Monticello, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Monticello, Arkansas
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Monticello | |||
|
|||
|
|||
Location in Drew County and Arkansas
|
|||
 Monticello, Arkansas
Location in the United States
|
|||
| Country |  United States |
||
| State |  Arkansas |
||
| County | Drew | ||
| Township | Marion | ||
| Founded | December 18, 1849 | ||
| Incorporated | December 20, 1852 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Mayor–Council | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 10.74 sq mi (27.82 km2) | ||
| • Land | 10.72 sq mi (27.78 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 292 ft (89 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
|
|||
| • Total | 8,442 | ||
| • Density | 787.13/sq mi (303.91/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) | ||
| ZIP codes |
71655
|
||
| Area code(s) | 870 | ||
| FIPS code | 05-46580 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 2404290 | ||
| Highways |
|
||
Monticello (pronounced MON-tiss-EL-oh) is a city in Drew County, Arkansas. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the county government is located. In 2010, about 9,467 people lived there.
Monticello was founded in 1849. It is located in the Arkansas Timberlands area, close to the Arkansas Delta region. For a long time, Monticello has been an important center for business, culture, and education in southeast Arkansas. The city's economy used to rely mostly on farming and forestry (growing trees for wood). Now, it also includes growth from the medical field and the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
Contents
History of Monticello
Early Days in the 1800s
Drew County was officially created on December 18, 1849. Monticello became the new county seat, taking over from a place called Rough and Ready. The first courthouse was built in 1851, and a second one was put up in 1857.
An important legal case happened in Monticello in 1859. A woman named Abby Guy, who had been enslaved, went to court to gain her freedom. She said that her former owner had set her free, but his brother later illegally kidnapped and re-enslaved her. After two trials, a jury decided that Abby Guy should be free. Her case was even reviewed by the state's highest court, which agreed with the jury. Abby Guy and her children were then set free.
During the American Civil War, some small battles took place near Monticello. A school for girls, the Rodger's Female Academy, was used as a hospital for soldiers from the Confederate army.
Geography and Climate
Monticello is located in the western part of Drew County. Two major roads, U.S. Routes 425 and 278, meet in the city, just west of the downtown area. U.S. 425 goes north about 50 miles to Pine Bluff and south about 29 miles to Hamburg. U.S. 278 goes west about 16 miles to Warren and east about 26 miles to McGehee.
There are plans for future highways near Monticello. Part of I-530 is expected to be extended and connect with the proposed I-69 west of the city. A section of the future I-69, called the "Monticello Bypass," is already open as a two-lane road.
The United States Census Bureau reports that Monticello covers a total area of about 10.74 square miles (27.82 square kilometers). Only a very small part of this area, about 0.01 square miles (0.04 square kilometers), is water.
Monticello's Weather
Monticello has a humid subtropical climate. This means the area has hot and humid summers, and winters that are usually mild to cool.
| Climate data for Monticello, Arkansas (Monticello Municipal Airport) 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1876–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 83 (28) |
85 (29) |
90 (32) |
96 (36) |
99 (37) |
104 (40) |
109 (43) |
108 (42) |
108 (42) |
97 (36) |
89 (32) |
82 (28) |
109 (43) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 54.0 (12.2) |
58.3 (14.6) |
66.7 (19.3) |
74.7 (23.7) |
82.3 (27.9) |
89.2 (31.8) |
92.1 (33.4) |
92.3 (33.5) |
87.4 (30.8) |
76.7 (24.8) |
64.8 (18.2) |
55.9 (13.3) |
74.5 (23.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 44.0 (6.7) |
47.9 (8.8) |
55.8 (13.2) |
63.6 (17.6) |
72.1 (22.3) |
79.4 (26.3) |
82.6 (28.1) |
81.9 (27.7) |
76.2 (24.6) |
65.0 (18.3) |
53.9 (12.2) |
46.2 (7.9) |
64.0 (17.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 34.0 (1.1) |
37.6 (3.1) |
44.8 (7.1) |
52.5 (11.4) |
61.9 (16.6) |
69.7 (20.9) |
73.0 (22.8) |
71.6 (22.0) |
64.9 (18.3) |
53.3 (11.8) |
43.1 (6.2) |
36.6 (2.6) |
53.6 (12.0) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −4 (−20) |
−6 (−21) |
11 (−12) |
22 (−6) |
36 (2) |
43 (6) |
50 (10) |
46 (8) |
33 (1) |
20 (−7) |
11 (−12) |
−1 (−18) |
−6 (−21) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.61 (117) |
5.03 (128) |
5.46 (139) |
5.98 (152) |
4.74 (120) |
3.80 (97) |
3.19 (81) |
3.00 (76) |
2.84 (72) |
4.28 (109) |
4.25 (108) |
5.85 (149) |
53.03 (1,347) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.6 (1.5) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.7 (1.8) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.2 | 9.2 | 10.3 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 6.9 | 7.8 | 9.4 | 97.3 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population and People
Monticello's population has changed over the years. Here's how it has grown:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 891 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,285 | 44.2% | |
| 1900 | 1,579 | 22.9% | |
| 1910 | 2,274 | 44.0% | |
| 1920 | 2,378 | 4.6% | |
| 1930 | 3,076 | 29.4% | |
| 1940 | 3,650 | 18.7% | |
| 1950 | 4,501 | 23.3% | |
| 1960 | 4,412 | −2.0% | |
| 1970 | 5,085 | 15.3% | |
| 1980 | 8,259 | 62.4% | |
| 1990 | 8,116 | −1.7% | |
| 2000 | 9,146 | 12.7% | |
| 2010 | 9,467 | 3.5% | |
| 2020 | 8,442 | −10.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Census Information
According to the 2020 United States census, Monticello had 8,442 people living in the city. There were 3,703 households and 2,104 families.
Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Monticello in 2020:
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 4,324 | 51.22% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 3,293 | 39.01% |
| Native American | 50 | 0.59% |
| Asian | 78 | 0.92% |
| Pacific Islander | 7 | 0.08% |
| Other/Mixed | 322 | 3.81% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 368 | 4.36% |
Education in Monticello
Monticello offers many educational opportunities for students of all ages.
Schools for Younger Students
Most students in Monticello attend schools in the Monticello School District. A smaller part of the city is served by the Drew Central School District.
The Monticello School District includes:
- Monticello Elementary School (for grades K to 2)
- Monticello Intermediate School (for grades 3 to 5)
- Monticello Middle School (for grades 6 to 8)
- Monticello High School (for grades 9 to 12)
The Drew Central School District mainly serves areas outside the main city. It has:
- Drew Central Elementary School (for grades PreK to 4)
- Drew Central Middle School (for grades 5 to 8)
- Drew Central High School (for grades 9 to 12)
Monticello also has two private schools:
- Monticello Christian Academy (for grades K through 12)
- Grace Christian Academy (for grades K through 8)
High School Sports
High school football is very popular in Monticello. The Monticello High School Billies football team won the state championship in 1994 and again in 2009.
Higher Education
Monticello is home to the University of Arkansas at Monticello. This university offers many different college programs.
Public Libraries
The main office for the Southeast Arkansas Public Library system is located at the Monticello Branch Library.
Media and News
Monticello has its own local radio stations and newspapers.
Radio Stations
- KGPQ 99.9 FM (plays adult contemporary music)
- KHBM 1430 AM
- KHBM-FM 93.7 FM (plays classic rock music)
Newspapers
- The Advance Monticellonian (published once a week)
- South Ark Weather & News (published daily)
- South Ark Daily (published daily)
Notable People from Monticello
Many interesting people have come from Monticello, including:
- H. Ray Burks, an architect from Little Rock
- James Milton Carroll, a Baptist pastor and historian
- Saul Davis, a baseball player in the Negro leagues
- Rodney Shelton Foss, believed to be the first American killed in World War II
- Hershel Gober, a former Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the United States
- Jesse Gonder, a baseball player for the New York Mets
- Trent Harmon, who won the 15th season of American Idol
- Catherine Dorris Norrell, a U.S. Representative from 1961 to 1963
- William F. Norrell, a U.S. Representative from 1939 to 1961
- Eric Reed, a Major League Baseball player
- William F. Slemons, a U.S. Representative from 1875 to 1881
See also
In Spanish: Monticello (Arkansas) para niños
