Madison County, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Madison County
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    Clockwise from top: A rural scene in Madison County near Forum, Madison County Courthouse in Huntsville, War Eagle Creek Bridge, Kings River Falls and swimming hole at the Kings River Falls Natural Area
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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 |
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| State |  Arkansas |
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| Founded | September 30, 1836 | ||
| Named for | Madison County, Alabama | ||
| Seat | Huntsville | ||
| Largest city | Huntsville | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 837 sq mi (2,170 km2) | ||
| • Land | 834 sq mi (2,160 km2) | ||
| • Water | 2.8 sq mi (7 km2) 0.3%% | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 16,521 | ||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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17,775  |
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| • Density | 19.738/sq mi (7.621/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | ||
| Congressional district | 3rd | ||
Madison County is a county in the U.S. state of Arkansas. In 2020, about 16,521 people lived here. The main town and county seat is Huntsville.
The county was started on September 30, 1836. It was named after Madison County, Alabama. Many early settlers came from that Alabama county. They also named Huntsville, Arkansas, after Huntsville, Alabama. Madison County is part of the Northwest Arkansas area.
Contents
Exploring Madison County's Land
Madison County covers about 837 square miles. Most of this area is land, about 834 square miles. Only a small part, about 2.8 square miles, is water.
Neighboring Counties Around Madison
Madison County shares borders with several other counties:
- Carroll County (to the north)
- Newton County (to the east)
- Johnson County (to the southeast)
- Franklin County (to the south)
- Crawford County (to the southwest)
- Washington County (to the west)
- Benton County (to the northwest)
Protected Natural Areas
A part of the beautiful Ozark National Forest is located within Madison County. This forest is a great place for nature and outdoor activities.
People and Population in Madison County
The number of people living in Madison County has changed over the years.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 2,775 | — | |
| 1850 | 4,823 | 73.8% | |
| 1860 | 7,740 | 60.5% | |
| 1870 | 8,231 | 6.3% | |
| 1880 | 11,455 | 39.2% | |
| 1890 | 17,402 | 51.9% | |
| 1900 | 19,864 | 14.1% | |
| 1910 | 16,056 | −19.2% | |
| 1920 | 14,918 | −7.1% | |
| 1930 | 13,334 | −10.6% | |
| 1940 | 14,531 | 9.0% | |
| 1950 | 11,734 | −19.2% | |
| 1960 | 9,068 | −22.7% | |
| 1970 | 9,453 | 4.2% | |
| 1980 | 11,373 | 20.3% | |
| 1990 | 11,618 | 2.2% | |
| 2000 | 14,243 | 22.6% | |
| 2010 | 15,717 | 10.3% | |
| 2020 | 16,521 | 5.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 17,775 | 13.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 |
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In 2020, the county had 16,521 residents. Most people were White (about 85%). There were also smaller groups of Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. About 5.9% of residents identified as Other/Mixed race. Around 5.39% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. There were 6,279 households and 4,318 families living in the county.
Getting Around Madison County
Main Roads and Highways
Several important roads help people travel through Madison County:
U.S. Highway 412
Highway 12
Highway 16
Highway 21
Highway 23
Highway 45
Highway 74
Local Airport
The Huntsville Municipal Airport is a public airport. It is located about two nautical miles (4 km) southwest of Huntsville's town center.
Towns and Communities in Madison County
Cities
- Huntsville is the largest city and the county seat.
Towns
Smaller Communities (Unincorporated)
Many smaller places in Madison County are not officially cities or towns. These include:
Townships
Madison County is divided into several smaller areas called townships. These help organize the county's land and services. Some of these townships include Alabam, Bohannan, Boston, Bowen, California, Hilburn, Japton, Kentucky, Kings River, Lamar, Lincoln, Marble, Mill Creek, Prairie, Purdy, Richland, Valley, Venus, War Eagle, Wharton, and White River.
Famous People from Madison County
Several notable individuals have connections to Madison County:
- Orval E. Faubus (1910–1994) was a governor of Arkansas. He came from the Combs community near Huntsville.
- Ronnie Hawkins was a famous rockabilly singer. His band, The Hawks, later became well-known as The Band.
- Danny L. Patrick was a Republican who served in the Arkansas House of Representatives. He represented Madison and Carroll counties from 1967 to 1970.
- John Selman was an outlaw and lawman. He was born in Madison County.
- Charles Whorton Jr. was a Democrat who served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1991 to 1998. He was also a Madison County Judge and County Clerk.
- George William Fullerton (1923-2009) helped design the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Madison (Arkansas) para niños
