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This article is about Malvern (disambiguation)|Malvern. For other uses, see Malvern, Arkansas (disambiguation).
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Malvern, Arkansas
City
Downtown Malvern
Downtown Malvern
Nickname(s): 
Brick Capital of the World
Location of Malvern in Hot Spring County, Arkansas.
Location of Malvern in Hot Spring County, Arkansas.
Malvern, Arkansas is located in the United States
Malvern, Arkansas
Malvern, Arkansas
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  Arkansas
County Hot Spring
Townships Butterfield, Fenter
Incorporated July 22, 1876
Named for Malvern Hill, Virginia
Government
 • Type Mayor–Council
Area
 • Total 9.92 sq mi (25.69 km2)
 • Land 9.86 sq mi (25.55 km2)
 • Water 0.06 sq mi (0.14 km2)
Elevation
315 ft (96 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 10,867
 • Density 1,101.68/sq mi (425.38/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
72104
Area code(s) 501 Exchanges: 332,337,467
FIPS code 05-43610
GNIS feature ID 0077584
Major airport Adams Field (LIT)

Malvern is a city in and the county seat of Hot Spring County, Arkansas, United States. Founded as a railroad stop at the eastern edge of the Ouachita Mountains, the community's history and economy have been tied to available agricultural and mineral resources. The production of bricks from locally available clay has earned the city the nickname, "The Brick Capital of the World". The city had a population of 10,318 at the time of the 2010 census, and in 2019 the estimated population was 10,931.

History

Named after Malvern Hill, Virginia, Malvern was founded in 1870 by the Cairo and Fulton Railroad as a city site 21 miles (34 km) south of Hot Springs. On October 15, 1878, Malvern officially became the county seat of Hot Spring County. The original inhabitants of the county were Native Americans, trappers, hunters, and farmers.

The Hot Springs Railroad, often referred to as the Diamond Jo line, was established as a narrow-gauge railroad by Chicago businessman Joseph Reynolds in 1874. Reynolds began building the Hot Springs Railroad, which extends north from Malvern Junction, a station on the Cairo & Fulton, to Hot Springs, after he had endured unsatisfactory stagecoach rides to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Because Malvern was the closest railroad station to Hot Springs, it became an important junction point for passengers transferring from rail to stagecoach to complete their journey to the spas in Hot Springs. This was the only railroad into Hot Springs for 15 years. The opening of the Little Rock & Hot Springs Western Railroad in April 1900 provided a more direct access to Hot Springs from Little Rock and the north, and both the Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf and the Iron Mountain took advantage of this route, effectively cutting the volume of interchange traffic into Malvern. By 1902 passenger train shuttle service through Malvern had essentially ended.

The Malvern Police Department has lost Carson Smith, the deputy, and three officers in the line of duty, all shot to death during the 1930s. They were Clyde Davis, Leslie Lee Potts, and Hiram Potts. Davis and Leslie Lee Potts were both shot during a domestic dispute on April 21, 1933, a shootout in which they killed the suspect. Hiram Potts, who was related to Leslie Lee Potts, was shot and killed during his March 4, 1935 attempt to arrest two men who were boarding a train illegally.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.4 square miles (19 km2), of which 7.3 square miles (19 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (0.94%) is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Malvern has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1890 1,520 —
1900 1,582 4.1%
1910 2,778 75.6%
1920 3,364 21.1%
1930 5,115 52.1%
1940 5,290 3.4%
1950 8,072 52.6%
1960 9,566 18.5%
1970 8,739 −8.6%
1980 10,163 16.3%
1990 9,256 −8.9%
2000 9,021 −2.5%
2010 10,318 14.4%
2020 10,867 5.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

Malvern racial composition
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 6,492 59.74%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 3,050 28.07%
Native American 36 0.33%
Asian 48 0.44%
Pacific Islander 8 0.07%
Other/Mixed 609 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino 624 5.74%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,867 people, 3,911 households, and 2,407 families residing in the city.

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events

Every year on the last weekend of June, Malvern City Park hosts Brickfest, an event that fills the city with music, food and activities that include a brick toss, brick car derby, and a best dressed brick contest. Malvern also hosts the Hot Spring County Fair and Rodeo each fall.

Tourism

History in Malvern can be found throughout the central city, including ten National Register of Historic Places listings. Located at 210 Locust Street in downtown Malvern, the art deco Hot Spring County Courthouse has been the center of county government since its construction in 1936. Also located downtown is the Bank of Malvern building, historically notable both for its distinct variation of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture and its importance in transitioning Malvern from an agricultural-based economy to one based on industry. The Hot Spring County Museum is located in the Boyle House at 302 East Third Street in Malvern.

Malvern hosts one of two whitewater parks in the state of Arkansas, located on the Ouachita River. The other park is in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, which opened in 2013. Used for training Olympic kayakers and river rescue teams, the river-wide ledge runs year-round, and is dam-released. A zip line and nature hike is also available along Ouachita Bend.

Economy

The city is home to three Acme Brick plants and several other manufacturing companies, including Weyerhaeuser, Borden Chemical, Adams Face Veneer Company, and Pactiv. It is also the home of Grapette International, the manufacturer of Grapette soda. Malvern is the location of the Ouachita River Unit, a medium security prison.

Education

Ełementary and secondary education

Public education for early childhood, elementary and secondary school students is provided by:

  • Malvern School District, which leads to graduation from Malvern High School
  • Magnet Cove School District, which leads to graduation from Magnet Cove High School
  • Glen Rose School District, which leads to graduation from Glen Rose High School

Postsecondary education

  • College of the Ouachitas

Infrastructure

Transportation

Malvern Arkansas Amtrak station
The Amtrak station

Malvern is connected on road by Interstate 30, U.S. Route 270, and U.S. Route 67. Amtrak's Texas Eagle provides daily passenger train service to Malvern on a route extending from Chicago to Dallas and Los Angeles, and railroad freight service to Malvern is provided by the Union Pacific Railroad and the Arkansas Midland Railroad, the latter operating over the route of the original Hot Springs Railroad. The Malvern Municipal Airport (FAA Identifier: M78) serves the Malvern area.

Notable people

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Malvern (Arkansas) para niños

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