Conway, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Conway, Arkansas
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
       Clockwise from top: Toad Suck Square, Hendrix College, Donaghey Hall, Offices, College of Business, Hendrix Village, University of Central Arkansas
|
|||
|
|||
| Nickname(s):
City of Colleges
|
|||
Location of Conway in Faulkner County.
|
|||
 Conway, Arkansas
Location in Arkansas
Conway, Arkansas
Location in the United States
|
|||
| Country |  United States |
||
| State |  Arkansas |
||
| County |  Faulkner |
||
| MSA | Central Arkansas | ||
| CSA | Little Rock-North Little Rock | ||
| Founded | 1872 | ||
| Incorporated | October 16, 1875 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Mayor-Council | ||
| Area | |||
| • City | 46.51 sq mi (120.47 km2) | ||
| • Land | 46.26 sq mi (119.81 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.25 sq mi (0.65 km2) 0.54% | ||
| Elevation | 331 ft (101 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
|
|||
| • City | 64,134 | ||
| • Rank | 7th in Arkansas | ||
| • Density | 1,386.38/sq mi (535.28/km2) | ||
| • Metro | 734,622 (US: 76th) | ||
| • CSA | 905,847 (US: 60th) | ||
| Demonym(s) | Conwegian | ||
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | ||
| ZIP codes |
72032-72035
|
||
| Area code | 501 | ||
| FIPS code | 05-15190 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 2404119 | ||
| Major airport2404119 | Clinton National Airport (LIT) | ||
| Website | City of Conway | ||
Conway is a city in the state of Arkansas, USA. It is the main city of Faulkner County. Conway is part of the busiest area in Arkansas, called Central Arkansas.
This city is a big center for shopping, education, jobs, healthcare, sports, and culture. Conway has grown a lot because of its jobs in technology and higher education. It is home to three colleges, which is why it's called "The City of Colleges."
In 2020, Conway had a population of 64,134 people. This makes it the eighth-largest city in Arkansas. The larger area around Conway, including Little Rock, has over 734,000 people.
Contents
History of Conway
The city of Conway was started by Asa P. Robinson after the American Civil War. Robinson was a chief engineer for the Little Rock-Fort Smith Railroad. He received a large piece of land as payment for his work.
He gave some of his land back to the railroad for a train station. Around this station, he planned out a town and called it "Conway Station." This was to honor a well-known Arkansas family. Conway Station first had two small stores, two saloons, a train depot, and a post office. Even though it started as a railroad town, trains no longer carry passengers here.
In 1878, a priest named Father Joseph Strub came to Arkansas. He was from a place called Alsace-Lorraine and had to leave his home country. He moved to the United States and later came to Conway.
In 1879, Father Strub convinced the railroad to give a huge amount of land to his religious group. This land was along the Arkansas River. He used some of this land to build St. Joseph Catholic Church in Conway. The railroad also offered land at a very low price to German immigrants.
Father Strub wrote a book to encourage German Catholics to move to Conway. He described the good things about the area and how to travel there from Europe. By 1889, more than 100 German families had moved to Conway. This is why many streets and businesses in the town have German names.
On April 10, 1965, a very strong tornado hit Conway. It caused six deaths and injured 200 people.
Conway's Geography and Climate
Conway is located in the southwestern part of Faulkner County. Interstate 40 runs through the northern and eastern parts of the city. You can get on I-40 from several exits in Conway.
- Via I-40, Memphis is about 160 miles (257 km) to the east.
- Little Rock is about 30 miles (48 km) to the southeast.
- Russellville is about 46 miles (74 km) to the west.
Conway covers a total area of about 46.5 square miles (120.47 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Conway's Climate
The weather in Conway has hot, humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. Conway has a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets a lot of rain throughout the year.
| Weather chart for Conway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
3.6
50
27
|
4
55
31
|
4.9
64
40
|
4.9
72
48
|
4.8
80
58
|
3.9
88
66
|
3.2
92
70
|
2.9
92
69
|
3.1
85
61
|
4.4
74
49
|
4.8
62
39
|
4.8
51
30
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches source: The Weather Channel |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Metric conversion
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Climate data for Conway, Arkansas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 83 (28) |
86 (30) |
94 (34) |
96 (36) |
101 (38) |
109 (43) |
115 (46) |
115 (46) |
110 (43) |
101 (38) |
88 (31) |
81 (27) |
115 (46) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 49.0 (9.4) |
54.1 (12.3) |
63.0 (17.2) |
72.0 (22.2) |
79.4 (26.3) |
87.3 (30.7) |
91.7 (33.2) |
91.4 (33.0) |
84.7 (29.3) |
73.9 (23.3) |
61.0 (16.1) |
51.6 (10.9) |
71.6 (22.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 38.1 (3.4) |
42.2 (5.7) |
51.0 (10.6) |
59.7 (15.4) |
68.4 (20.2) |
76.7 (24.8) |
80.7 (27.1) |
79.9 (26.6) |
72.6 (22.6) |
61.1 (16.2) |
49.4 (9.7) |
40.8 (4.9) |
60.0 (15.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 27.1 (−2.7) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
39.0 (3.9) |
47.4 (8.6) |
57.5 (14.2) |
66.1 (18.9) |
69.6 (20.9) |
68.4 (20.2) |
60.5 (15.8) |
48.3 (9.1) |
37.7 (3.2) |
30.0 (−1.1) |
48.5 (9.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −13 (−25) |
−15 (−26) |
9 (−13) |
25 (−4) |
33 (1) |
41 (5) |
51 (11) |
49 (9) |
34 (1) |
22 (−6) |
5 (−15) |
−6 (−21) |
−15 (−26) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.82 (97) |
4.17 (106) |
5.25 (133) |
5.43 (138) |
5.57 (141) |
3.62 (92) |
3.40 (86) |
3.48 (88) |
3.12 (79) |
4.03 (102) |
4.56 (116) |
4.74 (120) |
51.19 (1,300) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.5 (1.3) |
1.3 (3.3) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
2.3 (5.8) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.0 | 7.8 | 9.8 | 8.6 | 9.3 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 6.3 | 7.1 | 7.6 | 8.3 | 94.7 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.4 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of Conway: Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 1,028 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,207 | 17.4% | |
| 1900 | 2,003 | 65.9% | |
| 1910 | 2,794 | 39.5% | |
| 1920 | 4,564 | 63.4% | |
| 1930 | 5,534 | 21.3% | |
| 1940 | 5,782 | 4.5% | |
| 1950 | 8,610 | 48.9% | |
| 1960 | 9,791 | 13.7% | |
| 1970 | 15,510 | 58.4% | |
| 1980 | 20,375 | 31.4% | |
| 1990 | 26,481 | 30.0% | |
| 2000 | 43,167 | 63.0% | |
| 2010 | 58,908 | 36.5% | |
| 2020 | 64,134 | 8.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2018 Estimate |
|||
Conway has grown a lot over the years. In 1880, there were just over 1,000 people. By 2020, the population had grown to over 64,000.
Conway's Population in 2020
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 42,317 | 65.98% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 11,718 | 18.27% |
| Native American | 222 | 0.35% |
| Asian | 1,207 | 1.88% |
| Pacific Islander | 35 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 4,341 | 6.77% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4,294 | 6.7% |
In 2020, Conway had 64,134 residents. There were 26,319 households and 14,609 families living in the city.
Conway's Population in 2010
In 2010, Conway had 58,908 people. There were 23,205 households. About 33% of households had children under 18.
The average age in Conway was 27.3 years old. This is a young city, partly because of its colleges. There were slightly more females than males.
The average income for a family in Conway was about $63,860. About 16% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included about 15% of people under 18.
Many people in Conway are religious. About 47.6% of Conway's population say they are religious. The largest religious group is Baptist.
Conway's Economy and Jobs
Conway has been home to some big companies. For a while, one of the world's largest school bus makers, IC Corporation, had a plant here. However, they moved their operations to Oklahoma in 2010.
Nabholz Construction was started in Conway in 1949. It's a very large construction company. It employs over 800 people. It has been listed as one of the top general contractors in the US for many years.
Conway Corporation provides local services. They handle cable TV, internet, phone services, electricity, and water for the city.
Acxiom Corporation, a marketing services company, also started in Conway in 1969.
In 2008, Hewlett-Packard opened a large office in Conway. It was expected to create 1,200 jobs. This building is now used by Gainwell Technologies.
In 2021, Westrock Coffee announced plans for a new plant in Conway. This new facility is expected to create 250 jobs.
Top Employers in Conway
Here are some of the biggest employers in Conway as of May 2023:
| Rank | Employer | Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conway Regional Health System | 1,650 |
| 2 | University of Central Arkansas | 1,600 |
| 3 | Acxiom | 1,450 |
| 4 | Conway Public School District | 1,150 |
| 5 | Conway Human Development Center | 900 |
| 6 | Walmart | 825 |
| 7 | Gainwell Technologies | 650 |
| 8 | Virco Manufacturing | 650 |
| 9 | Home BancShares | 550 |
| 10 | Nabholz Construction | 550 |
Arts and Culture in Conway
Conway has a lively arts scene. The Conway Symphony Orchestra performs throughout the year. The Conway Community Arts Association offers theater and other art events.
The Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre is based in Conway. It is the only professional Shakespeare theater in the state. They hold a festival every June.
Conway's three colleges also offer many art, music, and theater events. The University of Central Arkansas has a program that brings dance, music, and theater shows to the city.
The Lantern Theatre is a community theater downtown. It puts on many plays and musicals all year.
Conway Public Schools also have strong theater and music programs. Their bands often win awards in competitions.
One of Conway's biggest yearly events is Toad Suck Daze. This festival has been held since 1982. It's a three-day event in early May with live music, food, crafts, and rides. Money from the festival helps fund college scholarships for local students.
The Faulkner County Museum teaches about the history and culture of Faulkner County. It is located in the old Faulkner County Jail. The museum shows photos, old tools, household items, and art by local artists.
Conway is also a great place for fishing. Lake Conway is the largest man-made lake managed by the Game and Fish Commission in the US. You can catch many types of fish there, like largemouth bass and catfish. The Arkansas Crappie Masters state tournament is held here every year.
Conway held its first EcoFest in 2009. This event focused on "green" and sustainable ideas. It included a cardboard car derby and a bicycle ride.
Libraries in Conway
The Faulkner-Van Buren Regional Library System serves Conway. This library system was formed in 1954. The Conway Library is the main branch for this system.
Students at the University of Central Arkansas and Hendrix College can use both their college libraries for free. These are the Torreyson Library at UCA and the Bailey Library at Hendrix.
Parks and Recreation in Conway
Conway has 15 parks for people to enjoy. These parks offer many ways to have fun outdoors.
Education in Conway
Colleges and Universities in Conway
Conway is known as the "City of Colleges" because it has three colleges:
- The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) is a public university. It has about 12,000 students. UCA is known for its Honors College.
- Hendrix College is a private college. It has just over 1,300 students. Hendrix is known for its strong academic programs.
- Central Baptist College is a private college with almost 900 students.
Because of these colleges, over 40% of adults in Conway have a college degree. This makes Conway one of the most educated cities in Arkansas.
Schools for Kids in Conway
The Conway Public School District serves the city's students. A board of seven elected citizens oversees the district.
The district has about 10,000 students. This makes it the eighth-largest school district in Arkansas. It has 16 schools:
- 1 pre-school
- 9 elementary schools
- 4 middle schools
- 1 junior high school
- 1 high school
Many teachers in Conway Public Schools have advanced degrees. Some are also National Board Certified.
Conway also has two private religious schools:
- Conway Christian School (about 400 students)
- St. Joseph Catholic School (about 500 students)
Transportation in Conway
Rock Region Metro offers a "dial-a-ride" service in Conway. This means you can call for a ride. This service started in October 2022. Before that, there was no public transportation in the city. Conway is still the largest city in Arkansas without regular bus routes.
Conway is located along major highways. These include Interstate 40, US Route 65, and US Route 64.
Famous People from Conway
Many notable people have connections to Conway:
- Kris Allen - Winner of American Idol Season 8.
- Kayle Browning - Silver medalist in trap shooting at the 2020 Olympics.
- Monte Coleman - NFL linebacker for the Washington Redskins, won three Super Bowls.
- Willie Davis - NFL wide receiver.
- George Washington Donaghey - Former Governor of Arkansas.
- Erin Enderlin - Country music artist and songwriter.
- Gil Gerard - Actor, known for Buck Rogers.
- Dre Greenlaw - Linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers.
- Peyton Hillis - NFL running back.
- Scottie Pippen - NBA basketball legend, won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.
- Elijah Pitts - NFL running back, scored two touchdowns in Super Bowl I.
- Symone (drag queen) - Winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 13.
- Jordan Wicks - Professional baseball player for the Chicago Cubs organization.
Sister City
Conway has one official sister city:
Quakenbrueck, Lower Saxony, Germany
The partnership with Quakenbrueck, Germany, started in 1985. The two cities have exchanged visitors since 1986. High schools in both cities have also exchanged students. This helps students experience different cultures. They celebrated 25 years of this friendship with a festival in Quakenbrueck.
Images for kids
-
College of Business
-
See also
In Spanish: Conway (Arkansas) para niños
