Madison County, Arkansas

Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,521.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat is Huntsville.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was formed on September 30, 1836, and named for Madison County, Alabama, the home of some early settlers. They also named the county seat after Madison County in Alabama's county seat, Huntsville.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Madison County is part of the Northwest Arkansas region.

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 (0.3%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

• Carroll County (north)
• Newton County (east)
• Johnson County (southeast)
• Franklin County (south)
• Crawford County (southwest)
• Washington County (west)
• Benton County (northwest)

National protected area

• Ozark National Forest (part)

Demographics

File:USA Madison County, Arkansas age pyramid.svg

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

2020 census

Madison County racial composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	14,075	85.19%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	36	0.22%
Native American	205	1.24%
Asian	102	0.62%
Pacific Islander	238	1.44%
Other/Mixed	975	5.9%
Hispanic or Latino	890	5.39%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,521 people, 6,279 households, and 4,318 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 14,243 people, 5,463 households, and 4,080 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 6,537 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 95.94% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 1.22% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.47% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. 3.06% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,463 households, out of which 33.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.00% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.30% were non-families. 22.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.80% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 27.00% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,895, and the median income for a family was $32,910. Males had a median income of $24,911 versus $18,786 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,736. About 14.70% of families and 18.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.60% of those under age 18 and 18.00% 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 Madison 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>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Madison County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6033/november_races.pdf</ref>

Position	Officeholder	Party
County Judge	Larry Garret	Republican
County Clerk	Austin Boatright	Democratic
Circuit Clerk	Tiffany McDaniel	Republican
Sheriff	Ronnie Boyd	Republican
Treasurer	Amanda Born	Republican
Collector	Chera Glenn	Democratic
Assessor	Christal Odgen	Republican
Coroner	Douglas Rabold	Republican
Surveyor	Jim Cagle	(Unknown)

The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 9 Republicans. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>

• District 1: Bob Rawson (R) of Hindsville
• District 2: Cord Riley (R) of Hindsville
• District 3: Jason Yates (R) of Huntsville
• District 4: Sam Roddy (R) of Huntsville
• District 5: Wendy Pettz (R) of Huntsville
• District 6: Shannon Fancher (R) of Huntsville
• District 7: Joe Wilson (R) of Wesley
• District 8: Jeff Marley (R) of Elkins
• District 9: Michael Keck (R) of Huntsville

Additionally, the townships of Madison 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 name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

• North Township: Gary Martin (R)
• South Township: Wes Walters (R)

Politics

During the Secession Convention of 1861, Arkansas voted to leave the Union and join the Confederate States of America. When Chairman David Walker called for a second vote seeking a unanimous decision, only Madison County representative Isaac Murphy refused to change his vote.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Murphy would later be appointed Governor of Arkansas during Reconstruction under Abraham Lincoln's conciliatory policy.

Madison County is strongly Republican, and voted for the Republican candidate several times even when Arkansas was part of the "Solid South". A Democrat has carried the county only four times since 1940. Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

Transportation

Major highways

• File:US 412.svg U.S. Highway 412
• File:Arkansas 12.svg Highway 12
• File:Arkansas 16.svg Highway 16
• File:Arkansas 21.svg Highway 21
• File:Arkansas 23.svg Highway 23
• File:Arkansas 45.svg Highway 45
• File:Arkansas 74.svg Highway 74

Airport

The Huntsville Municipal Airport is a public-use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) southwest of the central business district of Huntsville.<ref>Template:FAA-airport. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective August 25, 2011.</ref>

Communities

City

• Huntsville (county seat)

Towns

• Hindsville
• St. Paul

Unincorporated communities

• Delaney
• Kingston
• Marble
• Clifty
• Forum
• Weathers
• Witter
• Japton
• Combs
• Pettigrew
• Wesley
• Aurora

Townships

File:Madison County Arkansas 2010 Township Map large.jpg

Townships in Madison County, Arkansas as of 2010

Template:Arkansas Townships About <ref>Template:Cite map</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Township	FIPS code	ANSI code (GNIS ID)	Population center(s)	Pop. (2010)	Pop. density (/mi2)	Pop. density (/km2)	Total area (mi2)	Total area (km2)	Land area (mi2)	Land area (km2)	Water area (mi2)	Water area (km2)	Geographic coordinates
Alabam	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		1,261	21.90	8.46	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Bohannan	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		631	36.81	14.21	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Boston	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		168	2.54	0.98	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Bowen	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		486	15.18	5.86	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
California	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		1,303	15.36	5.93	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Hilburn	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	St. Paul	310	16.39	6.33	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Japton	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		441	17.28	6.67	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Kentucky	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		265	5.82	2.25	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Kings River	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		769	12.16	4.69	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Lamar	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		949	33.88	13.08	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Lincoln	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		229	9.19	3.55	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Marble	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		318	19.48	7.52	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Mill Creek	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		610	9.44	3.65	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Prairie	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Hindsville	1,632	31.40	12.12	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Purdy	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		314	2.45	8.67	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Richland	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		567	21.56	8.32	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Valley	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		517	13.88	5.36	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Venus	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		244	6.65	2.53	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
War Eagle	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4	Huntsville	4,037	67.55	26.08	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Wharton	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		418	12.24	4.72	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
White River	Template:FIPS	Template:GNIS4		248	8.48	3.27	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Coord
Source: Template:Cite web Source: Template:Cite web

Notable residents

• Orval E. Faubus (1910–1994), governor of Arkansas during the desegregation days, was from the Combs community near Huntsville. He is buried in Combs Cemetery.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Ronnie Hawkins, rockabilly singer. His backing band, The Hawks, later played with Bob Dylan and eventually became The Band.
• Danny L. Patrick, Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Madison and Carroll counties from 1967 to 1970.<ref>"Danny Lee Patrick", Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, July 29, 2009</ref>
• John Selman, outlaw and lawman, best known for killing John Wesley Hardin in 1895, was born in Madison County.
• Charles Whorton Jr., Democrat Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives 1991 to1998,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Madison County Judge 1973 to 1988,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Madison County Clerk 1955 to 1972
• George William Fullerton (1923-2009), He is credited with design contributions that led to the manufacture of the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar.

See also

• List of lakes in Madison County, Arkansas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Madison County, Arkansas

External links

• Madison County Map (U. S. Census Bureau)
• Official Site