Editing Sharp County, Arkansas

{{short description|County in Arkansas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Sharp County
 | state                = Arkansas
 | ex image             = Sherman Bates House.JPG
 | ex image size        = 220px
 | ex image cap         = [[Sherman Bates House]] in [[Hardy, Arkansas]].
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1868
 | founded date         = July 18
 | named for            = Ephraim Sharp
 | seat wl              = Ash Flat
 | largest city wl      = Cherokee Village
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 606
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 604
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 2.0
 | area percentage      = 0.3%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 17271
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 17968 {{gain}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | district             = 1st
 | web                  = http://sharpcounty.arkansas.gov/
 | time zone            = Central
}}

'''Sharp County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Arkansas]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 17,271.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Sharp County, Arkansas|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Sharp_County,_Arkansas?g=0500000US05135|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 21, 2023}}</ref> The [[county seat]] is [[Ash Flat, Arkansas|Ash Flat]].<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 was formed on July 18, 1868, and named for Ephraim Sharp, a state legislator from the area.

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|606|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|604|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|2.0|sqmi}} (0.3%) 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===
*[[File:US 62.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 62]]
*[[File:US 63.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 63]]
*[[File:US 167.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Highway 167]]
*[[File:US 412.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Highway 412]]
*[[File:Arkansas 56.svg|20px]] [[Highway 56 (Arkansas)|Highway 56]]
*[[File:Arkansas 58.svg|20px]] [[Highway 58 (Arkansas)|Highway 58]]
*[[File:Arkansas 175.svg|25px]] [[Highway 175 (Arkansas)|Highway 175]]

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Oregon County, Missouri|Oregon County]], [[Missouri]] (north)
*[[Randolph County, Arkansas|Randolph County]] (northeast)
*[[Lawrence County, Arkansas|Lawrence County]] (southeast)
*[[Independence County, Arkansas|Independence County]] (south)
*[[Izard County, Arkansas|Izard County]] (southwest)
*[[Fulton County, Arkansas|Fulton County]] (northwest)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 5400
|1880= 9047
|1890= 10418
|1900= 12199
|1910= 11688
|1920= 11132
|1930= 10715
|1940= 11497
|1950= 8999
|1960= 6319
|1970= 8233
|1980= 14607
|1990= 14109
|2000= 17119
|2010= 17264
|2020= 17271
|estyear=2023
|estimate=17968
|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/05/05135.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 19, 2014}}</ref>
}}

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

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Sharp County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US05135&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)
| 15,729
| 91.07%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 114
| 0.66%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 121
| 0.7%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 57
| 0.33%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 20
| 0.12%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 868
| 5.03%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 362
| 2.1%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 17,271 people, 7,447 households, and 4,420 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 17,119 people, 7,211 households, and 5,141 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|28|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 9,342 housing units at an average density of {{convert|16|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 97.14% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.49% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.68% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.12% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.16% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.39% from two or more races. 0.98% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 7,211 households, out of which 25.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 25.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.79.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.90% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 22.80% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 23.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,152, and the median income for a family was $29,691. Males had a median income of $23,329 versus $16,884 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $14,143. About 13.20% of families and 18.20% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 25.40% of those under age 18 and 13.20% 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 Sharp County Quorum Court has nine 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=2025-04-13 |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=2025-04-13 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|+Sharp County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Sharp {{!}} Association of Arkansas Counties |url=https://www.arcounties.org/counties/sharp/ |access-date=2025-04-13 |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
|Mark Counts
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|County/Circuit Clerk
|Alisa Black
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Sheriff
|Shane Russell
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Treasurer
|Wanda Girtman
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Collector
|Michelle Daggett
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Assessor
|Kathy Nix
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Coroner
|Renee Clay-Circle
|Republican
|}
The composition of the Quorum Court after the 2024 elections is 9 Republicans. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Sharp County, Arkansas, elections, 2024 |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Sharp_County,_Arkansas,_elections,_2024 |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Election Night Reporting |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AR/Sharp/119934/web.317647/#/summary?v=333347/ |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=results.enr.clarityelections.com |language=en}}</ref>

* District 1: Kevin C. Dienst (R)
* District 2: Briana M. Dilorio (R)
* District 3: Joey Barnes (R)
* District 4: Roy Murphy (R)
* District 5: Tommy Estes (R)
* District 6: Jackie Pickett (R)
* District 7: Buell Wilkes (R)
* District 8: Jeral Hastings (R)
* District 9: Zack Baxter (R)

Additionally, the townships of Sharp 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=2025-04-13 |website=What is a Constable? |language=en}}</ref> The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:<ref name=":1" />

* District 1: Ashton Hester (R)
* District 2: George Jackson (R)
* District 3: David L. Gruger (R)
* District 4: Phillip Pickett (R)
* District 5: Kelly Newcom (R)
* District 6: Luke Vander Vort (R)

=== Politics ===
In recent years, Sharp County has trended heavily towards the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]. The last Democrat to carry the county was Arkansas-native [[Bill Clinton]] in [[1996 United States presidential election in Arkansas|1996]]. Since then, Democratic vote shares have plummeted, with [[Joe Biden]] in [[2020 United States presidential election in Arkansas|2020]] losing the county by a 4-to-1 margin to Republican [[Donald Trump]], despite winning the national election.
{{PresHead|place=Sharp 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|5,978|1,316|143|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|5,938|1,398|230|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|5,407|1,472|370|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,921|2,092|270|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|4,535|2,436|281|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|4,097|3,265|108|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|3,698|3,236|192|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|2,635|3,573|762|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|2,486|3,761|949|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,623|2,955|34|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,392|2,492|46|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|3,420|2,774|222|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,151|3,532|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,677|1,154|9|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|1,136|1,025|1,299|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,215|1,810|22|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|911|807|68|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|645|927|28|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|655|1,039|3|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|295|1,078|80|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|664|1,217|12|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|433|1,099|5|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|289|934|12|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|142|1,334|8|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|501|808|1|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|210|729|56|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|400|995|119|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|251|972|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|114|681|265|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|317|970|88|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|288|671|59|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|394|1,059|15|Arkansas}}
{{PresFoot|1896|Democratic|230|1,383|3|Arkansas}}

==Communities==

===Cities===
*[[Ash Flat, Arkansas|Ash Flat]] (county seat)
*[[Cave City, Arkansas|Cave City]]
*[[Cherokee Village, Arkansas|Cherokee Village]]
*[[Hardy, Arkansas|Hardy]]
*[[Highland, Arkansas|Highland]]
*[[Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas|Horseshoe Bend]]

===Towns===
*[[Evening Shade, Arkansas|Evening Shade]]
*[[Sidney, Arkansas|Sidney]]
*[[Williford, Arkansas|Williford]]

===Unincorporated communities===
*[[Ben-Gay, Arkansas|Ben-Gay]]
*[[Ozark Acres, Arkansas|Ozark Acres]]
*[[Poughkeepsie, Arkansas|Poughkeepsie]]

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

{{Arkansas Townships About|County = Sharp}}
<ref>{{Cite map
 |publisher   = U. S. Census Bureau
 |title       = 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Sharp County, AR
 |url         = http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05135_sharp/BAS11C20513500000_000.pdf
 |access-date  = August 4, 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20121019124204/http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05135_sharp/BAS11C20513500000_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#S | title = Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision | publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date = May 29, 2014}}</ref>

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Big Creek
* Cave ([[Cave City, Arkansas|Cave City]])
* Cherokee (most of [[Cherokee Village, Arkansas|Cherokee Village]], small part of [[Highland, Arkansas|Highland]])
* Davidson
* East Sullivan
* Hardy (most of [[Hardy, Arkansas|Hardy]])
* Highland (most of [[Highland, Arkansas|Highland]])
* [[Jackson Township, Sharp County, Arkansas|Jackson]] ([[Williford, Arkansas|Williford]])
* Lave Creek
* Lower North
* Morgan
* North Big Rock
* North Lebanon
* Ozark
* Piney Fork ([[Evening Shade, Arkansas|Evening Shade]])
* Richwoods (part of [[Ash Flat, Arkansas|Ash Flat]], small part of [[Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas|Horseshoe Bend]])
* Scott
* South Big Rock
* South Union
* Strawberry
* Upper North
* Washington
* West Sullivan (most of [[Sidney, Arkansas|Sideny]])
{{div col end}}

Sharp County was featured on the PBS program ''[[Independent Lens]]'' for its 1906 "banishment" of all of its Black residents."<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/banished/map.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080114005730/http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/banished/map.html| archive-date = January 14, 2008| title = Independent Lens . BANISHED . Banishment Map {{!}} PBS}}</ref>

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

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=809 Sharp County, Arkansas] entry on the [[Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20181125221654/https://sharpcounty.arkansas.gov/ Sharp County official website] 
* [http://ozarkansassy.com/weather/ozark_weather.html Ozark Acres Weather] {{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Geographic Location
| Centre    = Sharp County, Arkansas
| North     = [[Oregon County, Missouri]]
| Northeast = [[Randolph County, Arkansas|Randolph County]]
| East      =
| Southeast = [[Lawrence County, Arkansas|Lawrence County]]
| South     = [[Independence County, Arkansas|Independence County]]
| Southwest = [[Izard County, Arkansas|Izard County]]
| West      =
| Northwest = [[Fulton County, Arkansas|Fulton County]]
}}

{{Sharp County, Arkansas}}
{{Arkansas}}

{{coord|36|09|21|N|91|30|18|W|region:US-AR_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Sharp County, Arkansas| ]]
[[Category:1868 establishments in Arkansas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1868]]