Editing Prairie County, Arkansas

{{short description|County in Arkansas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Prairie County
 | state                = Arkansas
 | official_name        = County of Prairie
 | type                 = [[County (United States)|County]]
 | ex image             = Des Arc, AR 014.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Prairie County Courthouse in Des Arc
 | coordinates          = {{coord|34|49|41|N|91|32|12|W|region:US-AR_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki|display=inline,title}}
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1846
 | founded date         = November 25
 | seat                 = [[Des Arc, Arkansas|Des Arc]], [[DeValls Bluff, Arkansas|DeValls Bluff]]
 | largest city         = Des Arc
 | named for            = [[Arkansas Delta#Grand Prairie|Grand Prairie]]
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 676
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 648
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 28
 | area percentage      = 4.1%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 8282
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 8036 {{loss}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | web                  = 
 | district             = 1st
 | time zone            = Central
}}
'''Prairie County''', officially the '''County of Prairie''', is in the [[Central Arkansas]] region of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Arkansas]]. The [[County (United States)|county]] is named for the [[Arkansas Delta#Grand Prairie|Grand Prairie]], a subregion of the [[Arkansas Delta]] known for [[rice]] cultivation and [[aquaculture]] that runs through the county. Created as Arkansas's 54th county in 1846, Prairie County is home to four incorporated [[town]]s, including [[DeValls Bluff, Arkansas|DeValls Bluff]], the southern district [[county seat]], and two incorporated cities, including [[Des Arc, Arkansas|Des Arc]], the northern district county seat. The county is also the site of numerous [[unincorporated communities]] and [[ghost town]]s. Occupying {{convert|676|sqmi|ha}}, Prairie County is the median-sized county in Arkansas. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 Census]], the county's population was 8,282.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Prairie County, Arkansas|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Prairie_County,_Arkansas?g=0500000US05117|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 21, 2023}}</ref> Based on population, the county is the ninth-smallest county of the 75 in Arkansas.<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 crossed by [[Interstate 40 in Arkansas|Interstate 40]] (I-40), a major east–west [[Interstate Highway System|Interstate highway]] running from [[California]] to [[North Carolina]], as well as four [[United States Numbered Highways|United States highways]] ([[U.S. Route 63]] [US 63], [[U.S. Route 70|US 70]], [[U.S. Route 79|US 79]], and [[U.S. Route 165|US 165]]). Eleven [[List of Arkansas state highways|Arkansas state highways]] run in the county.<ref name="pra">{{Cite map |author= Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department |publisher= Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department |title= General Highway Map, Prairie County, Arkansas |url= http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/PrairieCounty.pdf |format= PDF |date= April 3, 2014 |scale= 1:62500 |access-date= December 6, 2016 |archive-date= March 4, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304203845/http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/PrairieCounty.pdf |url-status= dead }}</ref> Prairie County is served by two public owned/public use [[general aviation]] airports and six [[potable water]] systems.

==History==
The county at first was land given to [[Cherokee]] [[Native Americans of the United States|Indians]] resettled from [[Tennessee]] and was the Western band of Cherokee reservation from 1812 to 1836. Even today, an estimated 2,000 residents have some American Indian ancestry.

The town of [[Fredonia (Biscoe), Arkansas|Fredonia (Biscoe)]] was named for the unsuccessful 1826 attempt of Arkansas Cherokee and to create the [[Republic of Fredonia]] by Arkansas Cherokee and [[Texas|Texan]] settlers in then [[Mexican Texas]]. The town of DeValls Bluff was the Western Cherokee's seat, and is now one of Prairie County's seats.

Prairie County suffered greatly during the [[American Civil War]]. [[Des Arc, Arkansas|Des Arc]] was partly destroyed, and a local historian estimated that not more than 15 horses were left in the county by the war's end. The rest had been taken by soldiers of one army or the other.<ref>''Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas'', (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishers, 1890).</ref>

On September 5, 1913, Lee Simms became the first person to be [[executed]] in Arkansas by the [[electric chair]]. He was executed for the crime of violent [[rape]].

[[Stern's Medlar]], a previously unknown plant species, was discovered in Prairie County as recently as 1990. It is not known to grow anywhere else in the world. The plant is critically endangered, with only 25 known specimens, all growing within a single small wood, now protected as the Konecny Grove Natural Area.

==Geography==
{{See also|Geography of Arkansas|Arkansas Delta#Grand Prairie}}
The county is located between two primary geographic regions of Arkansas: [[Central Arkansas]] and the [[Arkansas Delta]] (in Arkansas, usually referred to as "the Delta"). 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]]. The county is often described as being within the [[Arkansas Delta#Grand Prairie|Grand Prairie]], a subdivision of the Arkansas Delta known today for rice farming and aquaculture, rather than Central Arkansas or the Delta. It is this geographic feature from which the county derives its name.<ref name="eoc" >{{ Cite encyclopedia |title= Prairie County |url= http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=802 |encyclopedia= [[Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture]] |publisher= Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System |date= April 27, 2016 |last= Sickel |first= Marilyn Hambrick Sickel |author2= Staff |access-date= December 5, 2016 }}</ref> According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|676|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|648|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|28|sqmi}} (4.1%) 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>

[[File:Bayou near Des Arc, AR.jpg|right|thumb|A minor bayou crosses Highway 33 and Highway 38 east of Des Arc]]
Prior to settlement, Prairie County was large, flat grassland distinct from the swamps and bayous in the nearby Delta. Although [[cotton]] and other [[row crops]] grew well in the Prairie's silty loam soil, rice production changed the cultivation patterns in the county at the turn of the nineteenth century.<ref name="eoc" /> Although some prairie and [[riparian]] areas has been preserved in conservation areas, a large portion (44 percent) of the county remains in cultivation.{{#tag:ref|In 2015, 103.9 thousand acres of soybeans, 63.2 thousand acres of rice, 12.1 thousand acres of corn, and 3.3 thousand acres of wheat were planted in Prairie County.<ref name=AgStats>{{cite web|title= National Agricultural Statistics Service County Level Data |url= http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Arkansas/Publications/County_Estimates/index.php |publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture |access-date= December 5, 2016 |year= 2015 }}</ref> Total acreage for those crops is 182,600. Prairie County has 648 square miles of land area, which is 414,720 acres based on 640 acres per square mile. Acreage for the total crops (182,600) divided by acreage for the county (414,720) is 44.0&nbsp;percent.|group=Note}} Another large land use in Prairie County is the [[Cache River National Wildlife Refuge|Cache River NWR]] and [[Wattensaw Wildlife Management Area]] (WMA), owned by the [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service]] and [[Arkansas Game and Fish Commission]], respectively.

The county is located approximately {{convert|53|mi|km}} east of [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]] and {{convert|90|mi|km}} west of [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], [[Tennessee]].{{#tag:ref|Mileages from Prairie County to Little Rock and Memphis are based on highway miles using county seat DeValls Bluff for Prairie County.<ref>{{cite web
  |title=Google Maps (Search for DeValls Bluff, AR)
  |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/De+Valls+Bluff,+AR+72041/@34.7858251,-91.4734947,15z
  |access-date= December 5, 2016 }}</ref>
|group=Note}} Prairie County is surrounded by five other counties: [[White County, Arkansas|White County]] to the north, [[Woodruff County, Arkansas|Woodruff County]] to the northeast, [[Monroe County, Arkansas|Monroe County]] to the east, [[Arkansas County, Arkansas|Arkansas County]] to the south, and [[Lonoke County, Arkansas|Lonoke County]] to the west.

===Climate===
Prairie County has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Cfa''). Prairie County experiences all four seasons, although summers can be extremely hot and humid and winters are mild with little snow. July is the hottest month of the year, with an average high of {{convert|92|°F|1}} and an average low of {{convert|73|°F|1}}. Temperatures above {{convert|100|°F}} are not uncommon. January is the coldest month with an average high of {{convert|48|°F|1}} and an average low of {{convert|31|°F|1}}. The highest temperature was {{convert|109|°F|1}}, and the lowest temperature recorded was {{convert|-5|°F}}. Record snowfall in Des Arc occurred January 7, 1912, with {{convert|18|in|cm}}.<ref name="snow" />

{{Weather box
| location    = Des Arc
| single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 80
| Feb record high F = 82
| Mar record high F = 88
| Apr record high F = 93
| May record high F = 98
| Jun record high F = 105
| Jul record high F = 109
| Aug record high F = 109
| Sep record high F = 104
| Oct record high F = 98
| Nov record high F = 87
| Dec record high F = 79
| year record high F = 109
| Jan high F = 48
| Feb high F = 53
| Mar high F = 63
| Apr high F = 72
| May high F = 81
| Jun high F = 88
| Jul high F = 92
| Aug high F = 91
| Sep high F = 84
| Oct high F = 74
| Nov high F = 62
| Dec high F = 51
| year high F = 
| Jan low F = 31
| Feb low F = 35
| Mar low F = 43
| Apr low F = 52
| May low F = 61
| Jun low F = 69
| Jul low F = 73
| Aug low F = 71
| Sep low F = 63
| Oct low F = 51
| Nov low F = 43
| Dec low F = 34
| year low F = 
| Jan record low F = −5
| Feb record low F = −4
| Mar record low F = 15
| Apr record low F = 28
| May record low F = 37
| Jun record low F = 
| Jul record low F = 55
| Aug record low F = 48
| Sep record low F = 34
| Oct record low F = 23
| Nov record low F = 13
| Dec record low F = −2
| year record low F = −5
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 3.5
| Feb precipitation inch = 4.1
| Mar precipitation inch = 4.8
| Apr precipitation inch = 5.2
| May precipitation inch = 5.1
| Jun precipitation inch = 3.2
| Jul precipitation inch = 3.1
| Aug precipitation inch = 2.4
| Sep precipitation inch = 3.9
| Oct precipitation inch = 4.5
| Nov precipitation inch = 5.0
| Dec precipitation inch = 5.2
| year precipitation inch =
| Jan snow inch = 1.0
| Feb snow inch = 0
| Mar snow inch = 0
| Apr snow inch = 0
| May snow inch = 0
| Jun snow inch = 0
| Jul snow inch = 0
| Aug snow inch = 0
| Sep snow inch = 0
| Oct snow inch = 0
| Nov snow inch = 0
| Dec snow inch = 0
| year snow inch = 
| source 1   = The Weather Channel<ref name= Weather.com >{{cite web
| url        = https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/USAR0152:1:US
| title      = Monthly Averages for Des Arc, AR
| access-date = December 18, 2016
| publisher  = [[The Weather Channel]]
| format     = Graph}}</ref>
| date       = January 2016
| source 2   = Weather Database<ref name="snow">{{cite web
 |url        = https://snowfall.weatherdb.com/l/11415/Hazen-Arkansas
 |title      = Monthly Snowfall Averages for Des Arc, AR
 |access-date = December 18, 2016
|publisher  = Weather Database
 |format     = Table
}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 2097
|1860= 8854
|1870= 5604
|1880= 8435
|1890= 11374
|1900= 11875
|1910= 13853
|1920= 17447
|1930= 15187
|1940= 15304
|1950= 13768
|1960= 10515
|1970= 10249
|1980= 10140
|1990= 9518
|2000= 9539
|2010= 8715
|2020= 8282
|estyear=2023
|estimate=8036
|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<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05147.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128190818/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05147.html|archive-date=January 28, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

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

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Prairie County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US05117&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 30, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 6,924
| 83.6%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 922
| 11.13%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 19
| 0.23%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 20
| 0.24%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 3
| 0.04%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 249
| 3.01%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 145
| 1.75%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 8,282 people, 3,776 households, and 2,495 families residing in the county.

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States 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 9,539 people, 3,894 households, and 2,795 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|6|/km2|/mi2|abbr=on}}. There were 4,790 housing units at an average density of {{convert|3|/km2|/mi2|abbr=on}}. The racial makeup of the county was 84.83% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 13.71% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.36% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.18% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.28% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.64% from two or more races. 0.81% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 3,894 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.60% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 25.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.90% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,990, and the median income for a family was $36,131. Males had a median income of $28,413 versus $18,808 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $15,907. About 12.20% of families and 15.50% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 21.00% of those under age 18 and 16.80% of those age 65 or over.
{{clear}}

==Economy==
The economy of Prairie County is primarily agricultural (25.6%), followed by government employees (14.3%), and [[professional services]] (14.3%).<ref>{{cite report |title= Rural Profile of Arkansas |author= Staff of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research and Extension |publisher= University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Services |year=2015 |location= Little Rock |url= https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/MP-531.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318173457/http://uaex.edu/publications/pdf/MP-531.pdf |url-status=live |archive-date=March 18, 2015 |access-date= December 5, 2016}}</ref>

==Government and Politics==
[[File:Prairie County Courthouse, De Valls Bluff, AR 001.jpg|left|thumb|The Prairie County Courthouse in DeValls Bluff is the seat of county government in the southern district of the county]]
{{see also|Government of Arkansas|County judge|Quorum Court}}
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 Prairie 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 encyclopedia |title= Quorum Courts |url= http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=6348 |encyclopedia= [[Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture]] |publisher= [[Butler Center for Arkansas Studies]] at the [[Central Arkansas Library System]] |date= March 24, 2014 |last= Teske |first= Steven |access-date= January 23, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{ Cite encyclopedia |title= Office of County Judge |url= http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5720 |encyclopedia= [[Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture]] |publisher= Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System |date= August 28, 2015 |last= Goss |first= Kay C. |access-date= January 23, 2016 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|+Prairie County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prairie {{!}} Association of Arkansas Counties |url=https://www.arcounties.org/counties/prairie/ |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=www.arcounties.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Election Night Reporting |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AR/Prairie/115827/web.307039/#/summary?v=314098/ |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=results.enr.clarityelections.com}}</ref><ref>https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6033/november_races.pdf</ref>
!Position
!Officeholder
!Party
|-style="background-color: #F48882;
|[[County judge|County Judge]]
|Lawrence Holloway
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-style="background-color: #F48882;
|[[Municipal clerk|County Clerk]]/[[Court clerk|Circuit Clerk]]
|Gaylon Hale
|Republican
|-
|[[Sheriff]]
|Rick Parson
|(Unknown)
|-
|[[Treasurer]]
|Tabitha Gates
|(Unknown)
|-
|[[Tax collector|Collector]]
|Troy Geisler
|(Unknown)
|-
|[[Tax assessment|Assessor]]
|Karan Skarda
|(Unknown)
|-style="background-color: #999999;
|[[Coroner]]
|Byrum Kelly
|[[Independent politician|Independent]]
|}
The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 9 [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prairie County, Arkansas, elections, 2024 |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Prairie_County,_Arkansas,_elections,_2024 |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Election Night Reporting |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AR/Prairie/122562/web.345435/#/summary?v=355131/ |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=results.enr.clarityelections.com |language=en}}</ref>

Incumbents are:

* District 1: Bill Calhoun (R)
* District 2: Zach Payne (R)
* District 3: Ronald Eans (R) 
* District 4: Jordan Smith (R)
* District 5: Gary King (R)
* District 6: Rick Stallings (R)
* District 7: Levi Childress (R)
* District 8: Bobby Willeford (R)
* District 9: Paul Hooks (R)
Additionally, the townships of Prairie 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=2025-03-31 |website=What is a Constable? |language=en}}</ref>

The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prairie County, Arkansas, elections, 2024 |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Prairie_County,_Arkansas,_elections,_2024 |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref>

* Belcher-Tyler: Jeffrey Uhiren (R)
* Calhoun: Gary Carter (R)
* Center: Joe Ryan Mills (R)
* Des Arc: Michael McIntosh (R)
* Hazen: Mike Corley (R)

===Politics===
Since the late 20th century, the majority-white Prairie County has traditionally supported [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] presidential candidates, except when an alternative from another [[Southern United States|Southern state]] has been present. The county supported [[List of Governors of Alabama|Arkansas Governor]] [[Bill Clinton]] by a wide margin, as well as [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] [[List of Governors of Georgia|Governor]] [[Jimmy Carter]], [[Alabama]] [[List of Governors of Alabama|Governor]] [[George Wallace]] (running as an independent), and [[Texas]] native [[Lyndon Johnson]]. Following Clinton, the county has turned increasingly Republican, supporting [[Donald Trump]] 72.7% in 2016.<ref name="pol" />

{{PresHead|place=Prairie County, Arkansas|source=<ref name="pol" >{{ cite web |first= David |last= Leip |title= Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |url= http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/ |access-date= December 5, 2016 }}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|2,628|524|48|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|2,786|654|55|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,505|814|125|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|2,153|880|108|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|2,223|1,048|110|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|2,030|1,562|32|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,862|1,563|82|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,025|2,211|339|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,154|2,366|436|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|1,947|1,688|21|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|2,407|1,437|32|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|1,855|1,928|112|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|813|2,836|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,186|873|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|693|875|2,014|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,476|1,812|22|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|734|1,680|222|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|917|1,504|19|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|871|1,664|6|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|260|1,020|398|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|465|1,117|3|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|336|1,069|3|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|282|1,321|3|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|158|1,743|10|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|613|1,000|8|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|386|730|65|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|842|962|41|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|655|1,061|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|376|647|163|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|812|1,103|59|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|648|639|28|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|496|856|9|Arkansas}}
{{PresFoot|1896|Democratic|633|1,145|5|Arkansas}}

In [[United States Congress|Congress]], Arkansas has been represented by two Republican senators ([[John Boozman]] and [[Tom Cotton]]) since January 3, 2015, ending a long history of Democratic hegemony. In the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]], Prairie County is within the [[Arkansas's 1st congressional district|Arkansas 1st district]] with many other agricultural Delta counties on the eastern side of the state. The Arkansas 1st has been represented by [[Rick Crawford (politician)|Rick Crawford]] since [[United States House of Representatives elections in Arkansas, 2010#District 1|2010]].

In the [[Arkansas Senate]], Prairie County is within the 10th District, which also covers all of Cross, Jackson, Monroe, and Woodruff Counties and parts of Arkansas, Lee, Lonoke, Poinsett and St. Francis Counties. It is represented by Republican [[Ron Caldwell|Ronald Caldwell]] of [[Wynne, Arkansas|Wynne]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ronald Caldwell |url=https://senate.arkansas.gov/senators/ronald-caldwell/ |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=Arkansas Senate |language=en}}</ref> It was previously in the 28th District, which covered portions of Arkansas, Lonoke, Monroe, White, and Woodruff counties. The district was represented by [[Jonathan Dismang]], a [[Beebe, Arkansas|Beebe]] Republican, from January 2013 until redistricting in 2023. In the [[Arkansas House of Representatives]], Prairie County is split between the 60th and 61st districts. District 60, which covers western parts of Prairie County and also contains portions of Lonoke county, is represented by Republican [[Roger Lynch (politician)|Roger Lynch]] of [[Lonoke, Arkansas|Lonoke.]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roger D. Lynch - Arkansas House of Representatives |url=https://www.arkansashouse.org/district/60 |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=www.arkansashouse.org}}</ref> District 60, which covers eastern parts of Prairie County and also contains portions of Arkansas, Jackson, Monroe, and Woodruff counties, is represented by Republican [[Jeremiah Moore (politician)|Jeremiah Moore]] of [[Clarendon, Arkansas|Clarendon]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jeremiah Moore - Arkansas House of Representatives |url=https://www.arkansashouse.org/district/61 |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=www.arkansashouse.org}}</ref> Prairie County was previously in District 13, which was represented by [[David Hillman (politician)|David Hillman]] of [[Almyra, Arkansas|Almyra]] from 2013 to 2023.<ref>{{ cite map |author= Arkansas Economic Development Institute |title= Arkansas District Finder |publisher= [[University of Arkansas at Little Rock]] |location= Little Rock |scale= Various |url=https://argis.ualr.edu/DistrictFinder/index.html |access-date= February 23, 2019 }}</ref> Hillman switched to the Republican Party shortly after winning reelection in November 2016.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Moritz|first1=John|title=Arkansas representative switches parties, giving GOP supermajority in House|url=http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2016/nov/22/arkansas-representative-switches-parties-giving-go/|access-date=November 22, 2016|publisher=Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette}}</ref>
{{clear}}

== Education ==
Public education in Prairie County is primarily provided by two districts:

* [[Des Arc School District]], with three schools serving more than 600 students PreK-12 in northern Prairie County; includes [[Des Arc High School]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Enrollment Count by District : Districts : ADE Data Center |url=https://adedata.arkansas.gov/statewide/reportlist/districts/EnrollmentCount.aspx?year=35&search=des%20arc&pagesize=10 |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=adedata.arkansas.gov}}</ref>
* [[Hazen School District]], with two schools serving more than 500 students in southern Prairie County; includes [[Hazen High School (Arkansas)|Hazen High School]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Enrollment Count by District : Districts : ADE Data Center |url=https://adedata.arkansas.gov/statewide/reportlist/districts/EnrollmentCount.aspx?year=35&search=hazen&pagesize=10 |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=adedata.arkansas.gov}}</ref> In 2006, the [[DeValls Bluff School District]] was consolidated into the Hazen district.

==Communities==

===Cities===
[[Des Arc, Arkansas|Des Arc]] (County seat)

[[DeValls Bluff, Arkansas|DeValls Bluff]] (County seat)

===Towns===
[[Hazen, Arkansas|Hazen]]

[[Fredonia (Biscoe), Arkansas|Fredonia (Biscoe)]]

[[Ulm, Arkansas|Ulm]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=10em}}
*[[Barrettsville, Arkansas|Barrettsville]]
*[[Bay Plantation, Arkansas|Bay Plantation]]
*[[Beulah, Arkansas|Beulah]]
*[[Brasfield, Arkansas|Brasfield]]
*[[Buck's Landing, Arkansas|Buck's Landing]]
*Center Point
*[[Childers, Arkansas|Childers]]
*[[Crossroad, Prairie County, Arkansas|Crossroad]]
*[[Edwards, Arkansas|Edwards]]
*[[Erwin, Arkansas|Erwin]]
*[[Fairmount, Arkansas|Fairmount]]
*[[Four Mile Corner, Arkansas|Four Mile Corner]]
*[[Gospoda, Arkansas|Gospoda]]
*[[Hallsville, Arkansas|Hallsville]]
*[[Harrys, Arkansas|Harrys]]
*[[Hayley, Arkansas|Hayley]]
*[[Hickory Plains, Arkansas|Hickory Plains]]
*[[Jasmine, Arkansas|Jasmine]]
*[[Kay, Arkansas|Kay]]
*[[Letchworth, Arkansas|Letchworth]]
*[[Little Dixie, Arkansas|Little Dixie]]
*[[Lookout, Prairie County, Arkansas|Lookout]]
*[[Mesa, Arkansas|Mesa]]
*[[Peppers Lake, Arkansas|Peppers Lake]]
*[[Peppers Landing, Arkansas|Peppers Landing]]
*[[Plunketts, Arkansas|Plunketts]]
*[[Sand Hill, Arkansas|Sand Hill]]
*[[Screeton, Arkansas|Screeton]]
*[[Siedenstricker, Arkansas|Siedenstricker]]
*[[Slovak, Arkansas|Slovak]]
*[[Tarnceville, Arkansas|Tarnceville]]
*[[Tollville, Arkansas|Tollville]]
*[[Vaby, Arkansas|Vaby]]
{{div col end}}

===Historical communities===
{{div col|colwidth=10em}}
*[[Balle, Arkansas|Balle]]
*[[Bardill, Arkansas|Bardill]]
*[[Beecher, Arkansas|Beecher]]
*[[Cuneo, Arkansas|Cuneo]]
*[[Enarc, Arkansas|Enarc]]
*[[Harrys, Arkansas (former)|Harrys]]
*[[Hunterton, Arkansas|Hunterton]]
*[[La Grue, Arkansas|La Grue]]
*[[Leighton, Arkansas|Leighton]]
*[[Mooresville, Arkansas|Mooresville]]
*[[Nahay, Arkansas|Nahay]]
*[[Slovaktown, Arkansas|Slovaktown]]
*[[Spear, Arkansas|Spear]]
*[[Stineville, Arkansas|Stineville]]
*[[Super, Arkansas|Super]]
*[[Thomas, Arkansas|Thomas]]
*[[Uzzett, Arkansas|Uzzett]]
*[[Veits, Arkansas|Veits]]
*[[Willard, Arkansas|Willard]]
*[[Yuma, Arkansas|Yuma]]
{{div col end}}

===Townships===
{{Arkansas Townships About|County = Prairie}}
<ref>{{Cite map
 |publisher   = U. S. Census Bureau
 |title       = 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Prairie County, AR
 |url         = http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05117_prairie/BAS11C20511700000_000.pdf
 |access-date  = August 24, 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20121019170805/http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05117_prairie/BAS11C20511700000_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#P | title = Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision | publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date = May 29, 2014}}</ref>

{{div col}}
* Belcher
* Bullard
* Calhoun
* Center
* Des Arc
* Hazen ([[Hazen, Arkansas|Hazen]])
* Hickory Plain
* Lower Surrounded Hill ([[Fredonia (Biscoe), Arkansas|Fredonia (Biscoe)]])
* Roc Roe ([[Ulm, Arkansas|Ulm]])
* Tyler
* Union
* Upper Surrounded Hill
* Wattensaw ([[DeValls Bluff, Arkansas|DeValls Bluff]])
* White River ([[Des Arc, Arkansas|Des Arc]])
{{div col end}}

==Infrastructure==
===Aviation===
Prairie County contains two public owned/public use [[general aviation]] airports. Both were built during [[World War II]] by the [[United States Army Air Forces]], and turned over to local municipalities following the war. Both are predominantly used for agricultural (spraying) operations.

The [[Hazen Municipal Airport]] is located west of Hazen along US&nbsp;70. For the twelve-month period ending April 30, 2014, the facility saw 32,000 general aviation operations.<ref>{{FAA-airport|ID=6M0|use=PU|own=PU|site=00871.11*A}}. [[Federal Aviation Administration]]. Accessed December 18, 2016.</ref> The [[Stuttgart Municipal Airport]] is located in southern Prairie County near the Arkansas County line. For the twelve-month period ending July 31, 2014, the facility saw 35,000 general aviation operations, 3,000 military operations, and 2,500 [[air taxi]] operations.<ref>{{FAA-airport|ID=SGT|use=PU|own=PU|site=00871.11*A}}. [[Federal Aviation Administration]]. Accessed December 18, 2016.</ref>

===Major highways===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*[[Image:I-40 (AR 1957).svg|20px]] [[Interstate 40 (Arkansas)|Interstate 40]]
*[[Image:US 63 (1961).svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 63 in Arkansas|US Highway 63]]
*[[Image:US 70 (1961).svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 70 in Arkansas|US Highway 70]]
*[[Image:US 79 (1961).svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 79 in Arkansas|US Highway 79]]
*[[Image:US 165 (AR).svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 165|US Highway 165]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 11.svg|20px]] [[Highway 11 (Arkansas)|Highway 11]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 13.svg|20px]] [[Highway 13 (Arkansas)|Highway 13]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 33.svg|20px]] [[Highway 33 (Arkansas)|Highway 33]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 38.svg|20px]] [[Highway 38 (Arkansas)|Highway 38]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 86.svg|20px]] [[Highway 86 (Arkansas)|Highway 86]]
* [[File:Arkansas 249.svg|25px]] [[Arkansas Highway 249|Highway 249]]
* [[File:Arkansas 302.svg|25px]] [[Arkansas Highway 302|Highway 302]]
* [[File:Arkansas 323.svg|25px]] [[Arkansas Highway 323|Highway 323]]
* [[File:Arkansas 343.svg|25px]] [[Arkansas Highway 343|Highway 343]]
* [[File:Arkansas 959.svg|25px]] [[Arkansas Highway 959|Highway 959]]
* [[File:Arkansas 980(Airport).svg|20px]] [[Arkansas Highway 980|Highway 980]]
{{div col end}}

===Utilities===
{{See also|List of public utilities in Arkansas}}
The [[Arkansas Department of Health]] is responsible for the regulation and oversight of public water systems throughout the state. Prairie County contains six community water systems: Biscoe Waterworks, Des Arc Waterworks, DeValls Bluff Waterworks, East Prairie County Public Water Authority (PWA), Hazen Waterworks, Southeast [White County] PWA, and Ulm Waterworks. Des Arc Waterworks has the largest retail population (3,882), followed by Hazen (1,600), and East Prairie County PWA (699).<ref>{{ cite web |title= Community Water System Data |publisher= Arkansas Department of Health, Engineering Section |location= Little Rock |url= http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/eng/autoupdates/data.xls |access-date= December 5, 2016 }}</ref> All community water systems in Prairie County use groundwater as their source of raw water, except Ulm, which purchases all water from Grand Prairie Regional Water<ref>{{ cite web |publisher= Arkansas Department of Health |year= 2015 |title= Ulm Waterworks Annual Drinking Water Quality Report |url= http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/eng/ccr/451.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222152323/http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/eng/ccr/451.pdf |archive-date=December 22, 2016 |url-status=live |work= Consumer Confidence Report |location= Little Rock |access-date= December 5, 2016 }}</ref> and the small portion served by Southeast White County PWA.<ref>{{ cite web |publisher= Arkansas Department of Health |year= 2015 |title= Southeast Water PWA Annual Drinking Water Quality Report |url= http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/eng/ccr/594.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223063040/http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/eng/ccr/594.pdf |archive-date=December 23, 2016 |url-status=live |work= Consumer Confidence Report |location= Little Rock |access-date= December 5, 2016 }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Arkansas}}
* [[List of counties in Arkansas]]
* [[List of lakes in Prairie County, Arkansas]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Prairie County, Arkansas]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Scott |first=Dalton B. |date=1948 |title=The Organization and Subsequent History of the Center Point Baptist Church |location=Hazen, Arkansas}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://www.argenweb.net/prairie/ ARGenWeb Prairie County], genealogy resources for the county
* {{osmrelation-inline}}
* {{Ballotpedia}}
* {{Facebook|id=prairiecountyreads|name=Prairie County Library System}}
* {{Facebook|id=PrairieCountyMusuem|name=Prairie County Museum}}

{{Geographic Location
| Centre    = Prairie County, Arkansas
| North     = [[White County, Arkansas|White County]]
| Northeast = [[Woodruff County, Arkansas|Woodruff County]]
| East      = [[Monroe County, Arkansas|Monroe County]]
| Southeast =
| South     = [[Arkansas County, Arkansas|Arkansas County]]
| Southwest =
| West      = [[Lonoke County, Arkansas|Lonoke County]]
| Northwest =
}}

{{Arkansas}}

{{Prairie County, Arkansas}}

{{Authority control}}

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