Cleveland County, Arkansas
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county
Cleveland County (formerly known as Dorsey County) is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Its population was 7,550 at the 2020 U.S. census.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat and largest city is Rison.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Cleveland County is included in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
[edit]The Arkansas legislature established Dorsey County as Arkansas's 71st county on April 17, 1873, naming it for Stephen W. Dorsey, the U.S. Senator from Arkansas. When he was indicted for defrauding the Post Office, they renamed it on March 5, 1885, for Grover Cleveland, the newly elected President of the United States.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Battle of Marks' Mills, the pivotal engagement in the Union Army's ill-fated Camden Expedition during the U.S. Civil War, took place in what is now Cleveland County. This engagement resulted in a crushing victory for Confederate forces, though the victory ultimately proved to be hollow when Federal General Frederick Steele and the rest of his army managed to escape from Camden to Little Rock.
Geography
[edit]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 (0.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>
Major highways
[edit]- File:US 63.svg U.S. Highway 63
- File:US 79.svg U.S. Highway 79
- File:US 167.svg U.S. Highway 167
- File:Arkansas 8.svg Highway 8
- File:Arkansas 11.svg Highway 11
- File:Arkansas 15.svg Highway 15 (now US 63)
- File:Arkansas 35.svg Highway 35
- File:Arkansas 54.svg Highway 54
- File:Arkansas 97.svg Highway 97
- File:Arkansas 114.svg Highway 114
- File:Arkansas 133.svg Highway 133
- File:Arkansas 189.svg Highway 189
- File:Arkansas 212.svg Highway 212
Adjacent counties
[edit]- Grant County (northwest)
- Jefferson County (northeast)
- Lincoln County (east)
- Drew County (southeast)
- Bradley County (south)
- Calhoun County (southwest)
- Dallas County (west)
Demographics
[edit]
2020 census
[edit]| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 6,429 | 85.15% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 675 | 8.94% |
| Native American | 21 | 0.28% |
| Asian | 7 | 0.09% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 235 | 3.11% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 182 | 2.41% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,550 people, 3,217 households, and 2,254 families residing in the county.
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 United States Census,<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 8,571 people, 3,273 households, and 2,513 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 3,834 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 84.79% White, 13.22% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 1.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,273 households, out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.70% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.20% were non-families. 21.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,405, and the median income for a family was $38,164. Males had a median income of $31,282 versus $21,172 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,362. About 11.40% of families and 15.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.50% of those under age 18 and 15.70% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
[edit]Cities
[edit]Census-designated places
[edit]Townships
[edit]
Template:Arkansas Townships About <ref>Template:Cite map</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Bowman
- Hudgin
- Harper (Herbine)
- Hurricane (Rye)
- Kingsland (Kingsland)
- Lee
- Miller (Woodlawn)
- Niven-Jackson
- Redland (New Edinburg)
- Rison (Rison)
- Rowell
- Saline
- Smith
- White Oak (Staves)
- Whiteville (Randall)
Government
[edit]Government
[edit]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 Cleveland 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>
| Position | Officeholder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| County Judge | Jimmy Cummings | Republican |
| County/Circuit Clerk | Brandy Herring | Republican |
| Sheriff | Jack H. Rodgers II | Republican |
| Treasurer | Angie Kimsey-Sims | Republican |
| Collector | Patti Wilson | Republican |
| Assessor | Barbara Reaves | Republican |
| Coroner | Chuck Valentine | Republican |
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 name=":0" /><ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>
- District 1: Ricky Neal (R)
- District 2: Melody Spears (R)
- District 3: Dwayne Ashcraft (R)
- District 4: Pat Keegan-Potter (R)
- District 5: Donnie Herring (R)
- District 6: Owen Rushing (R)
- District 7: Bruce T. Brown (R)
- District 8: Jeffrey Smith (R)
- District 9: Charles Rodgers (R)
Additionally, the townships of Cleveland 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=":1" />
- Harper: Dave Morrison (D)
Politics
[edit]Cleveland County has trended heavily towards the Republican Party in recent presidential elections. As of 2024 the last Democrat to carry the county was Bill Clinton, an Arkansas native, in 1996.
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Education
[edit]School districts serving portions of the county:<ref>"SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Cleveland County, AR." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on October 15, 2017.</ref>
- Cleveland County School District
- Malvern Special School District
- Star City School District
- Woodlawn School District
Notable people
[edit]- Monroe Schwarzlose, a turkey farmer and political maverick who polled 31 percent of the vote against Governor Bill Clinton in the 1980 Democratic primary. He won in Cleveland County.Template:Citation needed
- Harvey Parnell, the 29th governor of Arkansas, 1928-1933<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Youell Swinney, the only major suspect in the Texarkana Phantom slayings, hailed from Cleveland County. He was the son of a Baptist minister.
- Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant was born in Moro Bottom.
- Tyrell Johnson plays safety in the NFL was born and raised in Rison.
See also
[edit]- List of lakes in Cleveland County, Arkansas
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Cleveland County, Arkansas
References
[edit]<references />
External links
[edit]Template:Cleveland County, Arkansas Template:Arkansas Template:Portal bar Template:Authority control