Amity, Arkansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amity, Arkansas
City
Flag
Location of Amity in Clark County, Arkansas.
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	Clark
Area
• Total	3.21 sq mi (8.31 km2)
• Land	3.21 sq mi (8.31 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	512 ft (156 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	681
• Density	212.15/sq mi (81.92/km2)
Time zone	Central
• Summer (DST)	Central
ZIP codes	71921
Area code(s)	870
FIPS code	05-01360
GNIS feature ID	2403094

Amity is a city located in Clark County, Arkansas, in the United States. In 2020, about 681 people lived there. The city started near the Caddo River in the mid-1800s. Early settlers like William F. Browning and A.B. Clingman moved to the area.

History of Amity

How Amity Began

Amity was founded in 1847 by several families. They came from the Mount Bethel area of Clark County. William F. Browning led this group. He was the Clark County surveyor until he passed away in 1854. The group settled along the Caddo River. They liked the area because it had rich bottomland and fresh water. Browning built a two-story log house. It was just west of Caney Creek. This house soon became the center of the growing community. Browning was the one who gave Amity its name.

Browning and other citizens started the Caddo Valley Baptist Church of Christ. This church later became the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Glenwood. It also became the First Baptist Church in Amity. It is believed to be the first religious group in the area. Dr. A.B. Clingman, a doctor and minister, was in the area before Browning's group. Browning's group built a large log house. It served as both a church and a school. Captain Robert S. Burke was the first school teacher. He was a former military officer and Browning's brother-in-law. A few months later, the first Amity Post Office opened nearby.

Amity During the Civil War

When the Civil War started, the community faced tough times. At first, many supported the Confederacy. But soon, the community became divided. Men from Amity left to fight in both the Confederate Army and the Union Army. Sometimes, families were split because of their loyalties. This caused problems in the small town. During the war, Union soldiers burned the Burke schoolhouse. They also burned Browning's cotton press.

The Old Bank of Amity is a historic building. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Amity Grows and Develops

After the war, the town's center moved about 2 miles south of the Caddo River. John Hays Allen and Dr. Amariah Biggs first settled this new area. Dr. Biggs was a well-known physician and Methodist minister. He first came to the area around 1850. The Amity Post Office soon moved to this new spot. In 1870, retired army Colonel Philander Curtis settled there. He was from Connecticut. Curtis built the first house where the town of Amity now stands. He also served as the town's postmaster for many years.

In 1871, Colonel Curtis and businessmen Riley Thompson and Jacob H. Lightsey bought land from John Hays Allen. They planned the town on this land. They centered it around a public square. By 1874, Amity was a busy village. It had many new businesses and churches. In 1877, a nearby area became "Amity Township." In 1880, the town tried to become an official incorporated city. This finally happened in 1907.

Education in Amity

In the late 1870s, a new schoolhouse was built. Richard Melancthon Burke was its first teacher. He was Captain Robert Burke's son. Residents also formed the Amity Male and Female Academy. This school later became Amity High School. Richard Burke passed away in 1883. The school struggled until 1888. That's when Samual M. Samson arrived in Amity. Samson led the high school for the next twenty years. At that time, it was a private school. After he left, it became part of the Amity Public School System.

Economic Growth

In 1887, a false rumor spread that gold was found in the Trap Mountains. This led to a short gold rush. It ended when the rumor was proven false. Soon after 1900, the Gurdon and Fort Smith Railroad was built through Amity. This greatly helped the town's economy. The logging industry began to grow. Large sawmills opened in Rosboro and Glenwood. Amity became a main shipping and trade center. In 1905, the Bank of Amity opened. This building is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

The town's first newspaper, the Amity Enterprise, started in 1899. Then came the Four-County Courier in 1915. The Amity Owl followed in 1922. Just before World War II, there was a shortage of cinnabar. This led to a short but active mining industry. It happened in the nearby mountains south of town. This event was called the Quicksilver Rush. However, most mining stopped by 1940. After the war, the mines closed due to more supply worldwide.

Recent Times in Amity

The Bean Lumber Company opened in 1940. Later, the Barksdale Lumber Company also opened. Logging soon became the main job in town. At its busiest, Bean Lumber Company made a lot of pine lumber. It was one of the largest sellers of southern pine in the United States. The company later opened mills in Glenwood and Buckner, Missouri.

A.J. Hunter managed the city's first telephone exchange in 1905. He later started The Owl newspaper. He sold the paper in the 1940s to Marvin C. Bass. The paper ran until the mid-1950s and then closed.

By 2007, Bean Lumber faced financial problems. The Amity mill closed. However, the planer and treatment plants stayed open. The Glenwood mill, which employed many Amity residents, closed. It did not reopen until 2008. These events affected the local economy. They reduced job chances in the community. The town's population also briefly decreased. Many people had to look for work elsewhere.

In 1995, the Amity School District joined with the Glenwood School District. They created Centerpoint High School. It is located between the two towns in Rosboro, Pike County. The private Ouachita Hills Academy is southwest of Amity. It is connected with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Word of Faith Christian Academy is east of town, between Amity and Alpine. The Seventh-day Adventist Church also opened Ouachita Hills College near the academy in 2003.

In 1996, Joe May started the city's fourth newspaper, The Standard. It is a weekly paper. It covers Clark and Pike counties. It also covers the Bismarck, Arkansas area. May Publishing Company also publishes the Trade Days Gazette. This is a free paper for the monthly Amity Trade Days event. They also publish the Old Time Chronicle. This is a history magazine about South Arkansas.

In 2007, the city celebrated its 100th anniversary. They had a two-day festival on the square. In 2008, local business people formed the Amity Area Chamber of Commerce.

In 2015, Russell and Kim Jones started Amity Trade Days. It is held at the old Bean Lumber Company's sawmill. This is a monthly flea market. It attracts over 6,000 people each month. It has nearly 200 vendors. It takes place the first weekend (Thursday-Sunday) after the first Monday of each month.

Geography of Amity

Amity is in the northwestern part of Clark County. It is about 2 miles south of the Caddo River. Pike County borders its west side. Arkansas Highway 8 goes through the city center. It leads northwest about 7 miles to Glenwood. It goes southeast about 27 miles to Arkadelphia. Arkadelphia is the county seat of Clark County.

The United States Census Bureau says Amity has a total area of about 3.3 square miles (8.3 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Population of Amity

In 2000, there were 762 people living in Amity. There were 305 households and 208 families. The population density was about 231.9 people per square mile. Most people were White (96.85%). About 2.49% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

About 34.4% of households had children under 18. About 56.1% were married couples. The average household had 2.50 people. The average family had 3.07 people.

The median age in the city was 33 years old. About 27.3% of the population was under 18. About 14.8% were 65 or older. The median income for a household was $25,625. For a family, it was $32,188. About 14.9% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Education in Amity

Students in Amity go to schools in the Centerpoint School District. There are three schools in the district:

• Centerpoint Elementary School: This school is for students from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade.
• Centerpoint High School: This school serves students from sixth to twelfth grade.
• Ouachita Hills Academy: This is a Christian boarding academy. It is for students in grades nine through twelve.

The Amity School District joined with the Glenwood School District on July 1, 1995. This created the Centerpoint School District.

Notable People from Amity

• Billy Bob Thornton: A famous actor and director. His movie Slingblade was based on a character he knew growing up near Amity. He lived with his grandparents for eight years.
• Dr. Ron M. Buck: A senior minister at Collierville Christian Church. He grew up in Amity and went to local schools. He has taught history at several colleges.
• Agnes White Diffee: A well-known Nazarene pastor and radio speaker. She was ordained in 1919. Her first full-time job was as pastor of the Amity church.
• Dr. George R. Franks, Jr.: A past Grand Master of Masons in Arkansas. He grew up in Amity and went to local schools. He became a Mason in 1978.
• Rufus Emory Holloway: A noted writer. His book Whitman: An Interpretation in Narrative won a Pulitzer Prize in 1926. He taught English at Amity High School for two years.
• Michael L. Lambert: A motorcycle racing enthusiast. He has lived in the Amity area since 1991. He was a professional motocross racer.
• Truett E. Rowe: An FBI special agent. He was killed while on duty in 1937. He was born in Amity in 1904.
• Bertha Frank Teague: A noted high school basketball coach. She is in several Halls of Fame. She graduated from Amity High School in 1924.