Alma, Arkansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alma, Arkansas
City
Popeye statue in downtown Alma
Mottoes:  Crossroads of America Spinach Capital of the World
Location of Alma in Crawford County, Arkansas.
Alma, Arkansas Location in Arkansas
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	Crawford
Incorporated	1874
Area
• Total	5.90 sq mi (15.28 km2)
• Land	5.73 sq mi (14.84 km2)
• Water	0.17 sq mi (0.44 km2)
Elevation	466 ft (142 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,825
• Density	1,016.58/sq mi (392.48/km2)
Time zone	UTC−06:00 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−05:00 (CDT)
ZIP Code	72921
Area code	479
FIPS code	05-00970
GNIS feature ID	2403086

Alma is a city in Crawford County, located in western Arkansas, United States. It sits in the Arkansas River Valley, close to the Ozark Mountains. Alma is the sixth-largest city in the Fort Smith metropolitan area.

In 2010, about 5,419 people lived in Alma. Major highways like Interstate 40 and Interstate 49 were built to meet near the city.

History of Alma

Alma officially became a city in 1874. For a long time, its economy was mostly based on farming. Later, the canning industry became very important. Today, Alma is known as the "Spinach Capital of the World."

During World War II, many people moved from small towns to big cities like Washington, D.C. They were looking for jobs as the government grew to support the war effort. In his book Washington Goes to War (1996), David Brinkley wrote about Alma's role. He mentioned that many young people from Alma's high school left for Washington, D.C., seeking new opportunities.

Where is Alma Located?

Streetside along Highway 162 in Alma, AR

Downtown park, gazebo and fountain in Alma

Alma is in the south-central part of Crawford County. The city covers about 5.90 square miles (15.28 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Alma does not have an airport. The old train station was taken down in the early 1970s.

A lot of the city's business comes from highway traffic. Important roads like Interstate 40, Interstate 49, U.S. Route 64, and U.S. Route 71 all pass through Alma.

The city gets its water from Alma Lake. This lake is located northeast of the city. It was created by a large dam that blocks Little Frog Bayou. Alma Lake is the main reservoir that provides drinking water for the city.

Alma is located where the Boston Mountains meet the Arkansas River Valley. Most of the city is on flat land, but to the north, there are scenic hills. Alma is surrounded by several smaller towns. These include Rudy to the north, Dyer and Mulberry to the east, and Kibler to the southwest.

People in Alma

Alma's Population in 2020

In 2020, the city of Alma had 5,825 people living there. There were 2,279 households and 1,539 families. The population density was about 1,016 people per square mile.

About 37.6% of the people were under 18 years old. About 7.0% were under 5 years old. And 13.0% of the population was over 65 years old. The population was almost evenly split between genders, with 48.9% female and 51.1% male.

The average household income was $38,292. The income per person was $17,811. About 32.3% of the people in Alma lived below the poverty line.

Education in Alma

Students in Alma attend public schools run by the Alma School District. The district has four schools:

• Alma Primary School
• Alma Intermediate School
• Alma Middle School
• Alma High School

Arts and Culture in Alma

Live music performance at Warren's Rec Room in Alma

Spinach Capital of the World

Around 1987, Alma started calling itself the "Spinach Capital of the World." This is because the Allen Canning Company, based in Alma, canned more than half of all the spinach in the U.S. They canned about 60 million pounds (27 million kg) of spinach each year.

The town has statues of the cartoon character Popeye. This is because Popeye is famous for eating canned spinach. The newest Popeye statue was put up in 2007. It is made of bronze and sits on top of a fountain, holding a can of spinach. This statue is the main feature of Popeye Park. Another city, Crystal City, Texas, also calls itself the Spinach Capital of the World.

Annual Spinach Festival

Alma hosts an annual Spinach Festival at the City Park and Community Center. It takes place on the third weekend in April. The first festival was held in 1986. The Alma Chamber of Commerce and the Alma Advertising & Promotion Commission sponsor the event.

The festival offers carnival rides, crafts, food, and live music. A spinach eating contest happens at noon. After that, there's a "spinach drop." A package of spinach is dropped from an Alma Fire Department ladder truck onto a board with names. The person whose name is hit wins a cash prize.

City Services

Alma Water & Sewer main office

The City of Alma Public Works Department includes the Water & Sewer Division. This group cleans and delivers potable water (drinking water) from Lake Alma to homes and businesses in the city. They also manage the system that collects wastewater.

Wastewater is collected and sent to the Alma Wastewater Treatment Plant. This plant cleans the water before it is released. The plant can treat about 1.75 million gallons (6.6 million liters) of water per day. The treated water is then released into the Arkansas River.

Famous People from Alma

• Kiley Dean, R&B singer
• Eli Drinkwitz, University of Missouri football coach
• Charlene Fite, a former Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
• Bradley Hathaway, poet and folk musician
• Billy Hughes, actor
• Morgan Nick, a child who disappeared
• Parley Pratt, an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement
• Fay Washington, baseball player

See also

In Spanish: Alma (Arkansas) para niños