Jefferson County, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jefferson County
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| County of Jefferson | |
Jefferson County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
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 Arkansas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Arkansas |
| Founded | November 2, 1829 |
| Named for | Thomas Jefferson |
| Seat | Pine Bluff |
| Largest city | Pine Bluff |
| Area | |
| • Total | 914 sq mi (2,370 km2) |
| • Land | 871 sq mi (2,260 km2) |
| • Water | 43 sq mi (110 km2) 4.7%% |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 77,435 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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66,824 |
| • Density | 84.72/sq mi (32.711/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes |
71601–71603, 71644, 71659, 72004, 72046, 72073, 72079, 72132, 72150, 72152, 72160, 72168, 72175
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| Area code | 501, 870 |
| Congressional districts | 1st, 4th |
Jefferson County, Arkansas is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas in the area known as the Arkansas Delta, that extends west of the Mississippi River. As of the 2010 census, the population was 77,435. Its county seat and largest city is Pine Bluff. Jefferson County is Arkansas's 21st county, formed on November 2, 1829, from portions of Arkansas and Pulaski counties, and named for Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States. Jefferson County is included in the Pine Bluff, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is bisected by the Arkansas River, which was critical to its development and long the chief transportation byway.
Contents
History
The area that would later become Jefferson County was occupied by the Quapaw when French explorers established the Arkansas Post in the 17th century; the foreigners claimed this area as Louisiana, part of New France.
In March 1819, Robert Crittenden was appointed secretary of Arkansas Territory. That same year, Joseph Bonne, traveling upstream on the Arkansas River from Arkansas Post, built a cabin on a “high bluff covered with pine trees” on the river’s south bank. Several years later, James Scull, also from Arkansas Post, established a tavern and small inn on the river's north bank, across from what would become the site of Pine Bluff.
Five years later, Crittenden convinced the remaining Quapaw to sign the November 15, 1824 treaty relinquishing what remained of their tribal lands. Steamboat travel led to expanding settlement, "bringing to the area such men as French-born Napoleonic soldier Antoine Barraque (Pine Bluff’s principal east-west street was named for him) and brothers James T. and John Pullen (main thoroughfares were named for them)."
On November 2, 1829, Territorial Governor John Pope—Crittenden's successor—approved the establishment of Jefferson County. Bonne’s cabin was used as the county seat; by August 1832, "Pine Bluff Town" became the county seat." The land in the county was developed as large cotton plantations, with fronts on the river for transportation. The plantations were dependent on the labor of enslaved African Americans, who comprised a majority of the population in the county well before the American Civil War.
After the war, planters in Jefferson County gradually resumed cotton cultivation and processing. The economy was driven by cotton and the Delta area was highly productive. In 1886, Jefferson County produced 55,120 bales of cotton, the most in Arkansas, and the second-most throughout the South. Transportation companies serving the county at the time included the Cotton Belt Route, the St. Louis – San Francisco Railway, Missouri Pacific, the Arkansas River Packet Company, the Wiley Jones Street Car Lines, and the Citizens Street Railway Company. The street car lines operated primarily in Pine Bluff.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 914 square miles (2,370 km2), of which 871 square miles (2,260 km2) is land and 43 square miles (110 km2) (4.7%) is water. About 75% of the county including the largest city, Pine Bluff, is located in the Arkansas Delta with the remaining portion in the Arkansas Timberlands. Consequently, it is largely low-lying flatland to the east used primarily for agriculture and expanses of trees used for timber to the west.
Major highways
Interstate 530
U.S. Highway 65
U.S. Highway 79
U.S. Highway 270
U.S. Highway 425
Highway 15
Highway 31
Highway 46
Highway 58
Highway 81
Highway 88
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Adjacent counties
- Lonoke County (northeast)
- Arkansas County (east)
- Lincoln County (southeast)
- Cleveland County (southwest)
- Grant County (west)
- Pulaski County (northwest)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 772 | — | |
| 1840 | 2,566 | 232.4% | |
| 1850 | 5,834 | 127.4% | |
| 1860 | 14,971 | 156.6% | |
| 1870 | 15,733 | 5.1% | |
| 1880 | 22,386 | 42.3% | |
| 1890 | 40,881 | 82.6% | |
| 1900 | 40,972 | 0.2% | |
| 1910 | 52,734 | 28.7% | |
| 1920 | 60,330 | 14.4% | |
| 1930 | 64,154 | 6.3% | |
| 1940 | 65,101 | 1.5% | |
| 1950 | 76,075 | 16.9% | |
| 1960 | 81,373 | 7.0% | |
| 1970 | 85,329 | 4.9% | |
| 1980 | 90,718 | 6.3% | |
| 1990 | 85,487 | −5.8% | |
| 2000 | 84,278 | −1.4% | |
| 2010 | 77,435 | −8.1% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 66,824 | −13.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2016 |
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2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 25,230 | 37.51% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 37,712 | 56.07% |
| Native American | 212 | 0.32% |
| Asian | 664 | 0.99% |
| Pacific Islander | 93 | 0.14% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,861 | 2.77% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,488 | 2.21% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 67,260 people, 27,593 households, and 16,356 families residing in the county.
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 77,435 people living in the county. 55.1% were Black or African American, 42.0% White, 0.8% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% of some other race and 1.2% of two or more races. 1.6% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).
Communities
Cities
- Altheimer
- Humphrey
- Pine Bluff (county seat)
- Redfield
- White Hall
Towns
Census-designated places
Other unincorporated communities
Historical towns
- Anrep
- Bruce
- Byrd's Spring
- Clements
- College Park
- Diantha
- Dolton
- Fairfield
- Kratnek
- Lamb
- Lamberts
- Linn
- Noble's Lake
- Plum Bayou
- Ray Station
- Red Bluff
- Samples
- Secrest
- Sleeth
- Walden
- Waldstein
Townships
Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the United States Census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. The townships of Jefferson County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township.
- Barraque (Redfield)
- Bogy
- Bolivar
- Dudley Lake
- Dunnington (Wabbaseka)
- Jefferson
- Melton
- Niven
- Old River
- Pastoria
- Plum Bayou (Altheimer, Sherrill)
- Richland
- Roberts (Humphrey)
- Spring
- Talladega
- Vaugine (Pine Bluff)
- Victoria
- Villemont
- Washington (White Hall)
- Whiteville
Education
School districts serving sections of the county include:
- Dollarway School District
- Pine Bluff School District
- Watson Chapel School District
- White Hall School District
- DeWitt School District (headquartered in another county)
On July 1, 1983, the Plum Bayou School District consolidated into the Wabbaseka Tucker School District. On July 1, 1984, the Linwood School District consolidated into the Pine Bluff school district. The Altheimer-Sherrill School District and Wabbaseka Tucker school districts operated in Jefferson County until September 1, 1993, when they consolidated into the Altheimer Unified School District. On July 1, 2004, the Humphrey School District consolidated into the DeWitt district. Altheimer Unified consolidated into the Dollarway School District on July 10, 2006.
Notable residents
- Moses Clegg (1876-1918), American bacteriologist
- Bobby Hutton (1950-1968), Treasurer of the Black Panther Party
- Bobby King (January 29, 1941 – July 22, 1983), Chicago blues guitarist, singer and songwriter.
- Kemp Toney (1876-1955), politician representing Jefferson County in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1931 to 1948
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Jefferson (Arkansas) para niños
