Lonoke, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lonoke, Arkansas
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| City of Lonoke | |
Downtown Lonoke
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Location of Lonoke in Lonoke County, Arkansas.
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 Lonoke, Arkansas
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Arkansas |
| County | Lonoke |
| Township | Lonoke |
| Incorporated | January 22, 1872 |
| Named for | "Lone Oak" |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–Council |
| Area | |
| • City | 4.90 sq mi (12.70 km2) |
| • Land | 4.81 sq mi (12.45 km2) |
| • Water | 0.10 sq mi (0.25 km2) |
| Elevation | 233 ft (71 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 4,276 |
| • Density | 889.54/sq mi (343.45/km2) |
| • Metro | 610,518 (Little Rock/North Little Rock |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
72086
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| Area code(s) | 501 |
| FIPS code | 05-41420 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404954 |
| Major airport | LIT |
Lonoke (/ˈloʊnoʊk/) is the second most populous city in Lonoke County, Arkansas, United States, and serves as its county seat. According to 2010 United States Census, the population of the city is 4,245. It is part of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Lonoke's history begins with the advance of Union troops through Central Arkansas during the American Civil War. The town of Brownsville was burned to the ground by Union forces after the retreat of Confederate forces westward to Little Rock. After the war, it was decided by the city leaders of Brownsville that a new town should be formed by the nearby railroad so that those who wished to stay could do so.
According to local legend, the town was named for a large red oak tree that was found while trees were being chopped down in order to build houses. The official name of the city was originally Lone Oak. However, due to a misprint in the Lonoke Democrat newspaper, the town's name was printed as Lonoak. Eventually, this misspelling became further misspelled as Lonoke.
The town of Lonoke was very slow to grow. Lonoke maintained a sustainable population through the support of its agricultural based economy until World War II. Because of the baby boom, Lonoke's population began to reach higher numbers. Furthermore, Lonoke became a sort of suburban area of Little Rock due to the implementation of the Interstate Highway System and the construction of Interstate 40.
In recent years, the population of Lonoke has remained in the area of about 4,000 people. As the Little Rock metropolitan area continues to grow, Lonoke's population is expected to grow as well as Lonoke is becoming more suitable as a suburban area.
Eberts Field, used by the United States Army for pilot training during World War I and World War II, was located near Lonoke.
Geography
Lonoke is in central Lonoke County.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (12 km2), of which 4.3 square miles (11 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (6.07%) is water.
Education
By 1879, the town of Lonoke had grown large enough to recognize the need for free public education. Since the state provided only limited funding, the citizens of Lonoke raised an additional $10,000 through private contributions. Together with the state funds, this money made it possible to start a free public school in the town, offering classes for ten months each year.
The city of Lonoke lacks post secondary institutions due to its small population and rural nature. However, Lonoke does feature a public school district that includes a primary, elementary, middle, and high school. According to the National Institute for Higher Education, Lonoke High School has an average ACT score of 22. However, over 89% of the graduating class of high school from 1987 to 2007 has been accepted to an institution of higher education. Of those 89%, approximately 45% have attended Arkansas State University Beebe.
In addition to its public school system, Lonoke is home to the main campus of the Lonoke Exceptional School, which offers learning opportunities for children and adults with various developmental disabilities. The school has served Lonoke and surrounding areas since 1972; its main campus in downtown Lonoke was built in 1991.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 659 | — | |
| 1890 | 858 | 30.2% | |
| 1900 | 951 | 10.8% | |
| 1910 | 1,547 | 62.7% | |
| 1920 | 1,711 | 10.6% | |
| 1930 | 1,674 | −2.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,715 | 2.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,556 | −9.3% | |
| 1960 | 2,359 | 51.6% | |
| 1970 | 3,140 | 33.1% | |
| 1980 | 4,128 | 31.5% | |
| 1990 | 4,022 | −2.6% | |
| 2000 | 4,287 | 6.6% | |
| 2010 | 4,245 | −1.0% | |
| 2020 | 4,276 | 0.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 2,664 | 62.3% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,152 | 26.94% |
| Native American | 8 | 0.19% |
| Asian | 31 | 0.72% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed | 169 | 3.95% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 251 | 5.87% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,276 people, 1,676 households, and 1,075 families residing in the city.
Notable people
- Maurice Britt (1919–1995), football player, businessman, and decorated soldier; raised in Lonoke
- Ed Hamm (1906–1982), track and field athlete, gold medal winner 1928 Summer Olympics
- Jim Lee Howell (1914–1995), football player (NY Giants 1937–1947) and coach
- James B. Reed (1881–1935), U.S. representative from 1923 to 1929
- Joseph Taylor Robinson (1872–1937), U.S. Senate Majority leader and Al Smith's running mate
- Thomas Clark Trimble III (1878–1965), former federal judge
- Will Walls (1912–1993), American football player
See also
In Spanish: Lonoke para niños
