Bauxite, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bauxite, Arkansas
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Location of Bauxite in Saline County, Arkansas.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Saline |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.13 sq mi (8.10 km2) |
| • Land | 3.04 sq mi (7.89 km2) |
| • Water | 0.08 sq mi (0.22 km2) |
| Elevation | 344 ft (105 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 629 |
| • Density | 206.57/sq mi (79.77/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
72011
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| Area code(s) | 501 |
| FIPS code | 05-04090 |
Bauxite is a small city in Saline County, Arkansas, United States. It is located in Central Arkansas. The city is named after bauxite, a special rock. This rock is the main source for making aluminum. Lots of bauxite was found here, which led to aluminum production.
The city grew very fast during World War II. This was because more aluminum was needed for the war effort. After the war, when less bauxite was mined, the city's population became smaller. Bauxite officially became a town in 1973. In 2020, about 629 people lived there.
Contents
History of Bauxite Mining
The important bauxite rock was found in this area in the early 1890s. A company called General Bauxite Company started mining it. Then, in 1905, a company that made aluminum, Pittsburgh Reduction Company, bought a lot of land in Saline County. They learned about the high-quality bauxite being shipped from here. This company bought out the local miners, including General Bauxite Company. Later, Pittsburgh Reduction Company became the famous Aluminum Company of America, or ALCOA.
Mining of bauxite grew quickly. In 1914, during World War I, about 200,000 short tons (181,437 metric tons) were produced. By the end of the war in 1918, this jumped to 560,000 short tons (508,023 metric tons). After the war, demand for bauxite went down. Also, new sources were found in South America. So, Arkansas's production changed with demand. It dropped to as low as 60,000 short tons (54,431 metric tons) per year in the mid-1930s.
World War I brought the biggest growth to Bauxite. Many mining camps grew up around the city. These camps were often separated by race or background. Some camp names were Italy Camp, Mexico Camp, and Africa Camp. During the Great Depression, ALCOA provided a good life for its workers. This was better than what many others had during that tough economic time.
When World War II started, Bauxite was needed again for the war. Production quickly increased. Aluminum was vital for making airplanes and other war materials. The head of the War Production Board, Donald M. Nelson, asked ALCOA's president, Arthur Vining Davis, to run the mines 24 hours a day, using three shifts. Davis brought miners from all over the country to keep the mines working non-stop. This huge effort led to 6,000,000 short tons (5,443,108 metric tons) of bauxite being produced in 1943.
As the war ended, production slowed down. However, the city's population and buildings had grown a lot. It now had new communities and a bigger school district. ALCOA and Reynolds Metal Company kept refining bauxite in the area. Reynolds finally stopped its operations in 1981.
Geography of Bauxite
Bauxite is found in Saline County, Arkansas, in the south-central part of the state. It is located along Arkansas Highway 183. This highway also goes through Benton and Bryant. Bauxite is next to Benton on the west and Bryant to the north. The city is about 14 miles (23 km) southwest of Little Rock.
The United States Census Bureau says the town covers a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2). Most of this, 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2), is land. A small part, 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), is water.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1980 | 433 | — | |
| 1990 | 412 | −4.8% | |
| 2000 | 432 | 4.9% | |
| 2010 | 487 | 12.7% | |
| 2020 | 629 | 29.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2018 Estimate |
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As of the 2020 United States census, there were 629 people living in Bauxite. These people made up 214 households, with 173 families among them.
Arts and Culture
In 1926, ALCOA built a community center. It was made in a traditional Colonial style. This building served as a place for miners to live and gather. Today, this building still stands. It is home to the Bauxite Museum. The museum has a collection of photos, documents, and mining tools from the time when bauxite was mined.
In 2008, the museum added a special outdoor display. It's called "Unsung Heroes." These are life-size bronze statues made by Gary Alsum. The sculptures show a mining family. The man is getting ready to go to work at the bauxite mines. The community center can also be rented by the public for events.
Like many towns in Arkansas, football is very important in Bauxite. It's a social event and a source of pride for the city. The Bauxite High School football team, called the Bauxite Miners, has a long history. Their program started around 1920. The Miners have won 24 conference championships. They played in two state championship games and won the state championship in 1996. Many great players have come from Bauxite. These include George Cole, who later coached at the University of Arkansas. Another was Leon "Muscles" Campbell, who played for NFL teams like the Baltimore Colts.
More recently, head football coach Jon Watson led the Miners for almost 20 years. He retired in 2010. During his time from 1990, he had a record of 177 wins, 55 losses, and 1 tie. Watson is now ranked seventh for most wins among high school football coaches in Arkansas. The team currently plays in the 7-4A conference of the Arkansas Activities Association.
Education in Bauxite
Bauxite has three public schools. They are part of the Bauxite School District. This school district is independent. It was able to stay on its own even when Governor Mike Huckabee tried to combine school districts. The community spoke up, and Bauxite kept its schools.
The school district includes:
- Pine Haven Elementary, located in the old Pine Haven community from World War II.
- Bauxite Middle School.
- Bauxite High School, built in 2001. It replaced an older school from the Great Depression era that burned down in 2001.
A small part of the city is also in the Bryant School District. Students there attend Bryant High School.
Notable People
- George W. Bond, president of Louisiana Tech University from 1928 to 1936.
- Leon Campbell, a star football player at the University of Arkansas.
- George Cole, head football coach at the University of Arkansas.
- Susan Dunn, a Grammy Award-winning opera singer.
- Robert M. Utley, a well-known author and historian.
See also
In Spanish: Bauxite (Arkansas) para niños
