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Gillett, Arkansas facts for kids

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Gillett, Arkansas
Location of Gillett in Arkansas County, Arkansas.
Location of Gillett in Arkansas County, Arkansas.
Country United States
State Arkansas
County Arkansas
Area
 • Total 1.00 sq mi (2.58 km2)
 • Land 1.00 sq mi (2.58 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
187 ft (57 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 564
 • Density 566.27/sq mi (218.54/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
72055
Area code(s) 870
FIPS code 05-26980
GNIS feature ID 2403696

Gillett (/ɪlˌlɛt/ JILL-let) is a small city in Arkansas County, Arkansas, United States. In 2020, about 564 people lived there. Gillett is well-known for its yearly event called the Gillett Coon Supper.

The Arkansas Post National Memorial, a historic site, is located southeast of the city. Also, a very large alligator was found near Gillett in 2010. It was 13 feet long and weighed 680 pounds!

Geography of Gillett

Gillett covers an area of about 1 square mile (2.58 square kilometers). Almost all of this area is land.

Education for Students

Students in Gillett are part of the DeWitt School District. This district includes Gillett Elementary School, DeWitt Middle School, and DeWitt High School.

Gillett used to have its own high school, Gillett High School. However, it closed in 2009. In 2004, the Gillett School District joined with the DeWitt district.

Gillett Elementary School

Gillett Elementary School teaches students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The school building was built in the 1950s. In 2012, the school board thought about closing Gillett Elementary. But the Arkansas Board of Education decided to keep it open. Many people in the area promised to donate money to help the school stay open.

Fun and Events

The Gillett Coon Supper

The Gillett Coon Supper is a special event held every year in Gillett. It started in the 1940s. At this supper, people are served raccoon meat.

This event is a fundraiser. It used to raise money for the Gillett High School American football team. After the high school closed, the supper continued. Now, it raises money for scholarships to help students go to college. The event is so famous that many important people, like politicians from Arkansas, attend it.

Population Information

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 256
1920 1,155 351.2%
1930 870 −24.7%
1940 781 −10.2%
1950 774 −0.9%
1960 874 12.9%
1970 860 −1.6%
1980 927 7.8%
1990 883 −4.7%
2000 819 −7.2%
2010 691 −15.6%
2020 564 −18.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 819 people living in Gillett. Most of the people were White (about 87%). About 12% were African American. A small number of people were Native American or from other backgrounds.

The average age of people in Gillett in 2000 was 41 years old. About 25% of the population was under 18 years old.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gillett (Arkansas) para niños

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