Chicot County, Arkansas

Chicot County, Arkansas

Chicot County Courthouse in Lake Village
Map of Arkansas highlighting Chicot County
Location in the state of Arkansas
Map of the United States highlighting Arkansas
Arkansas's location in the U.S.
Founded October 25, 1823
Seat Lake Village
Largest city Dermott
Area
 • Total 691 sq mi (1,790 km2)
 • Land 644 sq mi (1,668 km2)
 • Water 47 sq mi (122 km2), 6.7%
Population (est.)
 • (2015) 11,027
 • Density 18/sq mi (7/km²)
Congressional district 1st
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5

Chicot County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 11,800.[1] The county seat is Lake Village.[2] Chicot County is Arkansas's tenth county, formed on October 25, 1823, and named after Point Chicot on the Mississippi River. It is part of the Arkansas Delta, historically important for cotton cultivation.

Landmarks around the county include Lake Chicot, North America's largest oxbow lake and Arkansas's largest natural lake; the site of Charles Lindbergh's first night-time flight; and the legendary burial site of Hernando De Soto, near Lake Village.

History

Prior to the American Civil War of 1861-1865, the county was home to several large cotton plantations: Sunnyside (owned in the 20th century by LeRoy Percy, planter and US Senator from Greenville, Mississippi); Florence, Patria, Pastoria, Luna, and Lakeport .[3]

During the war, Union and Confederate forces fought at the Battle of Old River Lake from June 5 to June 6, 1864.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 691 square miles (1,790 km2), of which 644 square miles (1,670 km2) is land and 47 square miles (120 km2) (6.7%) is water.[4]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18301,165—
18403,806226.7%
18505,11534.4%
18609,23480.5%
18707,214−21.9%
188010,11740.2%
189011,41912.9%
190014,52827.2%
191021,98751.3%
192021,749−1.1%
193022,6464.1%
194027,45221.2%
195022,306−18.7%
196018,990−14.9%
197018,164−4.3%
198017,793−2.0%
199015,713−11.7%
200014,117−10.2%
201011,800−16.4%
Est. 201511,027[5]−6.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790–1960[7] 1900–1990[8]
1990–2000[9] 2010–2015[1]
Age pyramid Chicot County[10]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 11,800 people residing in the county. 54.1% were Black or African American, 41.2% White, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 3.2% of some other race and 0.8 of two or more races. 4.6% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the 2000 United States Census,[11] there were 14,117 people, 5,205 households, and 3,643 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 5,974 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 43.24% White, 53.96% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.41% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 2.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,205 households out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.70% were married couples living together, 22.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the county the population was spread out with 27.50% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $22,024, and the median income for a family was $27,960. Males had a median income of $25,899 versus $17,115 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,825. About 23.10% of families and 28.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.30% of those under age 18 and 20.70% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2010 the county population was 11,800. The racial make-up was 40.35% Non-Hispanic whites, 54.08% blacks, 0.19% Native Americans, 0.47% Asians, 0.03% Pacific Islanders and 4.59% Hispanics or Latinos.

Since 1940, the population of the county has collapsed. Press reports indicate that in 2013, the largest settlement in the county, Lake Village, Arkansas had two bank branches, a pharmacy, some law firms and no retail shops.[12]

Politics

The county is traditionally Democratic. In the 20th century, the only Democrat to lose the county was George McGovern.[13] Until the mid-1960s and passage of federal civil rights legislation, blacks had been essentially disfranchised in Arkansas and it was a one-party state of white Democrats. With national Democratic support for the civil rights struggle and legislation, especially by President Lyndon B. Johnson, many blacks have supported the party and its candidates since then.

Although there has been some trending toward the Republicans among white voters since the mid-1960s, the Republican Presidential candidate has not received over 40% in any of the last five Presidential elections.[14]

It is part of Arkansas's 1st congressional district. In the Arkansas Senate, the county is in District 26 and is represented by Democrat Eddie Cheatham. In the Arkansas House of Representatives, it is in District 1 and represented by Democrat Mark McElroy. The county supported a measure prohibiting "co-habiting couples" from adopting.[15]

Public officials

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Ghost town

Townships

Townships in Chicot County, Arkansas as of 2010

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 Chicot County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township. [16][17]

Notable people

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Gatewood, Willard B, Jr. (Spring 1991). "Sunnyside: The Evolution of an Arkansas Plantation, 1840-1945". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly 50 (1): 5–29. Retrieved 27 June 2015 – via JSTOR. (registration required (help)).
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  8. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  10. ↑ Based on 2000 census data
  11. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  12. ↑ Scratching a Living, The Economist, 8 June 2013
  13. ↑ Geographie Electorale
  14. ↑ "Electoral map (Zoom in on Arkansas)", The New York Times
  15. ↑ Arkansas election site
  16. ↑ 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Chicot County, AR (PDF) (Map). U. S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
  17. ↑ "Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  18. ↑ Thomas A. DeBlack, Lycurgus Leonidas Johnson (1818–1876), The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, March 23, 2007
 Drew County Desha County
Ashley County Washington County, Mississippi
   Chicot County, Arkansas  
West Carroll Parish, Louisiana East Carroll Parish, Louisiana Issaquena County, Mississippi

Coordinates: 33°17′53″N 91°16′30″W / 33.29806°N 91.27500°W / 33.29806; -91.27500

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