a family was $37,569. Males had a median income of $27,361 versus $20,875 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,309.  About 11.7% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.
[[File:Viewofthewoodenspoongentry.jpg|thumb|100x100px|The Wooden Spoon]]

==Economy==
More than 160 businesses, including restaurants, bed and breakfast establishments, small industry/manufacturing plants, retail stores and service-oriented businesses, reside in Gentry.

Gentry's largest employer is [[McKee Foods Corporation]], maker of the famous Little Debbie and Sunbelt snacks. McKee Foods celebrated 20 years of manufacturing in Gentry and dedicated a {{convert|40000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} expansion to the existing plant in 2002. The company thrift store is located on the corner of Arkansas Highway 59 and Main Street.

Tufco Flooring is also based in Gentry. It was started back in the 1960s by Paul, Donald, and Frank Cox. It now has franchises all over the U.S. with three in Gentry alone: Arkotex Inc., Tufco International, and Tufco Sales and Service. They are producers of industrial flooring, specializing in the food processing industry.

==Education==
[[File:Gentry Public Schools Admin Building.jpg|thumb|[[Gentry School District]] headquarters]]
[[File:Gentry Middle & High School in Gentry, AR.jpg|thumb|[[Gentry High School (Arkansas)|Gentry High School]] and Gentry Middle School]]
Public education in almost all of the city is provided by the [[Gentry School District]]. A very small portion of the city is zoned to [[Siloam Springs Schools]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st05_ar/schooldistrict_maps/c05007_benton/DC20SD_C05007.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Benton County, AR|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=May 25, 2022}}</ref> The Gentry district supported more than 1,400 students in 2010–11. The district and [[Gentry High School (Arkansas)|Gentry High School]] mascot is the Pioneer, with maroon and white serving as the school colors. [[Siloam Springs High School]] is the comprehensive high school of the Siloam Springs district.

Another school system in Gentry is Ozark Adventist School (K-8th grade) and [[Ozark Adventist Academy]] (grades 9-12).  Both schools are sponsored and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.  The academy features a girls and boys dormitory for students to live in that are not living in the local area.  These schools also offer some sports programs but focus on academics and Christian living.

==Faith organizations==
Gentry has an active faith community with churches of many different affiliations, including [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]], [[United Methodist]], [[Baptist]], [[Churches of Christ|Church of Christ]], [[Assemblies of God]] and [[Mennonite]]. Most denominations offer programs for youth and families as well as regular worship services.  A community-wide [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving]] program is hosted each year by one of the local churches.

==Notable people==
* [[Jonathan Barnett (politician)|Jonathan Barnett]], a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] member of the [[Arkansas House of Representatives]] from Benton County, currently resides in Gentry.
* [[Lance Eads]], Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for District 88 in Washington County; former resident of Gentry<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intelius.com/results.php?ReportType=1&formname=name&qf=Lance&qmi=&qn=Eads&qcs=Springdale%2C+AR&focusfirst=1|title=Lance Ronaco Eads|publisher=intelius.com|access-date=April 11, 2015}}</ref>
* [[Delia Haak]], Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for district 17, formerly district 91, but the number changed due to redistricting 
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category}}

==External links==
*[http://www.gentryarkansas.us City of Gentry official website]

{{Benton County, Arkansas}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Gentry, Arkansas|*]]
[[Category:Cities in Benton County, Arkansas]]
[[Category:Cities in Arkansas]]
[[Category:Northwest Arkansas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1894]]
[[Category:1894 establishments in Arkansas]]