Helena, Arkansas Facts for Kids

This page is about the U.S. city. For the American Civil War battle of the same name, see Battle of Helena. For other uses, see Helena.

Quick facts for kids Helena, Arkansas
City
Downtown Helena
Location of Helena, Arkansas
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	Phillips
Incorporated	November 16, 1833
Area
• Total	23.0 km² (8.9 sq mi)
• Land	23.0 km² (8.9 sq mi)
• Water	0.0 km² (0.0 sq mi)
Elevation	60 m (200 ft)
Population (2000)
• Total	6,323
• Density	274.9/km² (710.4/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	72342
Area code(s)	870
FIPS code	05-31180
GNIS feature ID	0077157

Helena is a city in Phillips County, Arkansas. It is located on the west side of the Mississippi River. Helena was founded in 1833 by Nicholas Rightor. It was named after the daughter of Sylvanus Phillips. He was an early settler and the county's namesake.

Helena was once the main town, or county seat, of Phillips County. In 2006, it joined with West Helena. They now form one city called Helena–West Helena, Arkansas. In 2000, about 6,323 people lived in Helena.

A famous battle of the American Civil War happened here on July 4, 1863. Helena is also known as the home of King Biscuit Time. This is the longest-running daily radio show in the U.S. Many famous people were born in Helena. This includes Blanche Lincoln, who was a U.S. Senator.

Helena's citizens started the Arkansas Midland Railroad in 1853. They wanted a straight train line to Little Rock, Arkansas. The tracks were finished to Clarendon, Arkansas in 1872. This line later became part of a bigger railroad system. Train service stopped in 2015. But it was brought back on October 1, 2015, for freight.

Downtown Helena, seen from the Porter Bayou

History of Helena
- The Battle of Helena
- Fort Curtis: A Union Stronghold
What is Helena Like?
- People in Helena
Music and Historic Places
- Blues Music
- Historic Buildings
Schools in Helena
Famous People from Helena
Images for kids
See also

History of Helena

The Battle of Helena

Helena, 1863

In June 1863, during the American Civil War, Confederate General Theophilus Holmes wanted to attack Helena. His goal was to help the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, which was under attack. Helena was held by Union troops.

General Holmes planned three attacks on Helena. All of them failed. The main attack broke through a Union defense point called Battery C. But Union soldiers fought back and closed the gap. The Confederate troops left on July 4, 1863. The battle caused 1,636 Confederate injuries or deaths. The Union had 205 injuries or deaths.

Fort Curtis: A Union Stronghold

Fort Curtis was built in August 1862. Union soldiers and freed slaves built it in Helena. For about a year, it was an important Union command center. This was because it was in a central spot on the Mississippi River.

Fort Curtis was not directly attacked during the Battle of Helena. The Confederate army focused on other defense points. In their last attack, the Confederates tried to reach Fort Curtis. But the strong cannons inside the fort stopped them.

In 2012, Helena built a copy of Fort Curtis. It is open to the public for free visits.

What is Helena Like?

Helena is located at 34°31′45″N 90°35′10″W / 34.52917°N 90.58611°W / 34.52917; -90.58611.

The city has a total area of about 8.9 square miles (23.0 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

People in Helena

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	614	—
1860	1,551	152.6%
1870	2,249	45.0%
1880	3,652	62.4%
1890	5,189	42.1%
1900	5,550	7.0%
1910	8,772	58.1%
1920	9,112	3.9%
1930	8,316	−8.7%
1940	8,546	2.8%
1950	11,236	31.5%
1960	11,500	2.3%
1970	10,415	−9.4%
1980	9,598	−7.8%
1990	7,491	−22.0%
2000	6,323	−15.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 6,323 people living in Helena. There were 2,312 households. About 67.93% of the people were Black or African American. About 30.59% were White.

About 32.7% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.62 people. The average family had 3.28 people.

The median age in Helena was 32 years old. This means half the people were younger than 32 and half were older. About 32.5% of the population was under 18.

Music and Historic Places

Blues Music

In the 1930s, Helena was a very important place for blues music. Many famous blues musicians visited and played here. These included Robert Johnson, Sonny Boy Williamson II, and Howlin' Wolf.

Historic Buildings

Helena has many old and important buildings. These include the Sidney H. Horner House and the Centennial Baptist Church. The Edwardian Inn is also historic. It is on land used by Union soldiers in 1863. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Schools in Helena

The Helena-West Helena School District runs the schools in Helena.

Some of the schools include:

J. F. Wahl Elementary School
S.T.A.R.S. (Students Tapping Academic Resources for Success) Academy (an alternative school)

Eliza Miller Junior High School and Central High School are the main secondary schools. They are located in West Helena.

Helena also used to have a Catholic school for Black children called St. Cyprian School. It closed in 1963.

Famous People from Helena

Many notable people have come from Helena, Arkansas. Here are a few:

James M. Alexander – An African-American politician and businessperson. He was the first African-American Justice of the Peace in Arkansas.
John Hanks Alexander – The second African American to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy. He was also the first African American officer to hold a regular command position in the U.S. armed forces.
Dorathy M. Allen – The first woman elected to the Arkansas Senate.
Bankroll Freddie – A rapper.
Joseph Robert Booker – An African-American civil rights leader.
Caroline Shawk Brooks – The first known American sculptor to create art using butter.
Patrick Cleburne – A General for the Confederate army.
CeDell Davis – A blues guitarist who played music for many years, even with disabled hands.
William Henry Grey – A politician and state senator during the Reconstruction era.
Ken Hatfield – A college football coach.
Thomas C. Hindman – Another General for the Confederate army.
Red Holloway – A jazz saxophonist.
Alex Johnson – A baseball player who was the American League batting champion in 1970.
Mary Lambert – A film director.
Blanche Lincoln – A former U.S. Senator from Arkansas.
Roberta Martin – A gospel singer.
Theodore D. McNeal – A union organizer and state senator in Missouri.
Abraham Hugo Miller – An African-American politician and businessperson. He served in the Arkansas House of Representatives.
Elias Camp Morris – A pastor and president of the National Baptist Convention.
Conway Twitty – A country singer and actor who is in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Ellis Valentine – A former baseball player for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets.
James T. White – A politician and Baptist minister from the Reconstruction era.