White County, Arkansas: Difference between revisions

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White County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 76,822.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat is Searcy.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> White County is Arkansas's 31st county, formed on October 23, 1835, from portions of Independence, Jackson, and Pulaski counties and named for Hugh Lawson White, a Whig candidate for President of the United States. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county, though a few private establishments (such as the Searcy Country Club, and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in Searcy and Beebe) can serve alcohol. White County comprises the Searcy, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR Combined Statistical Area.

History

The first Americans that are believed to have settled in White County were John and Nancy Magness. They started in Tennessee and came to White County around 1815 and set up a farm in what is now Letona. White County was established by act of the Arkansas territorial legislature on October 23, 1835, by combining parts of Independence, Jackson, and Pulaski counties.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On May 17, 1862, White County was the site of the Little Red Skirmish between Union Major General Samuel J Curtis and a force of about 100 loosely-organized Confederates, followed by the battle at Whitney Lane in June.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> also known as The Skirmish at Searcy Landing.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1876, a religious cult called the Cobbites existed for a short period south of Searcy. Named after the group's leader, Reverend Cobb, bizarre behavior by members of the cult led to attention from local citizens, but after the murder of a man from Searcy, a mob attacked the group. Several Cobbites were killed and others arrested. Little is known about Reverend Cobb, not even his full name, other than that he came from Tennessee to White County in 1876. To his followers, he claimed to be God or Jesus Christ. He apparently believed he could perform the works of God, and he used a sycamore pole to command the sun to rise each morning and did the same each evening to command it to set.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During the 1960s, the U.S. Department of Defense constructed several Titan II missile silos in the county in the early 1960s. An accident at one site in 1965 killed fifty-three workers when a welder hit a hydraulic line with their welding rod, causing a fire that removed the oxygen and suffocated most of the workers in the facility.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.7%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> It is the second-largest county by area in Arkansas.

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

Independence County (north)
Jackson County (northeast)
Woodruff County (east)
Prairie County (southeast)
Lonoke County (southwest)
Faulkner County (west)
Cleburne County (northwest)

National and state protected areas

Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge
Henry Gray / Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Demographics

Template:US Census population

File:USA White County, Arkansas age pyramid.svg

Age pyramid White County<ref>Based on 2000 census data</ref>

2020 census

White County racial composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	64,363	83.78%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	3,677	4.79%
Native American	319	0.42%
Asian	616	0.8%
Pacific Islander	25	0.03%
Other/Mixed	4,323	5.63%
Hispanic or Latino	3,499	4.55%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 76,822 people, 28,621 households, and 18,028 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census,<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 67,165 people, 25,148 households, and 18,408 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 27,613 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 93.52% White, 3.56% Black or African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.82% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. 1.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 25,148 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.40% under the age of 18, 12.80% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,203, and the median income for a family was $38,782. Males had a median income of $29,884 versus $20,323 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,890. About 10.40% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.10% of those under age 18 and 14.30% 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 White County Quorum Court has thirteen 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>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 45th White County Judge was Michael Lincoln of Searcy, who served from January 2007 until his retirement in 2025. The current Judge is Lisa Brown, who succeeded Lincoln in January 2025. In 1988, White County elected virtually an entire slate of Republicans to county offices. Though such Republican sweeps had frequently occurred in northern and northwestern Arkansas, White County was the first in the Little Rock area to turn to Republicans as the party steadily made inroads toward a two-party system.<ref>Osro Cobb, Osro Cobb of Arkansas: Memoirs of Historical Significance, Carol Griffee, ed. (Little Rock, Arkansas: Rose Publishing Company, 1989), p. 114</ref>

At the state level, White County is represented in the Arkansas State Senate by Republican Jonathan Dismang, a public accountant and former state representative from Searcy, of the 18th District.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the Arkansas House of Representatives, White County is split between five districts: the 39th, 40th, 57th, 58th, and 59th. District 39 is represented by Republican Wayne Long of Bradford,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> District 40 by Republican Shad Pearce of Batesville in Independence County,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> District 57 by Republican Cameron Cooper of Romance,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> District 58 by Republican Les Eaves of Searcy,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and District 59 by Republican Jim Wooten of Beebe.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> White County is also under the state's 17th Judicial District, along with Prairie County, and is served by Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Reed McCoy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

At the Federal level, White County is represented in the U.S. Senate by Republicans John Boozman and Tom Cotton. In the U.S. House of Representatives, it is in Arkansas's 2nd Congressional District and represented by Republican French Hill of Little Rock.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Over the past few election cycles White County has trended heavily towards the GOP. The last Democrat (as of 2024) to carry this county was Bill Clinton in 1996.

White County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Position	Officeholder	Party
County Judge	Lisa Brown	Republican
County Clerk	Carla Barnett	Republican
Circuit Clerk	Sara Brown Carlton	Republican
Sheriff	Phillip Miller	Republican
Treasurer	Janet Hibbetts	Republican
Tax Collector	Beth Dorton	Republican
Tax Assessor	Gail Snyder	Republican
Coroner	Matt Smith	Republican

The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 13 Republicans.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:

White County Quorum Court<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
District	Justice of the Peace	Party	Residence	District description
1	Doug Kennedy	Republican	Beebe	Downtown and western Beebe; district includes Arkansas State University-Beebe
2	Bobby Burns	Republican	Beebe	Southwest White County, including parts of Beebe, along with the communities of Barrentine Corner, and Opal.
3	Chris Boaz	Republican	El Paso	Western White County, including Rose Bude, along with the communities of El Paso, Floyd, Joy, Romance, and Sidon.
4	Allen King	Republican	Pangburn	North-central and west-central White County, including Letona and Pangburn, along with the communities of Albion, Center Hill, Clay, Dewey, Harmony, Holly Springs, and Pickens.
5	Jimmy L. House	Republican	Judsonia	Northern and northeastern white county, including Bradford, along with the communities of Hickory Flat, Midway (near Pleasant Plains), Providence, Roosevelt, Steprock, Sunnydale, and Velvet Ridge.
6	Shane Sellers	Republican	Judsonia	Central and north-central White County, including Judsonia and Kensett, along with the community of Plainview.
7	David H. Freppon	Republican	Bald Knob	Eastern White County, including Bald Knob and Russel, along with the communities of Liberty Valley, Plainview, and Worden.
8	Charles "Chuck" Lang	Republican	Georgetown	Southern and southeastern White County, including Garner, Georgetown Griffithville, Higginson McRae, West Point, and southern portions of Searcy, along with the communities of Andrews, Gum Springs, Morning Sun, Vinity Corner, and Walker.
9	Mike Cleveland	Republican	Searcy	Central, south-central, and west-central White County, including southwestern portions of Searcy, along with the community of Gum Springs.
10	Keith Carlisle	Republican	Searcy	Central White County, including western portions of Searcy, along with the communities of Fourmile Hill and Smyrna.
11	Nathan Lincoln	Republican	Searcy	Central White County, including portions of downtown and northern Searcy, along with the communities of Bee Rock and Fourmile Hill.
12	Joel "JP" Pritchett	Republican	Searcy	Central White County, including portions of downtown, northern, and western Searcy.
13	Kenneth Liles	Republican	Searcy	Central White County, including portions of southern and eastern Searcy; district includes most of Harding University.

Additionally, the townships of White 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>Template:Cite web</ref>

The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Big Creek: Jesse Pate (R)
Cadron: Dusty Betts (R)
Cypert: Brent Davis (R)
Dogwood: Paul Barnett (R)
Gray: Kim Pearson (R)
Gum Springs: Kevin McCoy (R)
Harrison: Greg Meharg (R)
Liberty: Phillip Simpson (R)
Union: Chris Ward (R)

Economy

One of the state's largest banks, First Security Bank, was established in Searcy in 1932 as Security Bank. First Security now has over $8 billion in assets and 78 locations in Arkansas.

The first Wal-Mart distribution center away from the corporate headquarters in Bentonville was established in Searcy.

Education

Public education

Public education is provided by several public school districts including:

Searcy School District, with six schools serving more than 3,800 students;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> includes Searcy High School, Searcy
Beebe School District, with seven schools serving more than 3,200 students;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> includes Beebe High School, Beebe, and Beebe Middle School, McRae
Riverview School District, with four schools serving more than 1,000 students;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> includes Riverview High School, Searcy, with elementary campuses in Judsonia and Kensett
Bald Knob School District, with three schools serving more than 1,000 students;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> includes Bald Knob High School, Bald Knob

White County Central School District, with three schools serving more than 800 students;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> includes White County Central High School, Judsonia
Pangburn School District, with two schools serving more than 700 students;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> includes Pangburn High School, Pangburn
Rose Bud School District, with two schools serving more than 600 students;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> including Rose Bud High School, Rose Bud
Bradford School District, with two schools serving nearly 400 students;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> includes Bradford High School, Bradford

A small portion of northern White County, including the community of Roosevelt, is in the Midland School District, located in neighboring Independence County. A small portion of western White County, including Hammondsville, is in the Mount Vernon-Enola School District, located in neighboring Faulkner County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Private education

CrossPointe Preparatory, Searcy, Independent Christian School
Harding Academy, Searcy, Churches of Christ. More than 500 students are enrolled PK-12.
Liberty Christian School, Searcy, Christian

Lighthouse Christian Academy, Beebe, Pentecostal
Sunshine School, Searcy
Trinity Christian School, Bradford, Baptist

Colleges and universities

Arkansas State University-Beebe Public, established in 1927 as The Junior Agricultural School of Central Arkansas.
Arkansas State University-Searcy A technical branch of Arkansas State University
Harding University Private, Churches of Christ enrollment over 6000.

Communities

Albion — north-central White County, between Four Mile Hill or "Boothill" and Pangburn, and north of Letona, along Arkansas Highway 16 and surrounding county roads
Antioch — western White County, north of Beebe, along Arkansas Highways 31 and 267 and surrounding county roads
Andrews
Bare Stone
Barrentine Corner
Bee Rock
Belcher
Center Hill — central White County, approximately 8 miles west of Searcy, situated along Arkansas Highway 36 and 305 and surrounding county roads
Clay
Conant
Crosby
Dewey
Dogwood
Doniphan
El Paso — southwestern White County, situated along Arkansas Highway 5 and U.S. Highway 64 West
Enright
Essex
Floyd — western White County, approximately 8 miles southeast of Romance, along Arkansas Highways 31 and 305 and surrounding county roads
Four Mile Hill or "Boot Hill" — central White County, northwest of Searcy and southeast of Albion, along Arkansas Highway 16 and surrounding county roads
Georgia Ridge – home community of Arkansas State Representative Charlotte Douglas of District 75 in Crawford County
Gravel Hill — western White County, northwest of Floyd and south of Joy, situated between Arkansas Highways 31 and 36 along Gravel Hill Road and surrounding county roads
Hammondsville – western White County, between Romance and El Paso, primarily situated along Hammons Chapel Road (connecting Highway 5 and El Paso Road)
Happy — 2.9 miles (4.7 km) north of Griffithville and 7.5 miles (12.1 km) southeast of Searcy along Arkansas Highway 385
Harmony — central White County, southwest of Center Hill, situated along Arkansas Highway 305 and surrounding county roads
Hart
Hickory Flat
Holly Springs
Joy — central White County, between Rose Bud and Center Hill, situated along Arkansas Highway 36 and surrounding county roads
Keeler Corner
Liberty Valley — eastern White County, between Bald Knob and the White River, along U.S. Highway 64 East and surrounding county roads
Little Red
Midway (near Bald Knob) — 2.5 miles (4.0 km) southwest of Bald Knob on Arkansas Highway 367
Midway (near Pleasant Plains) — 3 miles (4.8 km) southeast of Pleasant Plains on U.S. Route 167
Mitchell Corner
Morning Sun — annexed to Higginson in 2008
Nimmo
Opal — southwestern White County, between El Paso and Beebe, along U.S. Highway 64 West and Opal Road and surrounding county roads
Pickens — north-central White County, between Sidon and Letona, along Arkansas Highway 310 (Pickens Chapel Road) and Pickens Road and surrounding county roads
Plainview — northeastern White County, north of Judsonia, along Arkansas Highways 157 and 385 and surrounding county roads
Pryor
Providence — northeastern White County, north of Judsonia and northwest of Bald Knob, along Arkansas Highways 157 and 258 and surrounding county roads; site of White County Central Schools
Rio Vista
Romance — western White County, between Rose Bud and El Paso, along Arkansas Highways 5 and 31 and surrounding county roads
Showalter's Corner
Sidon — north-central White County, west of Pickens and north of Joy, along Arkansas Highway 310 and surrounding county roads
Smyrna
Steprock
Sunnydale
Twentythree — northeastern White County, 5 mile north of Bald Knob, along U.S. Highway 167 and surrounding county roads
Velvet Ridge — northeastern White County, 8 mile north of Bald Knob, along U.S. Highway 167 and surrounding county roads
Vinity Corner — south-central White County, south of Garner and southeast of McRae, along West Vinity Road, North Vinity Road, and other county roads southeast of Arkansas Highway 367
Walker — southeastern White County, south of Higginson and west of Griffithville, along Arkansas Highway 11 (Walker Road) and surrounding county roads
Worden
Wright's Corner