Gould, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gould, Arkansas
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Gould water tower
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Location in Lincoln County, Arkansas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Lincoln |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.55 sq mi (4.02 km2) |
| • Land | 1.55 sq mi (4.02 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 167 ft (51 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 663 |
| • Density | 427.47/sq mi (165.06/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
71643
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| Area code(s) | 870 |
| FIPS code | 05-27730 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2403718 |
Gould is a city in Lincoln County, Arkansas, United States. Its population was 663 at the 2020 census, down from 837 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Pine Bluff, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. Gould is a farming community. It was named after the American railroad magnate Jay Gould.
Geography
Gould is located in northeastern Lincoln County. U.S. Route 65 passes through the city, leading northwest 33 miles (53 km) to Pine Bluff and southeast 27 miles (43 km) to McGehee. Arkansas Highway 114 leads west from Gould 17 miles (27 km) to Star City, while Highway 212 leads east 12 miles (19 km) to Pendleton on the Arkansas River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Gould has a total area of 1.5 square miles (4.0 km2), all land. It sits near the western edge of the Arkansas Delta in the Delta Lowlands sub-region.
Gould is 79 miles (127 km) by highway southeast of Little Rock. The area is in proximity to the Cummins Unit state prison, as well as the Varner Unit state prison.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 57 | — | |
| 1920 | 318 | 457.9% | |
| 1930 | 827 | 160.1% | |
| 1940 | 908 | 9.8% | |
| 1950 | 1,076 | 18.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,210 | 12.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,386 | 14.5% | |
| 1980 | 1,671 | 20.6% | |
| 1990 | 1,470 | −12.0% | |
| 2000 | 1,305 | −11.2% | |
| 2010 | 837 | −35.9% | |
| 2020 | 663 | −20.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 68 | 10.26% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 570 | 85.97% |
| Native American | 2 | 0.3% |
| Other/Mixed | 14 | 2.11% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9 | 1.36% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 663 people, 408 households, and 196 families residing in the city.
Education
Prior to the advent of court-mandated integration, separate schools were maintained for White and Black students. When courts ordered the schools to integrate, Gould established a "freedom of choice plan". In 1968, the US Supreme court declared that Gould's plan was unacceptable, and ordered Gould to integrate the schools without further delay. When the newly integrated schools opened September 2, most White students did not attend, instead waiting until October 1 to enroll in Southeast Academy, a hastily-organized, unaccredited segregation academy. Some White parents proposed reducing the property tax rate in order to defund the public schools and free up funds to support the segregation academy. In the fall of 1975 less than 70 students showed up for registration at Southeast Academy, and the school closed down.
Many White students transferred to districts that were more predominantly White; between 1982 and 1986 at least 115 children transferred to either Star City or Dumas. The result of the students transferring cost the school district around $100,000 per year in state funding, and left the district's ability to meet state standards in doubt. Of the 148 students who attended the integrated high school on opening day in 1986, only one was White.
In 2004, the Gould School District was incorporated into the Dumas Public School District in accordance with a law passed by the Arkansas Legislature that eliminated school districts with fewer than 350 students. In the fall of 2005 the Dumas district planned to move all Gould students in grades 7-12 to the Dumas schools, and considered doing the same to the elementary school students from Gould.
Bankruptcy
In 2008 the town declared Chapter 9 bankruptcy.
Notable people
- John Donley, award-winning writer of many sitcoms including Good Times and Sanford and Son.
- Cleo Miller, retired running back for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cleveland Browns; born in Gould
- Ozell Sutton, civil rights activist, born near Gould on a plantation
See also
In Spanish: Gould (Arkansas) para niños
