Altheimer, Arkansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Altheimer, Arkansas
City
City of Altheimer
Location in Jefferson County and the state of Arkansas
Altheimer, Arkansas Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	Jefferson
Township	Plum Bayou
Founded	1886 (1886)
Incorporated	1919 (1919)
Named for	Joseph and Louis Altheimer
Government
• Type	Mayor–Council
Area
• City	2.12 sq mi (5.49 km2)
• Land	2.05 sq mi (5.31 km2)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.18 km2)
Elevation	210 ft (60 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	696
• Density	339.51/sq mi (131.11/km2)
• Metro	100,258
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	72004
Area code	870
FIPS code	05-01150
GNIS feature ID	2403090
Major airport	LIT

Altheimer is a small city in Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is located about 11 miles (18 km) northeast of Pine Bluff. The city is named after two brothers, Joseph and Louis Altheimer, who were important merchants in the area. In 2020, the city had a population of 696 people.

Exploring Altheimer's Location

Altheimer is found in the Timberlands Region of Arkansas. This area is known for its many natural resources. Early settlers from the eastern United States discovered this region in the early 1800s.

Natural Resources and Wildlife

The Timberlands Region is a great place for outdoor activities. You can find lots of deer for hunting and bass fish in the waters. The area also has plenty of timber (trees) and oil.

Where is Altheimer?

Altheimer is in the northeastern part of Jefferson County. It's about 14 miles (23 km) northeast of Pine Bluff, which is the main city of the county. Major roads like U.S. Route 63 and 79 run near the city. Little Rock, the state capital, is about 50 miles (80 km) to the northwest.

Land and Water

The city of Altheimer covers about 2.12 square miles (5.49 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but a small part, about 0.07 square miles (0.18 square kilometers), is water. A waterway called Flat Bayou flows right through the middle of the city.

Altheimer's Past: A Look at History

The city of Altheimer was named after two brothers, Joseph and Louis Altheimer. They were successful merchants from Pine Bluff.

The Altheimer Family Story

Louis Altheimer was born in Germany in 1850. He read exciting stories about the rich natural resources in Arkansas and decided to move to America as a teenager. He eventually settled in Pine Bluff and later brought his brother Joseph to the area.

Louis's nephew, Benjamin Altheimer, became a very successful lawyer. He owned a large amount of land in Arkansas, about 15,000 acres (6,100 hectares). Benjamin also started a foundation called the Ben J. Altheimer Foundation. This foundation has provided scholarships and helped fund many projects across Arkansas. It continues to do good work today as the Ben J. Altheimer Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Historic Homes and Sites

Altheimer is home to several old, restored buildings. You can find pioneer-era log cabins and beautiful Victorian era plantation houses. These large, historic homes were once part of big farms.

• The Elms: This was a former plantation house built in 1886. Benjamin Altheimer renovated it in the 1930s. Today, The Elms is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is open to the public for visits, family gatherings, and tours. There are also lodges nearby for hunting and fishing.
• Roselawn: Also known as the Collier-Barnett House, this home was built in 1875. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
• Lake Dick: This is a special type of lake called an oxbow lake, located about 4 miles (6 km) south of Altheimer. In 1936, this area was home to eighty families who moved there as part of a government program to help farmers. Lake Dick was added to the National Register in 1975.

Changes in Schools

Sadly, Altheimer's secondary (middle and high) and elementary schools closed in 2007 and 2013. Because of this, some families moved to Pine Bluff so their children could be closer to schools there. This also caused some local businesses to lose customers.

Altheimer's Population

The population of Altheimer has changed over the years. In 2000, there were 1,192 people living in the city. By 2010, the population had dropped to 984. The most recent count in 2020 showed 696 residents.

Learning in Altheimer: Education

Today, students in Altheimer attend schools that are part of the Pine Bluff School District.

Schools Serving Altheimer

• Younger students go to Park/Greenville School for preschool.
• Elementary school students attend James Matthews Elementary School.
• Middle school students go to Robert F. Morehead Middle School.
• High school students attend Dollarway High School.

In the past, Altheimer had its own school district. Over time, different school districts merged. For example, the Altheimer and Sherrill districts combined in 1979 to form the Altheimer-Sherrill district. Later, this district joined with others to become part of the Dollarway School District in 2006.

In 2021, the Dollarway School District merged into the Pine Bluff School District. This means all schools from both districts are now part of the Pine Bluff School District. In 2023, it was announced that Dollarway High School would merge with Pine Bluff High School. Morehead Middle School became the only middle school for the entire Pine Bluff School District.

Public Libraries

The Pine Bluff and Jefferson County Library System has a branch in Altheimer. The Altheimer Branch library is a building of about 3,500 square feet (325 square meters). It was built in October 2001 on land that was sold by the former Altheimer Unified School District to the county government.

Famous People from Altheimer

• Gloria Long Anderson (born 1938), an American chemist.
• Tail Dragger Jones (born 1940), an American blues singer.
• James McDonnell (1899–1980), an American aerospace engineer who designed aircraft.

See also

In Spanish: Altheimer para niños