Newton County, Arkansas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Newton County, Arkansas | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Arkansas |
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 Arkansas's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | December 14, 1842 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Jasper |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
602 sq mi (1,559 km²) 591 sq mi (1,531 km²) 0 sq mi (0 km²), 0.03% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
8,608 10/sq mi (4/km²) |
Newton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2000, the population is 8,608. The county seat is Jasper.[1] Newton County is Arkansas's 46th county, formed on December 14, 1842 and named for Thomas W. Newton, an Arkansas Congressman. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county.
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[edit] History
Newton County residents were very divided during the Civil War, serving in both the Confederate and Union armies. John Cecil, who had earlier served as Newton County's sheriff, served as a Confederate Captain, while Jasper blacksmith James R. Vanderpool (ca. 1832-1880) and farmer and teacher John McCoy (1820-1903) both served as Union Captains. Many Newton County citizens served under each of these men, as well as in other units. As an example of how the war divided familes, Confederate Captain Cecil's brother, Sam, served as a sergeant in a Union company. Violence took a severe toll on the civilian population, and at one point, Captains McCoy and Vanderpool escorted 20 wagons of Unionist families from Newton County to Missouri to seek refuge. [2]
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 823 square miles (2,132 km²), of which, 823 square miles (2,131 km²) of it is land and 0 square miles (1 km²) of it (0.03%) is water.
Newton County lies almost entirely within the rugged Boston Mountain range of the Ozark Mountains where elevations exceed 2,500 feet. The Buffalo National River, a popular destination for canoeing and recreation, runs through the county from west to east. Highway 7, which traverses the county from north to south, has been rated as one of the most scenic drives in the region.
[edit] Major highways
- U.S. Highway 65
- Highway 7
- Highway 16
- Highway 21
- Highway 43
- Highway 74
- Highway 123
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Boone County (north)
- Searcy County (east)
- Pope County (southeast)
- Johnson County (south)
- Madison County (west)
- Carroll County (northwest)
[edit] National protected areas
- Buffalo National River (part)
- Ozark National Forest (part)
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 8,608 people, 3,500 households, and 2,495 families residing in the county. The population density was 4/km² (10/sq mi), one of the most sparse among county populations in Arkansas. There were 4,316 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 99.29% White, 0.00% Black or African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.09% from other races, and 0.00% from two or more races. 0.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,500 households out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.90% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 27.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 102.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $24,756, and the median income for a family was $30,134. Males had a median income of $22,406 versus $17,654 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,788. About 15.70% of families and 20.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.80% of those under age 18 and 16.90% of those age 65 or over.
Native residents of Newton County were interviewed in 1970 for research being done by a doctoral student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. A Ph.D. degree was awarded to Bethany K. Dumas in May of 1971 after she completed "A Study of the Dialect of Newton County, Arkansas." Results are discussed in two of her published articles/chapters: “The Morphology of Newton County, Arkansas: An Exercise in Studying Ozark Dialect,” Mid–South Folklore 3 (1975), 115–125, and “Southern Mountain English” Chapter 5 of The Workings of Language, ed. R. S. Wheeler, Westport, CT, and London: Praeger, 1999, 67-79.
[edit] Cities and towns
[edit] References
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Lackey, Walter F. History of Newton County, Arkansas, Point Lookout, MO: S of O Press, 1950.
- ^ Based on 2000 census data
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
4. Lackey, Walter F. History of Newton County, Arkansas, Point Lookout, MO: S of O Press, 1950.
[edit] External links
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