Editing Mississippi County, Arkansas

{{short description|County in Arkansas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Mississippi County
 | state                = Arkansas
 | seal                 = 
 | flag                 = Mississippi County AR Flag.png
 | founded year         = 1833
 | founded date         = November 1
 | seat                 = [[Blytheville, Arkansas|Blytheville]] and [[Osceola, Arkansas|Osceola]]
 | largest city         = Blytheville
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 920
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 901
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 19
 | area percentage      = 2.1%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 40685
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 38663 {{loss}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | district             = 1st
 | web                  = https://www.mississippicountyar.org
 | ex image             = Mississippi County Courthouse - Osceola.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Mississippi County Courthouse, Osceola
 | time zone            = Central
 | named for            = [[Mississippi River]]
|flag size=|leader_title=Judge|leader_name=John Nelson}}

'''Mississippi County''' is the easternmost [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Arkansas]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 40,685.<ref name="2020 Census" /> There are two [[county seat]]s, [[Blytheville, Arkansas|Blytheville]] and [[Osceola, Arkansas|Osceola]].<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}}</ref> The county is named for the [[Mississippi River]] which borders the county to the east. Mississippi County is part of the [[Arkansas's 1st congressional district|First Congressional District]] in Arkansas.

The Blytheville, AR [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]] includes all of Mississippi County.

== History ==

=== Pre-European Exploration ===
Extant early settlements include the [[Eaker site|Eaker Site]] and the [[Sherman Mound and Village|Sherman Mound]].

=== 1812 New Madrid Earthquake ===
{{Main|1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes}}

Local oral tradition held that prior to the major earthquakes of 1812, the lands in Mississippi County were higher in elevation compared to now and were not prone to flooding.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Presley |first=Leister E. |title=Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas |publisher=Goodspeed Publishing Company |year=1889 |location=Chicago, Nashville and St, Louis |pages=445}}</ref> Though the earthquake was named for New Madrid, Missouri, as that was the only town in the area with any population, the actual epicenter of the quake was three miles below what is now Blytheville, Arkansas.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hendricks |first=Nancy |title=New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812 |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/new-madrid-earthquakes-of-1811-1812-2218/ |access-date=December 28, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Antebellum Period ===
American settlers were recorded in the area as early as 1828. These early settlers include John Troy, the first Mississippi County Judge and namesake of Troy township and G.C. Barfield, the first county surveyor and namesake of Barfield Landing.<ref name=":0" />

Mississippi County was created on November 1, 1833, when it was split off from [[Craighead County, Arkansas|Craighead County]]. By 1836, when Arkansas achieved statehood, the county's white population had slightly increased and the local Native population was pushed in the eastern part of the county, towards what is now [[Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge|Big Lake]]. The first county seat was a small community called Cornwall, which was located at on the banks of the Mississippi River, on the remains of an old Spanish "encampment." [[Osceola, Arkansas|Osceola]] was named as the County Seat in 1833, and later incorporated in 1843.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Hale |first=Ruth |title=Mississippi County |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/mississippi-county-791/ |access-date=December 28, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

The [[Swamp Land Act of 1850|Federal Swamp Act of 1850]] granted federally controlled swamp lands to their respective state governments for sale. According to the 1852 surveyor general's report, Mississippi County had the largest amount of swamp and "Sunken" lands of any county in the country.<ref name=":1" />

=== Reconstruction Period ===
Following the American Civil War, Mississippi County was one of 10 counties in Arkansas put under martial law due to increased activity from the [[Ku Klux Klan]].<ref name=":0" /> In 1872, a series of racial and political confrontations known as the Black Hawk War took place. The genesis of this was the murder of "Carpetbagger" Charles Fitzpatrick by the county Sherriff J.B. Murray over Fitzpatrick's allegations of Murray's embezzlement of school funds.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hale |first=Ruth |title=Black Hawk War of 1872 |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/black-hawk-war-of-1872-5282/ |access-date=December 28, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== 20th century ===
During World War 2, a [[North American B-25 Mitchell|B-25]] pilot training school was constructed at Blytheville, with satellite landing strips at Manilla and in the Missouri Bootheel. The facility was later reopened in 1954 at [[Blytheville Air Force Base]], and hosted a squadron of [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress|B-52s]] from 1959 to 1992.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hartley |first=Jillian |title=Eaker Air Force Base |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/eaker-air-force-base-2795/ |access-date=December 28, 2023 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1987, [[Nucor|Nucor Steel]] opened a steel plant at Barfield Landing on the Mississippi River. In 2014, U.S. Steel opened a steel plant at Osceola. Mississippi County is now reportedly the largest steel producing county in America.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jared |first=George |date=February 14, 2023 |title=Leaders explain how steel industry is transforming Mississippi County |url=https://talkbusiness.net/2023/02/leaders-explain-how-steel-industry-is-transforming-mississippi-county/ |access-date=December 28, 2023 |website=Talk Business & Politics |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|920|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|901|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|19|sqmi}} (2.1%) 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 27, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref>

===Major highways===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Image:I-55 (AR).svg|20px]] [[Interstate 55]]
*[[Image:US 61.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 61]]
*[[Image:US 78.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 78]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 14.svg|20px]] [[Highway 14 (Arkansas)|Highway 14]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 18.svg|20px]] [[Highway 18 (Arkansas)|Highway 18]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 18B.svg|20px]] [[Highway 18B (Arkansas)|Highway 18 Business]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 77.svg|20px]] [[Highway 77 (Arkansas)|Highway 77]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 118.svg|20px]] [[Highway 118 (Arkansas)|Highway 118]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 119.svg|20px]] [[Highway 119 (Arkansas)|Highway 119]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 135.svg|20px]] [[Highway 135 (Arkansas)|Highway 135]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 136.svg|20px]] [[Highway 136 (Arkansas)|Highway 136]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 137.svg|20px]] [[Highway 137 (Arkansas)|Highway 137]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 137S.svg|20px]] [[Highway 137S (Arkansas)|Highway 137 Spur]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 140.svg|20px]] [[Highway 140 (Arkansas)|Highway 140]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 150.svg|20px]] [[Highway 150 (Arkansas)|Highway 150]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 151.svg|20px]] [[Highway 151 (Arkansas)|Highway 151]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 158.svg|20px]] [[Highway 158 (Arkansas)|Highway 158]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 181.svg|20px]] [[Highway 181 (Arkansas)|Highway 181]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 239.svg|20px]] [[Highway 239 (Arkansas)|Highway 239]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 239S.svg|20px]] [[Highway 239S (Arkansas)|Highway 239 Spur]] 
*[[Image:Arkansas 947.svg|20px]] [[Highway 947 (Arkansas)|Highway 947]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
*[[Dunklin County, Missouri|Dunklin County]], [[Missouri]] (northwest)
*[[Pemiscot County, Missouri|Pemiscot County]], [[Missouri]] (north)
*[[Dyer County, Tennessee|Dyer County]], [[Tennessee]] (northeast)
*[[Lauderdale County, Tennessee|Lauderdale County]], [[Tennessee]] (east)
*[[Tipton County, Tennessee|Tipton County]], [[Tennessee]] (southeast)
*[[Crittenden County, Arkansas|Crittenden County]] (south)
*[[Poinsett County, Arkansas|Poinsett County]] (southwest)
*[[Craighead County, Arkansas|Craighead County]] (west)
{{div col end}}

===National protected area===
* [[Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1840= 1410
|1850= 2368
|1860= 3895
|1870= 3633
|1880= 7332
|1890= 11635
|1900= 16384
|1910= 30468
|1920= 47320
|1930= 69289
|1940= 80217
|1950= 82375
|1960= 70174
|1970= 62060
|1980= 59517
|1990= 57525
|2000= 51979
|2010= 46480
|2020= 40685
|estyear=2023
|estimate=38663
|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 27, 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 27, 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 27, 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 27, 2015}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05093.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 23, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607033350/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05093.html |archive-date=June 7, 2011 }}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020 Census">{{cite web |title=2020 Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US05093 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
}}

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

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Mississippi County Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US05093&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 7, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]
|22,861
|56.19%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]]
|14,251
|35.03%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|67
|0.16%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|242
|0.59%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|3
|0.01%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|1,490
|3.66%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|1,771
|4.35%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 40,685 people, 16,389 households, and 10,635 families residing in the county.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], there were 46,480 people living in the county. The racial makeup of the county was 60.5% White, 33.9% Black, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, <0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from some other race and 1.2% from two or more races. 3.6% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

===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 51,979 people, 19,349 households, and 13,911 families living in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|58|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 22,310 housing units at an average density of {{convert|25|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 64.45% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 32.70% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.26% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.38% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.07% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.12% from two or more races. 2.25% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.
[[File:Arkansas Aeroplex Control Tower-FBO 2023.jpg|left|thumb|Control Tower for the Arkansas Aeroplex, formerly Blytheville Air Force Base. The Aeroplex contains the longest runway in the state.]]
There were 19,349 households, out of which 36.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.00% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 17.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.60% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 20.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 91.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,479, and the median income for a family was $32,648. Males had a median income of $29,645 versus $19,782 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $13,978. About 19.00% of families and 23.00% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 31.10% of those under age 18 and 19.80% of those age 65 or over.

==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 Mississippi County Quorum Court has eleven members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the county judge, who serves as the chief executive 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=2025-04-12 |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=2025-04-12 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|+Mississippi County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials<ref>{{Cite web |title=Elected Officials |url=https://www.mississippicountyar.org/elected-officials |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.mississippicountyar.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6033/november_races.pdf</ref>
!Position
!Officeholder
!Party
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|County Judge
|John Alan Nelson
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#92C5DE;
|County Clerk
|Janice Currie
|Democratic
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Circuit Clerk
|Leslie Mason
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Sheriff
|Dale Cook
|Republican
|-
|Treasurer
|Candice Nichols
|(Unknown)
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Collector
|Susan McCormick
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Assessor
|Brannah Bibbs
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Coroner
|Karen Ash-Crane
|Republican
|}
The composition of the Quorum Court after the 2024 elections is 7 Republicans, 3 Democrats, and 1 Independent. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:<ref>{{Cite web |title=JP District Maps |url=https://www.mississippicountyar.org/upages.php?id=85 |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.mississippicountyar.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mississippi {{!}} Association of Arkansas Counties |url=https://www.arcounties.org/counties/mississippi/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.arcounties.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Election Night Reporting |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AR/Mississippi/122550/web.345435/#/summary?v=355012/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=results.enr.clarityelections.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Mississippi County, Arkansas, elections, 2024 |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Mississippi_County,_Arkansas,_elections,_2024 |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref>

* District 1: Drake Brown (R) of Manila
* District 2: Michael White (R) of Manila
* District 3: Neil Burge (R) of Blytheville
* District 4: Tobye McClanahan (R) of Blytheville
* District 5: Molly Jackson (R) of Blytheville
* District 6: Cecil McDonald (D) of Blytheville
* District 7: Butch Prunty (I)
* District 8: Ricky Ash (R) of Blytheville
* District 9: Harbans Mangat (D) of Osceola
* District 10: Betty Hepler (R) of Osceola
* District 11: Dr. Sumner R. "Reggie" Cullom Sr. (D) of Joiner

Additionally, the townships of Mississippi 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=2025-04-12 |website=What is a Constable? |language=en}}</ref> The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Election Night Reporting |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AR/Mississippi/119914/web.317647/#/summary?v=333256/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=results.enr.clarityelections.com |language=en}}</ref>

* Big Lake: Keith Hill (R)
* Burdette: Terry McCanless Sr. (R)
* Carson Lake: Sumner R. Cullom Jr. (R)
* Chickasawba: Rob Rounsavail (R)
* Dyess: Kenneth Gilmore (R)
* Golden Lake: Lucky Smith (R)
* Half Moon: Carl W. Foster (R)
* Hector: Mark Dixon (R)
* Little River: Roger Ferrell (R)
* Monroe: Jim Creecy (R)
* Neal: Steve Lancaster (R)
* Scott: Dennis E. Tucker Sr. (R)

Formerly a traditionally Democratic area, Mississippi County has voted Republican in the past five presidential elections.
{{PresHead|place=Mississippi 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/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|6,963|3,574|180|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|7,296|4,558|488|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|7,061|5,670|473|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|6,603|6,467|305|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|6,976|6,667|367|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|6,121|7,593|439|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|5,199|7,107|280|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|3,919|8,301|1,127|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|4,697|10,046|1,219|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|7,841|6,759|288|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|10,180|7,548|38|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|7,170|8,908|339|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|6,009|10,292|27|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|10,931|3,544|152|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|4,369|4,993|6,147|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|6,213|8,678|20|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|4,983|5,138|464|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|4,269|6,428|258|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|4,586|6,968|13|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|771|3,763|1,801|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,292|3,938|5|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|616|5,257|18|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|303|4,835|9|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|364|5,776|63|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|1,324|4,451|24|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|703|2,039|86|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|1,050|1,809|121|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|417|1,249|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|263|767|270|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,167|930|166|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|417|689|9|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|378|591|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresFoot|1896|Democratic|168|815|2|Arkansas}}

==Economy==
[[File:Mississippi County Arkansas - panoramio.jpg|right|thumb|A steel plant rises behind a soybean field in Mississippi County]]
The economy of Mississippi County transitioned from agriculture (especially cotton) to manufacturing (mostly steel production) beginning in the 1980s. Over $2.1 billion has been invested in plants and supporting infrastructure in the county, with major facilities being operated by [[Nucor]] and Big River Steel (a [[U.S. Steel]] company). As of 2021 Mississippi County is the second-largest steel producing county in the United States. The county's position near the center of the United States and along the Mississippi River allows the input for steel mills, [[scrap metal]], to be shipped in on barges, often the most inexpensive method of shipping, and by railroad from Memphis. Company executives have also praised the work ethic of the rural farm families of the area as a natural fit for [[ironworker]]s.<ref>{{ cite web |first=Kyle |last=Massey |title= Mississippi County: Magnet for Steel |url=https://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/137036/mississippi-county-magnet-for-steel |work= [[Arkansas Business]] |date= August 30, 2021 |pages=1, 8 |volume=38 |number=35 |publisher= Arkansas Business Publishing Group |location=Little Rock |issn=1053-6582 |oclc=1131951942 |access-date=September 4, 2021 }}</ref>

==Education==

===Public education===
Mississippi County is home to the following public school districts, listed in order of student population:

* [[Blytheville School District]] 
* [[Osceola School District (Arkansas)|Osceola School District]]
* [[Gosnell School District]]
* [[Southern Mississippi County School District]]
* [[Manila School District]]
* [[Buffalo Island Central School District]] 
* [[Armorel School District]]

The following school districts are based outside of the county but serve portions:
* [[East Poinsett County School District]]
* [[KIPP: Delta Public Schools]]
* [[Nettleton School District (Arkansas)|Nettleton School District]]

===Libraries===
Mississippi County is served by the Mississippi–Crittenden Regional Library System, which includes the Mississippi County Library System (central library) and 13 branch libraries in communities throughout the county.

==Media==

===Radio===
'''FM'''
*FM 88.3 [[KBCM]] Blytheville
*FM 93.9 [[KAMJ]] Gosnell
*FM 96.3 [[KHLS]] Blytheville
*FM 103.7 [[KBAI (FM)|KBAI]] K279BJ Blytheville
*FM 107.3 [[KOSE-FM]] Osceola

'''AM'''
*AM 860 [[KOSE (AM)|KOSE]] Wilson

===Print===
*NEA Town Courier, Newspaper, Blytheville, Arkansas<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.neatowncourier.com/story/2574522.html|title=Town Crier, Courier News to merge Jan. 1|date=December 18, 2018|website=NEA Town Courier|language=en|access-date=January 11, 2019}}</ref>
*The Osceola Times, Newspaper, Osceola, Arkansas

===Television===
There are no television stations in Mississippi County, Arkansas. Mississippi County, Arkansas is placed in the [[Template:Memphis TV|Memphis, TN]] Television Market. Those stations include:
*[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]- [[WATN-TV|WATN]] 24
*[[NBC]]- [[WMC-TV|WMC]] 5
*[[CBS]]- [[WREG]] 3
*[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]- [[WHBQ-TV|WHBQ]] 13
*[[PBS]]- [[WKNO-TV|WKNO]] 10
*[[The CW|CW]]- [[WLMT]] 30
*[[Ion Television|Ion]] [[WPXX]] 50
 
However some residents in county may watch stations from the [[Template:Jackson TN TV|Jackson, TN]], [[Template:Jonesboro TV|Jonesboro, AR]], or [[Template:LRTV|Little Rock, AR]] Television Markets.

==Communities==

===Cities===
{{div col}}
*[[Blytheville, Arkansas|Blytheville]] (county seat)
*[[Gosnell, Arkansas|Gosnell]]
*[[Joiner, Arkansas|Joiner]]
*[[Keiser, Arkansas|Keiser]]
*[[Leachville, Arkansas|Leachville]]
*[[Luxora, Arkansas|Luxora]]
*[[Manila, Arkansas|Manila]]
*[[Osceola, Arkansas|Osceola]] (county seat)
*[[Wilson, Arkansas|Wilson]]
{{div col end}}

===Towns===
{{div col}}
*[[Bassett, Arkansas|Bassett]]
*[[Birdsong, Arkansas|Birdsong]]
*[[Burdette, Arkansas|Burdette]]
*[[Dell, Arkansas|Dell]]
*[[Dyess, Arkansas|Dyess]]
*[[Etowah, Arkansas|Etowah]]
*[[Marie, Arkansas|Marie]]
*[[Victoria, Arkansas|Victoria]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated places===
*[[Armorel, Arkansas|Armorel]]

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

{{Arkansas Townships About|County = Mississippi}}
<ref>{{Cite map
 |publisher   = U. S. Census Bureau
 |title       = 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Mississippi County, AR
 |url         = http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05093_mississippi/BAS11C20509300000_000.pdf
 |access-date  = August 19, 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20121019145422/http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05093_mississippi/BAS11C20509300000_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#M | title = Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision | publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date = May 29, 2014}}</ref>

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Big Lake ([[Manila, Arkansas|Manila]])
* Bowen ([[Gosnell, Arkansas|Gosnell]])
* Burdette ([[Burdette, Arkansas|Burdette]])
* Canadian (Huffman)
* Carson ([[Marie, Arkansas|Marie]])
* Chickasawba ([[Blytheville, Arkansas|Blytheville]])
* Dyess ([[Dyess, Arkansas|Dyess]])
* Fletcher ([[Luxora, Arkansas|Luxora]], [[Victoria, Arkansas|Victoria]])
* Golden Lake ([[Wilson, Arkansas|Wilson]])
* Half Moon Lake
* Hector ([[Dell, Arkansas|Dell]])
* Little River ([[Etowah, Arkansas|Etowah]])
* McGavock ([[Joiner, Arkansas|Joiner]])
* Monroe ([[Keiser, Arkansas|Keiser]], [[Osceola, Arkansas|Osceola]])
* Neal ([[Leachville, Arkansas|Leachville]])
* Scott ([[Bassett, Arkansas|Bassett]])
* Whitton ([[Birdsong, Arkansas|Birdsong]])
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[Arkansas Highway 119 (1927–2022)]], former state highway in Mississippi County
*[[Island 35 Mastodon]]
* [[List of lakes in Mississippi County, Arkansas]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Mississippi County, Arkansas]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{Cite AmCyc|wstitle=Mississippi (county)|display=Mississippi. I. A N. E. county of Arkansas |short=x}}

{{Geographic Location
| Centre    = Mississippi County, Arkansas
| North     = [[Pemiscot County, Missouri]]
| Northeast = [[Dyer County, Tennessee]]
| East      = [[Lauderdale County, Tennessee]]
| Southeast = [[Tipton County, Tennessee]]
| South     = [[Crittenden County, Arkansas|Crittenden County]]
| Southwest = [[Poinsett County, Arkansas|Poinsett County]]
| West      = [[Craighead County, Arkansas|Craighead County]]
| Northwest = [[Dunklin County, Missouri]]
}}

{{Mississippi County, Arkansas}}
{{Arkansas}}

{{coord|35|46|36|N|90|03|16|W|region:US-AR_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Mississippi County, Arkansas| ]]
[[Category:1833 establishments in Arkansas Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1833]]
[[Category:Arkansas placenames of Native American origin]]
[[Category:Arkansas counties on the Mississippi River]]