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Earle, Arkansas
Clockwise from top: Crittenden County Historical Museum, Earle welcome sign, downtown Earle along US 64B, "Home of the Bulldogs" water tower
Clockwise from top: Crittenden County Historical Museum, Earle welcome sign, downtown Earle along US 64B, "Home of the Bulldogs" water tower
Flag of Earle, Arkansas
Flag
Official seal of Earle, Arkansas
Seal
Location of Earle in Crittenden County, Arkansas.
Location of Earle in Crittenden County, Arkansas.
Country United States
State Arkansas
County Crittenden
First settled 1860's
Incorporated March 25, 1905
Named for Josiah Francis Earle (1828–1884)
Area
 • Total 3.25 sq mi (8.41 km2)
 • Land 3.25 sq mi (8.41 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
210 ft (60 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,831
 • Density 563.91/sq mi (217.70/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
72331
Area code(s) 870
FIPS code 05-20320
GNIS feature ID 2403528

Earle is a city in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 1,831.

Geography

Earle is located in western Crittenden County. U.S. Route 64 passes through the northern part of the city, bypassing the downtown area. US 64 leads west 19 miles (31 km) to Wynne and 28 miles (45 km) east to Memphis, Tennessee.

Earle has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.4 km2), all land.

History

Early history

The city of Earle originally started as two neighboring communities started in the 1860s, Earle and Norvell. Norvell was originally settled in July 1872 by local doctor James Throgmorton. Earle was a train stop established in the late 1880s on land owned by Josiah Francis Earle, a former Confederate soldier and Klansman. The train stop was established after his death in 1884.

Reconstruction period

In 1888, a branch of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain, & Southern Railway was built south of Earle. The line still exists as a part of the Union Pacific Railroad. The town had two lumber company-owned railroads connect to it in the early 1900s, the Crittenden Railroad and the Tyronza Lumber Company Railroad.

Early 20th century

Originally, the Earle post office was located within Norvell.

From its formal incorporation in 1905 to the 1940s, Earle was one of the largest towns in Crittenden County. Referred to by locals as the "Pearl of the St. Francis," for many years the town was a center of industry and an important transportation hub for the Arkansas Delta.

One of the more notable residents of Earle was George Berry Washington. Born into slavery in 1864, Washington established a thriving business as a landlord, and through this enterprise provided a means of income for hundreds of Black Arkansans. In 1928, the widow and family of local figure George Berry Washington had a monument, known as "the Angel in the Field", built to honor Washington's life.

Crittenden County Museum Earle AR 02
The old Missouri Pacific Depot in Earle. Constructed in 1922, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Modern era

A merger of Norvell and Earle was proposed as early as 1913. In 1978, the two towns were formally merged.

2008 tornado

On May 2, 2008, WMC-TV reported that a tornado which was reported to be large and very dangerous affected the Earle area causing major damage in parts of the town and some injuries. There were reports of people missing or unaccounted for. Homes were reportedly destroyed, while businesses and the high school were damaged. The tornado was later confirmed on the same day as an EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale with winds near 150 to 160 mph.

The 2022 Earle mayoral election resulted in a historic victory for Jaylen Smith, who at 18 years old became the youngest Black person to be elected mayor in any U.S. city.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 1,542
1920 2,091 35.6%
1930 2,062 −1.4%
1940 1,872 −9.2%
1950 2,375 26.9%
1960 2,391 0.7%
1970 3,146 31.6%
1980 3,517 11.8%
1990 3,393 −3.5%
2000 3,036 −10.5%
2010 2,414 −20.5%
2020 1,831 −24.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
2010 2020

2020 census

Earle city, Arkansas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the U.S. census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 396 195 16.40% 10.65%
Black or African American alone (NH) 1,975 1,570 81.81% 85.75%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 1 1 0.04% 0.05%
Asian alone (NH) 9 5 0.37% 0.27%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 1 0.00% 0.05%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 0 0 0.00% 0.00%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 17 32 0.70% 1.75%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 16 27 0.66% 1.47%
Total 2,414 1,831 100.00% 100.00%

Education

Public education for early childhood, elementary and secondary school students is primarily provided by the Earle School District, which leads to graduation from Earle High School. The Old Earle High School with its Mission/Spanish Revival style served as the city's high school from 1919 to 1978. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Notable people

  • Charles T. Bernard (1927 – 2015), businessman and Republican politician
  • Carroll Cloar (1913 – 1993), surrealist painter and Guggenheim Fellowship recipient.
  • Shakey Jake Harris (1921 – 1990), Chicago blues singer, harmonicist and songwriter
  • Jaylen Smith (born 2004), Mayor of Earle, youngest Black Mayor in the US and one of the youngest US mayors of any race.
  • George Berry Washington (1864 – 1928), a former slave who became one of Crittenden County's largest landowners
  • Wilson Douglas Watson (1922 – 1994), recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for actions on Iwo Jima

See also

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