El Dorado, Arkansas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
El Dorado (pronounced to rhyme with 'tornado' (IPA: [εl doˈreɪdoʊ] or [εl dəˈreɪdə])) is a city in Union County, Arkansas, USA. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 20,467.[1] The city is the county seat of Union CountyGR6, and home to the headquarters of Murphy Oil Corporation, Deltic Timber Corporation, and Lion Oil Refinery. The city hosts a community college, South Arkansas Community College ("Southark"), as well as a symphony and an arts center.
El Dorado is the site for several annual events, including the Mayhaw Festival hosted by the South Arkansas Historical Foundation the first Saturday of each May (with a crawfish boil the same weekend), a Fantastic Fourth Celebration during July (including a 5k run, an antique car show, and fireworks), the SouthArk Outdoor Expo in September, the two-day MusicFest in October (with pop, rock, blues, and country performers, among other events), and various winter holiday events, including the largest Christmas parade in the state.
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[edit] Geography
El Dorado is located at (33.213521, -92.662553)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 42.3 km² (16.3 mi²). 42.1 km² (16.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.31%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 21,530 people, 8,686 households, and 5,732 families residing in the city. The population density was 510.9/km² (1,323.3/mi²). There were 9,891 housing units at an average density of 234.7/km² (607.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 53.66% White, 44.18% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 1.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 8,686 households out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 19.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. Of 8,686 households, 304 are unmarried partner households: 243 heterosexual, 19 same-sex male, and 42 same-sex female. (Note: Stigmatization of homosexuality may prevent same-sex couples from reporting themselves as such on the US Census, especially in more conservative areas.) 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city, the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,045, and the median income for a family was $34,753. Males had a median income of $30,876 versus $19,211 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,332. About 20.0% of families and 24.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.3% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
According to the 2000 Census, 22.5% of the population age 25+ has an Associates Degree or higher. [2] As of 2000, there were 1,172 students enrolled in public high schools.[3] Starting with the class of 2007, children who continuously attend El Dorado High School and reside in the school district are eligible for a college scholarship through a program called the ElDorado Promise.[4][5]
[edit] Points of interest
- South Arkansas Arboretum
- South Arkansas Arts Center
- Courthouse Square (including public artwork)
[edit] Media
El Dorado is home to seven commercial radio stations which are operated by two ownership groups. Noalmark Broadcasting Corporation owns and operates six radio stations:
KIX 103 is also known as The Country Leader. It is a 100,000 watt radio station (which is the largest allowed by the Federal Communications Commission). The format is Country.
MIX 96 is also known as The Continuous Hit Music Station. It, like sister station KIXB, is a 100,000 watt station as well. The format is Hot Adult Contemporary.
The Eagle The format is Classic Rock.
The Fan This is Noalmark's only AM station in El Dorado. The format is Sports Talk. KELD is a 24 hour station.
KMLK is The Touch. The format is Urban Adult Contemporary.
Noalmark Broadcasting Corporation also operates KELD-FM, but it is licensed to Hampton, Arkansas in Calhoun County.
The other owner / operator in El Dorado is El Dorado Broadcasting which owns KLBQ, also known as Q99. The format is CHR Contemporary Hit Radio KDMS-am which is a Southern Gospel station.
El Dorado broadcast outlets consist of three full-power television stations; two commercial, and one public.
All three transmitters are located east of El Dorado, in Huttig, Arkansas. While KTVE no longer considers El Dorado their primary newsroom, the station is licensed to El Dorado by the FCC. The station moved primary operations to Monroe, Louisiana in 1988. KEJB is a fairly new station, having signed on the air in 2001. KETZ-DT signed on the air in May 2006. El Dorado is also served by KNOE 8 (CBS), KARD 14 (FOX), and KAQY 11 (ABC) in nearby Monroe, Louisiana.
El Dorado is also served by the El Dorado News-Times, one of the oldest newspapers in South Arkansas as well as a free community newspaper The South Arkansas Leader which is owned and operated by broadcasters Noalmark Broadcasting Corporation.
[edit] Oil discoveries
- Known as Arkansas's boomtown because of oil discoveries in the 1920s and in 1937. Several oil refineries are based or started in El Dorado.[1]
Murphy Oil, a S&P 500 company, has its corporate headquarters in El Dorado.
[edit] Notable natives and residents
- Donna Axum, 1964 Miss America
- Odie Blackmon, Grammy nominated country songwriter
- Lou Brock, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame[6]
- Candice Earley, actress
- Michael G. Fitzgerald, film historian and author
- David Frizzell, country singer
- Lefty Frizzell, country singer
- Dave Gibson, country singer
- Lamar Hunt, sports promoter
- E. Fay Jones, architect & student of Frank Lloyd Wright
- Charles Portis, author
- William Ragsdale, actor
- Albert Rust, US Congressman
- Micah Sanford, International Foreign Language Academy Acheivement Award Winner[citation needed]
- Adam Setliff, two time Olympic discus thrower
- Reece Tatum of the Harlem Globetrotters
- David L. Whitlock, fighting name Dave Whitlock, third contender to the world's title in his fighting division light heavyweight professional prize fighter who fought Floyd Patterson in September 1955
[edit] References
- ^ Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Arkansas (CSV). 2005 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division (June 21, 2006). Retrieved on November 16, 2006.
- ^ US Census Bureau Quick facts Sheet accessed 1 Feb 2007 at http://censtats.census.gov/data/AR/1600521070.pdf
- ^ American fact finder, US Census Bureau. Accessed 1 Feb 2007 at http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/QTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=16000US0521070&-qr_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U_QTP19&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U&-redoLog=false
- ^ Press Release from the El Dorado School district accessed 1 Feb 2007 at http://www.eldoradopromise.com/pdf/EDP_Press_Release_012207.pdf
- ^ Promise FAQ accessed 1 Feb 2007 at http://www.eldoradopromise.com/faq.html
- ^ [1969] (1979) in Reichler, Joseph L.: The Baseball Encyclopedia, 4th edition, New York: Macmillan Publishing. ISBN 0-02-578970-8.
[edit] External links
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- City of El Dorado
- El Dorado News-Times electronic edition
- South Arkansas Community College
- The South Arkansas Leader
- KIX 103
- MIX96
- KAGL
- KELD
- KMLK
