Marion County, Arkansas Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Marion County
U.S. county
Marion County courthouse in Yellville
Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
Arkansas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
Founded	September 25, 1836
Named for	Francis Marion
Seat	Yellville
Largest city	Bull Shoals
Area
• Total	640 sq mi (1,700 km²)
• Land	597 sq mi (1,550 km²)
• Water	43 sq mi (110 km²) 6.8%%
Population (2020)
• Total	16,826
• Estimate (2023)	17,514
• Density	26.29/sq mi (10.15/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st

Marion County is located in the Ozark Mountains in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The county is named for Francis Marion, the famous "Swamp Fox" of the Revolutionary War. Created as Arkansas's 35th county in 1836, Marion County is home to one incorporated town and four incorporated cities, including Yellville, the county seat. The county is also the site of numerous unincorporated communities and ghost towns. The county included part of what is now Searcy County, Arkansas, with many opposing to dividing them, which helped fueled the bloody Tutt-Everett War between 1844 and 1850.

Occupying 640 square miles (170,000 ha), the county's population was 16,826 as of the 2020 Census. Based on population, the county ranks 42nd of the 75 in Arkansas. Located in the Ozarks, the county is largely covered with rugged terrain and waterways, with the exception of King's Prairie in the southwestern portion. It is drained by the White River, Buffalo River, Crooked Creek, and the Little North Fork of White River. Protected areas of the county include Bull Shoals-White River State Park, Ozark National Forest, the Buffalo National River and four wildlife management areas (WMAs).

Although no Interstate highways are located in Marion County, two United States highways (U.S. Route 62 [US 62] and US 412) and eight Arkansas state highways run in the county.

History
Geography
- Adjacent counties
- National protected areas
Demographics
- 2020 census
Communities
Infrastructure
- Major highways
See also

History

Prior to white settlement, the Ozark Plateau was inhabited by the Osage Indians for centuries. Present-day Arkansas was under French rule from 1682 until the Spanish took over in 1762. The territory was returned to France in 1800 and then sold to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. In 1812, the Territory of Missouri was formed, containing all of the Louisiana Purchase except the modern state of Louisiana. To manage this expansive and sparsely populated territory, counties were formed. New Madrid County, Missouri covered much of southeastern Missouri and the northern part of Arkansas. This county was eventually subdivided into Lawrence County, which was later subdivided into Izard County.

Marion County was formerly home to a large zinc mining industry. The ruins of the Rush Creek mining district are preserved as the Rush Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 640 square miles (1,700 km²), of which 597 square miles (1,550 km²) is land and 43 square miles (110 km²) (6.8%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Ozark County, Missouri (north)
Baxter County (east)
Searcy County (south)
Boone County (west)
Taney County, Missouri (northwest)

National protected areas

Buffalo National River (part)
Buffalo National River Wilderness
Ozark National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1840	1,325	—
1850	2,308	74.2%
1860	6,192	168.3%
1870	3,979	−35.7%
1880	7,907	98.7%
1890	10,390	31.4%
1900	11,377	9.5%
1910	10,203	−10.3%
1920	10,154	−0.5%
1930	8,876	−12.6%
1940	9,464	6.6%
1950	8,609	−9.0%
1960	6,041	−29.8%
1970	7,000	15.9%
1980	11,334	61.9%
1990	12,001	5.9%
2000	16,140	34.5%
2010	16,653	3.2%
2020	16,826	1.0%
2023 (est.)	17,514	5.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010

Age pyramid Marion County

2020 census

Marion County racial composition
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	15,414	91.61%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	20	0.12%
Native American	127	0.75%
Asian	56	0.33%
Other/Mixed	830	4.93%
Hispanic or Latino	379	2.25%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,826 people, 6,782 households, and 4,438 families residing in the county.

Communities

Cities

Town

Pyatt

Census-designated places

Oakland

Townships

Note: Unlike most Arkansas counties, Marion County only has one single township (named "Marion County"). That township encompasses the entire county.

Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the United States Census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. The townships of Marion County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township.