Gillett, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gillett, Arkansas
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Location of Gillett in Arkansas County, Arkansas.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Arkansas |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.00 sq mi (2.58 km2) |
| • Land | 1.00 sq mi (2.58 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 184 ft (56 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 564 |
| • Density | 566.27/sq mi (218.54/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
72055
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| Area code(s) | 870 |
| FIPS code | 05-26980 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0077017 |
Gillett is a city in Arkansas County, Arkansas, United States. Its population was 691 at the 2010 census. Gillett is the home of the annual Gillett Coon Supper. The Arkansas Post National Memorial is located southeast of the town.
The largest alligator ever killed in Arkansas was harpooned near Gillett on September 19, 2010. The 13-ft, 1-in reptile weighed 680 lb.
Geography
Gillett is located at 34°7′9″N 91°22′49″W / 34.11917°N 91.38028°W (34.119216, -91.380323).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2), of which 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2) is land and 0.95% is water.
Gillett High School
Gillett High School named its sports team Wolves and the school colors were orange and black. The Wolves football team made the state playoffs 23 times before the football team was ended in 2007, because of the failure to find a new head coach. In 2003, Gillett School District came under former Governor Mike Huckabee's rural school consolidation act. The bill required all school districts with fewer than 350 students to join with a neighboring school district. As a result, Gillett School District consolidated with the De Witt School District along with the Humphrey School District beginning with the 2004-2005 school year. After that year, the school board closed Humphrey High School leaving Gillett High School the smallest public school in the state of Arkansas. On April 29, 2009 the De Witt school board voted to close Gillett and bus the students to neighboring De Witt High School beginning with the 2009-2010 school year. The doors were closed for good on June 30, 2009.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 256 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,155 | 351.2% | |
| 1930 | 870 | −24.7% | |
| 1940 | 781 | −10.2% | |
| 1950 | 774 | −0.9% | |
| 1960 | 874 | 12.9% | |
| 1970 | 860 | −1.6% | |
| 1980 | 927 | 7.8% | |
| 1990 | 883 | −4.7% | |
| 2000 | 819 | −7.2% | |
| 2010 | 691 | −15.6% | |
| 2020 | 564 | −18.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the census of 2000, 819 people, 356 households, and 242 families were in the city. The population density was 783.5 people/sq mi (301.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 87.18% White, 12.58% African American, 1.20% Native American, and 1.02% from other races. About 0.37% of the population were Latino of any race.
Of the 356 households, 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were not families. About 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.30, and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city, the age distribution was 24.8% under 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,538, and for a family was $36,719. Males had a median income of $27,308 versus $19,219 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,247. About 12.1% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Coon Supper
Since the 1940s, the town has held an annual "Coon Supper", a fundraiser in which attendees are served raccoon meat. The Wall Street Journal described it as a "rite of passage" for Arkansas politicians. Bill Clinton was involved in a plane crash on the way to the supper in 1987.
Education
The community is served by the DeWitt School District, including Gillett Elementary School, DeWitt Middle School, and DeWitt High School. Gillett High School served the community until its 2009 closure.
On July 1, 2004, the Gillett School District, along with the Humphrey School District, consolidated into the DeWitt district.
Gillett Elementary School serves prekindergarten through grade 5. The current facility was built in the 1950s. In 2010 the school had 81 students, and in 2012 the school had 74 students. In 2012, the DeWitt School District board voted in favor of closing Gillett Elementary, but it had to ask the Arkansas Board of Education for approval. The state board denied the closure request 5-2. Several area donors promised to raise $68,000 per year to keep the school open.
See also
In Spanish: Gillett (Arkansas) para niños
