Nevada County, Arkansas

County in Arkansas, United States

County in Arkansas

Nevada County

County

Nevada County Courthouse in Prescott

Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas

Arkansas's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 33°39′40″N 93°18′03″W﻿ / ﻿33.661111111111°N 93.300833333333°W﻿ / 33.661111111111; -93.300833333333
Country|  United States
State|  Arkansas
Founded| March 20, 1871
Named after| state of Nevada
Seat| Prescott
Largest city| Prescott
Area

• Total

| 621 sq mi (1,610 km2)
• Land| 618 sq mi (1,600 km2)
• Water| 2.8 sq mi (7 km2)  0.5%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 8,310

• Estimate

(2023)[1]

| 8,120
• Density| 13/sq mi (5.2/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 4th
Website| nevadacounty.arkansas.gov

Nevada County (/nəˈveɪ.də/ nə-VAY-də) is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 8,310, less than half of its peak in 1920.[2] The county seat is Prescott.[3] Nevada County is Arkansas's 63rd county, formed during the Reconstruction era on March 20, 1871, from portions of Hempstead, Ouachita and Columbia counties. It was named after the state of Nevada because of the perceived similarity between their physical shapes; the Arkansas county's shape, inverted, roughly follows the same outline as the state's boundary. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county.

## History

[edit]

This area was historically occupied by members of the Caddoan Confederacy, whose territory extended into present-day Texas and Louisiana. They settled along the waterways, using them for transportation and fishing. Colonial French and later European-American settlers also took over lands along the waterways, which formed their basic transportation routes well into the 19th century. After the Congress repealed Prohibition in the early 20th century, Nevada County voted to retain it and the county is still "dry."[citation needed]

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 621 square miles (1,610 km2), of which 618 square miles (1,600 km2) is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2) (0.5%) is water.[4] The county is bounded on the north by the Little Missouri River, a branch of the Ouachita River, and drained by several tributaries of that stream and of Red River.[5] Nevada County is alternately considered as part of the greater regions of South Arkansas or Southwest Arkansas.[citation needed]

### Major highways

[edit]

* Interstate 30
* U.S. Highway 67
* U.S. Highway 278
* U.S. Highway 371
* Highway 19
* Highway 24
* Highway 32
* Highway 51
* Highway 53

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Clark County (northeast)
* Ouachita County (east)
* Columbia County (south)
* Lafayette County (southwest)
* Hempstead County (west)
* Pike County (northwest)

## Demographics

[edit]

The population declined by more than half from 1920 to 1970, due to mechanization of agriculture and the decline of the lumber industry causing loss of jobs. In addition, blacks left in the Great Migration to midwestern and western industrial cities, where they found better work and less social oppression.

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1880| 12,959| | —
1890| 14,832| | 14.5%
1900| 16,609| | 12.0%
1910| 19,344| | 16.5%
1920| 21,934| | 13.4%
1930| 20,407| | −7.0%
1940| 19,869| | −2.6%
1950| 14,781| | −25.6%
1960| 10,700| | −27.6%
1970| 10,111| | −5.5%
1980| 11,097| | 9.8%
1990| 10,101| | −9.0%
2000| 9,955| | −1.4%
2010| 8,997| | −9.6%
2020| 8,310| | −7.6%
2023 (est.)| 8,120| [6][7]| −2.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10]
1990–2000[11] 2010[12]
Age pyramid Nevada County[13]

### 2020 census

[edit]

Nevada County racial composition[14] Race  | Num.  | Perc.

|
|

White (non-Hispanic)  | 5,145  | 61.91%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)  | 2,433  | 29.28%
Native American | 37  | 0.45%
Asian | 41  | 0.49%
Other/Mixed | 300  | 3.61%
Hispanic or Latino | 354  | 4.26%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 8,310 people, 3,397 households, and 2,263 families residing in the county.

### 2000 census

[edit]

As of the 2000 United States Census,[15] there were 9,955 people, 3,893 households, and 2,721 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile (6.2 people/km2). There were 4,751 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 66.90% White, 31.18% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.85% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 1.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,893 households, out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.90% were married couples living together, 14.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.20% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,962, and the median income for a family was $33,095. Males had a median income of $27,888 versus $17,920 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,184. About 18.30% of families and 22.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.00% of those under age 18 and 27.10% of those age 65 or over.

## Government

[edit]

### Government

[edit]

The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Arkansas and the Arkansas Code. The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are called justices of the peace and are elected from county districts every even-numbered year. The number of districts in a county vary from nine to fifteen, and district boundaries are drawn by the county election commission. The Nevada County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the county judge, who serves as the chief operating officer of the county. The county judge is elected at-large and does not vote in quorum court business, although capable of vetoing quorum court decisions.[16][17]

Nevada County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials[18][19][20] Position  | Officeholder  | Party

|
|

County Judge  | Mike Otwell  | Republican
County Clerk  | Tammie Ann Rose  | Republican
Circuit Clerk  | Rita Reyenga  | Republican
Sheriff/Collector  | Danny Martin  | Democratic
Treasurer  | C. Lorelei Hale  | (Unknown)
Assessor  | Pam Box  | Independent
Coroner  | David Gummeson  | Republican

The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 5 Democrats and 4 Republicans. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:[18][21]

* District 1: Dennis Pruitt (D) of Prescott
* District 2: Willie Wilson (D) of Prescott
* District 3: Patricia Grimes (D) of Prescott
* District 4: James Roy Cornelius (R) of Prescott
* District 5: Eric Jackson (D) of Prescott
* District 6: Herbert Coleman (D) of Rosston
* District 7: Regina Irizarry (R) of Buckner
* District 8: Todd Butler (R) of Emmet
* District 9: Tommy Poole (R) of Prescott

Additionally, the townships of Nevada County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the Constitution of Arkansas. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult.[22] The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:[21]

* Alabama: Nelson Irizarry (D)
* Albany: Micah Stockton (R)
* Emmet: Ryan McBrayer (R)

### Politics

[edit]

Historically, the county was a stronghold of the Greenback Party, controlling county offices from 1880 to 1884, and later a stronghold for the Populist Party in the 1890s.[23]

Prior to 2000, Nevada County was considered an "ancestral" Democratic-voting county, with exceptions for the 1968 George Wallace campaign and the 1972 and 1984 landslides of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, respectively.

United States presidential election results for Nevada County, Arkansas[24] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No.  | % | No.  | % | No.  | %
2024 | 2,002  | 68.87% | 849  | 29.21%  | 56  | 1.93%
2020 | 2,133  | 63.52% | 1,076  | 32.04%  | 149  | 4.44%
2016 | 2,000  | 61.61% | 1,157  | 35.64%  | 89  | 2.74%
2012 | 1,996  | 58.98% | 1,314  | 38.83%  | 74  | 2.19%
2008 | 2,062  | 56.73% | 1,474  | 40.55%  | 99  | 2.72%
2004 | 1,752  | 50.39% | 1,694  | 48.72%  | 31  | 0.89%
2000 | 1,796  | 48.05%  | 1,867  | 49.95% | 75  | 2.01%
1996 | 976  | 26.74%  | 2,279  | 62.44% | 395  | 10.82%
1992 | 1,217  | 30.83%  | 2,242  | 56.79% | 489  | 12.39%
1988 | 1,714  | 49.55%  | 1,732  | 50.07% | 13  | 0.38%
1984 | 2,352  | 56.65% | 1,783  | 42.94%  | 17  | 0.41%
1980 | 1,697  | 38.22%  | 2,631  | 59.26% | 112  | 2.52%
1976 | 1,163  | 27.24%  | 3,101  | 72.64% | 5  | 0.12%
1972 | 2,513  | 68.07% | 1,179  | 31.93%  | 0  | 0.00%
1968 | 840  | 21.42%  | 1,308  | 33.36%  | 1,773  | 45.22%
1964 | 1,406  | 38.79%  | 2,190  | 60.41% | 29  | 0.80%
1960 | 937  | 34.06%  | 1,605  | 58.34% | 209  | 7.60%
1956 | 1,039  | 35.30%  | 1,871  | 63.57% | 33  | 1.12%
1952 | 1,037  | 34.41%  | 1,972  | 65.43% | 5  | 0.17%
1948 | 202  | 11.40%  | 1,140  | 64.33% | 430  | 24.27%
1944 | 415  | 23.43%  | 1,353  | 76.40% | 3  | 0.17%
1940 | 224  | 13.74%  | 1,399  | 85.83% | 7  | 0.43%
1936 | 204  | 13.96%  | 1,252  | 85.69% | 5  | 0.34%
1932 | 197  | 7.68%  | 2,358  | 91.97% | 9  | 0.35%
1928 | 946  | 43.16%  | 1,242  | 56.66% | 4  | 0.18%
1924 | 386  | 29.90%  | 719  | 55.69% | 186  | 14.41%
1920 | 1,292  | 50.65% | 1,220  | 47.82%  | 39  | 1.53%
1916 | 657  | 32.32%  | 1,376  | 67.68% | 0  | 0.00%
1912 | 322  | 24.96%  | 607  | 47.05% | 361  | 27.98%
1908 | 784  | 39.92%  | 890  | 45.32% | 290  | 14.77%
1904 | 556  | 36.48%  | 585  | 38.39% | 383  | 25.13%
1900 | 744  | 47.42% | 732  | 46.65%  | 93  | 5.93%
1896 | 469  | 21.82%  | 1,669  | 77.66% | 11  | 0.51%

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Emmet
* Prescott (county seat)

### Towns

[edit]

* Bluff City
* Bodcaw
* Cale
* Rosston
* Willisville
* Falcon

### Census-designated place

[edit]

* Reader

### Townships

[edit]

Townships in Nevada 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 Nevada County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township. [25][26]

* Alabama
* Albany
* Boughton
* Caney (Cale, Rosston)
* Emmet (Emmet)
* Georgia
* Jackson
* Leake
* Missouri (Prescott)
* Parker (Bodcaw)
* Redland
* Taylor (Willisville)
* Union (Bluff City, Reader)

## See also

[edit]

* Camp Bragg (Arkansas)
* List of lakes in Nevada County, Arkansas
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Nevada County, Arkansas

## References

[edit]

1. ^ https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/nevadacountyarkansas/PST045223?hl=en-US
2. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Nevada County, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
5. ^ Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Nevada. I. A S. W. county of Arkansas" . The American Cyclopædia.
6. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
7. ^ https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/nevadacountyarkansas/PST045223?hl=en-US
8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
10. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
11. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
12. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
13. ^ Based on 2000 census data
14. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
15. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
16. ^ "Quorum Courts". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
17. ^ "Office of County Judge". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
18. ^ a b "Nevada County – Welcome to Prescott, Arkansas". Retrieved April 28, 2025.
19. ^ "Nevada | Association of Arkansas Counties". www.arcounties.org. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
20. ^ https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6033/november_races.pdf
21. ^ a b "Nevada County, Arkansas, elections, 2024". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
22. ^ "What is a Constable?". What is a Constable?. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
23. ^ Hild, Matthew (2018). Arkansas's Gilded Age: The Rise, Decline, and Legacy of Populism and Working-Class Protes. Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Press. p. 17\. ISBN 9780826221667. LCCN 2018021863. OCLC 1030391765.
24. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 18, 2016.
25. ^ 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Nevada County, AR (PDF) (Map). U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
26. ^ "Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 29, 2014.

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Nevada County, Arkansas

| Pike County |  | Clark County

|
|

|  |
Hempstead County |

Nevada County, Arkansas

| Ouachita County
|  |
Lafayette County | Columbia County |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Nevada County, Arkansas, United States

County seat: Prescott

Cities|

* Emmet‡
* Prescott

Map of Arkansas highlighting Nevada County

Towns|

* Bluff City
* Bodcaw
* Cale
* Rosston
* Willisville

CDP|

* Reader‡

Other unincorporated
communities|

* Laneburg
* Midway
* Pleasant Hill

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* Arkansas portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Arkansas

Little Rock (capital)

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33°39′40″N 93°18′03″W﻿ / ﻿33.66111°N 93.30083°W﻿ / 33.66111; -93.30083

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