Lincoln County, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lincoln County
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Lincoln County Courthouse in Star City
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Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
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 Arkansas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Arkansas |
| Founded | March 28, 1871 |
| Named for | Abraham Lincoln |
| Seat | Star City |
| Largest city | Star City |
| Area | |
| • Total | 572.17 sq mi (1,481.9 km2) |
| • Land | 561.20 sq mi (1,453.5 km2) |
| • Water | 10.97 sq mi (28.4 km2) 1.9%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 12,941 |
| • Density | 22.6174/sq mi (8.7326/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
Lincoln County is located between the Arkansas Timberlands and Arkansas Delta in the U.S. state of Arkansas. It is also within the Pine Bluff metro area, and on the outer edge of the Central Arkansas region. The county is named for President Abraham Lincoln. Created as Arkansas's 65th county on March 28, 1871, Lincoln County has three incorporated cities, including Star City, the county seat and most populous city. The county contains 46 unincorporated communities and ghost towns, Cane Creek State Park at the confluence of Cane Creek and Bayou Bartholomew, and nine listings on the National Register of Historic Places to preserve the history and culture of the county.
Lincoln County occupies 572.17 square miles (148,190 ha) and contained a population of 12,941 as of the 2020 Census. The rural economy is largely based on agriculture. The state has built two prisons here that also provide some local jobs. Poverty and unemployment rates are above national averages, but steady. Household incomes are below state and national averages.
Lincoln County is served by two school districts, Star City School District and Dumas Public Schools. Higher education and healthcare are available in Pine Bluff to the north or Monticello to the south. Although no Interstate highways serve Lincoln County, the county has access to two United States highways (U.S. Route 65 [US 65], US 425) and eight Arkansas state highways. Lincoln County is also served by one public owned/public use general aviation airport, Star City Municipal Airport, and six community water systems provide potable water to customers in the county.
History
The county was established in 1871 during the Reconstruction era by the Arkansas General Assembly from parts of Arkansas, Bradley, Desha, Drew, and Jefferson counties. It was named for President Abraham Lincoln. The Republican Party was chosen by most freedmen after they got the franchise, as it was the one that secured their emancipation after the Civil War. Some white Union sympathizers, including veterans who decided to stay in the South, also voted for Republican candidates, and some were elected to state offices in former Confederate states.
County government was first permanently established in Star City. The county had a second county seat at Varner from 1885 to 1912.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 572 square miles (1,480 km2), of which 562 square miles (1,460 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (1.9%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 65
U.S. Highway 425
Highway 11
Adjacent counties
- Jefferson County (north)
- Arkansas County (northeast)
- Desha County (east)
- Drew County (south)
- Cleveland County (west)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 9,255 | — | |
| 1890 | 10,255 | 10.8% | |
| 1900 | 13,389 | 30.6% | |
| 1910 | 15,118 | 12.9% | |
| 1920 | 18,774 | 24.2% | |
| 1930 | 20,250 | 7.9% | |
| 1940 | 19,709 | −2.7% | |
| 1950 | 17,079 | −13.3% | |
| 1960 | 14,447 | −15.4% | |
| 1970 | 12,913 | −10.6% | |
| 1980 | 13,369 | 3.5% | |
| 1990 | 13,690 | 2.4% | |
| 2000 | 14,492 | 5.9% | |
| 2010 | 14,134 | −2.5% | |
| 2020 | 12,941 | −8.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 12,898 | −8.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 |
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2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 8,188 | 63.27% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 3,650 | 28.2% |
| Native American | 27 | 0.21% |
| Asian | 23 | 0.18% |
| Pacific Islander | 9 | 0.07% |
| Other/Mixed | 425 | 3.28% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 619 | 4.78% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,941 people, 3,773 households, and 2,711 families residing in the county.
Economy
The Arkansas Department of Correction, which operates the Cummins Unit and the Varner Unit in Lincoln County, is one of the county's major employers.
Human resources
Education
Educational attainment in Lincoln County is typical for a rural Arkansas county, with a 2012 study finding 78.4% of Lincoln County residents over age 25 held a high school degree or higher and 8.9% holding a bachelor's degree or higher. The Lincoln County rates are below Arkansas averages of 84.8% and 21.1%, and significantly below national averages of 86.7% and 29.8%, respectively.
Primary and secondary education
One public school district is based in Lincoln County; the Star City School District, which serves the western two-thirds of the county. The remainder of the county is served by the Dumas Public School District, based in Dumas. Successful completion of the curriculum of these schools leads to graduation from Star City High School or Dumas New Tech High School, respectively. Both high schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses and are accredited by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). Dumas Public Schools is also accredited by AdvancED.
The school districts at Gould and Grady were merged into Dumas and Star City for the 2004–05 school year pursuant to the Public Education Reorganization Act passed by the Arkansas Legislature.
Higher education
Lincoln County does not contain any institutions of higher education. The three nearest institutions in the region are University of Arkansas at Monticello to the south and Southeast Arkansas College (SEARK) and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in Pine Bluff to the north, all public four-year colleges.
Library system
The Star City Branch Library in downtown Star City is a member library of the Southeast Arkansas Regional Library system. The location offers books, e-books, media, reference, youth, business and genealogy services.
Public safety
The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency in the county. The agency is led by the Lincoln County Sheriff, an official elected by countywide vote every four years.
The county is under the jurisdiction of the Lincoln County District Court, a state district court. State district courts in Arkansas are courts of original jurisdiction for criminal, civil (up to $25,000), small claims, and traffic matters. State district courts are presided over by a full-time District Judge elected to a four-year term by a districtwide election. The district is subdivided into the Star City (city), Star City (county), Gould, and Grady departments. All departments of Lincoln County District Court are located at 300 South Drew, and are presided over by one District Judge, who is elected in a countywide election. Superseding district court jurisdiction is the 11th West Judicial Circuit Court, which covers Jefferson and Lincoln counties. The 11th West Circuit contains six circuit judges, elected to six-year terms circuitwide.
State prisons
The Arkansas Department of Correction operates two prisons in unincorporated areas in the county. The Varner Unit is located in Varner, and the Cummins Unit is near Varner.
Communities
Cities
Unincorporated communities
- Cummins Unit
- Varner
Infrastructure
Aviation
Lincoln County contains one public owned/public use general aviation airport, Star City Municipal Airport. For the twelve-month period ending February 28, 2014, the facility saw 5,400 general aviation operations. The nearest commercial service airport is Clinton National Airport in Little Rock.
Major highways
The most heavily traveled highway in Lincoln County is U.S. Highway 65, with 7,700 vehicles per day estimated in Gould in 2016. The route connects travelers to Pine Bluff (and Little Rock via Interstate 530 [I-530]) to the north, and Mississippi and Louisiana to the south. U.S. Highway 425 crosses the county from south to north, passing through Star City. Highway 530 was opened to traffic in 2013 as two lanes of a future four-lane controlled access facility between Pine Bluff and the future Interstate 69 in Monticello. Currently, the route serves as direct access to Pine Bluff and points north for Star City travelers, in less distance than US 65.
Eleven state highways serve the traveling public in the county, varying from short connector routes to long highways traversing the entire county. Highway 11 is an important highway in the county, running from US 63 just over the Cleveland County line northeast through Star City and Grady to Huff's Island park on the Arkansas River. Highway 54 crosses the county from east to west on a winding, indirect route between Dumas and Pine Bluff. Highway 114 and Highway 212 serves as east–west routes across the county. Highway 83, Highway 199, and Highway 293 are rural routes in the south, north and southeast parts of Lincoln County, respectively. Highway 388 runs from US 65 toward Cummins and Varner units. Highway 980 connects Star City Municipal Airport to Highway 114. Two unsigned state highways Highway 600 and Highway 831, serve as institutional roads for Cane Creek State Park and the state prisons, respectively.
Utilities
Water
The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) is responsible for the regulation and oversight of public water systems throughout the state. Six community water systems are based in Lincoln County: Yorktown Water Association, Arkansas Department of Corrections - Cummins Unit, Star City Water, Gould Municipal Water/Sewer, Grady Waterworks, and the Garrett Bridge Water Association. All of these utilities use the Sparta Sand Aquifer for source water. Small, rural parts of the county are served by the Highway 63 Water Association and the Ladd Water Association.
Yorktown Water Association has the largest retail population, with 8,169 total retail population, mostly within Lincoln County. ADC Cummins Unit has a retail population of 3,800, followed by Star City with 2,842, Gould with 1,041, and all others under 1,000 retail population served.
Wastewater
The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) regulates and oversees wastewater treatment and discharge permits in the state. Lincoln County contains three municipal wastewater systems, and one active domestic NPDES permit for Cummins Unit.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Lincoln (Arkansas) para niños
