Floyd, Arkansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Floyd
Census-designated place
Floyd Location in Arkansas
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	White County
Founded	1842
Incorporated	N/A
Elevation	413 ft (126 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	377
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
GNIS feature ID	2805644

Floyd is a small, unincorporated community in western White County, Arkansas, United States. It's a place where people live but it doesn't have its own city government. In 2020, about 377 people lived there. Floyd is located along Highways 31 and 305. Even though it's small, the community has fun events all year, like its yearly parade and fireworks show on Independence Day.

Discovering Floyd's Past

Floyd doesn't have exact borders, but it's part of Coffey Township in western White County. Most of the community today is about 11 miles northwest of Beebe, Arkansas.

Early Settlers and History

One of the first families to settle in this area was James Barnett and his family in 1842. A nearby lake, Lake Barnett, is named after these early pioneers. Another sign of the community's long history is its first cemetery. People started using the Old Floyd Cemetery as early as December 1865. Jesse Levi Akin was the first person buried there.

The Historic Southwest Trail

An important old path called the Southwest Trail once passed through Floyd. This trail was used by most travelers coming into Arkansas in the early 1800s. It entered Floyd on what is now Highway 305 and then went towards El Paso using El Paso Road. By the 1830s, more than 80 percent of the people living in the Arkansas territory had arrived by using the Southwest Trail. This route is also known as the Old Military Road.

Community Life and Education

Floyd is a close-knit community with a focus on education and local activities.

Education in Floyd

In its early days, Floyd had its own school district. Today, students from Floyd attend schools in the Beebe School District. The building that used to be the school cafeteria is still standing along Highway 31. It has been used as a community center for many years since the school district joined with Beebe.

Community Programs

The community also has a local chapter of the Extension Homemakers Clubs. This group is part of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service. Through this club, people learn how to improve their community and family life. They do this through workshops, monthly meetings, and by taking part in events like the yearly White County Fair. Floyd also has a 4-H chapter, which offers educational programs for young people in the area.