Poinsett County, Arkansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Poinsett County
U.S. county
Poinsett County Courthouse, June 2011
Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
Arkansas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
Founded	February 28, 1838
Named for	Joel Roberts Poinsett
Seat	Harrisburg
Largest city	Trumann
Area
• Total	763 sq mi (1,980 km2)
• Land	758 sq mi (1,960 km2)
• Water	5.2 sq mi (13 km2)  0.7%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	22,965
• Density	30.098/sq mi (11.621/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st

Poinsett County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,965. The county seat is Harrisburg. Poinsett County is included in the Jonesboro–Paragould Combined Statistical Area.

History

Cotton gins, such as the Judd Hill Cotton Gin, and rice dryers, such as the Hubbard Rice Dryer, have been historically vital to the economy of Poinsett County. Both properties are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Poinsett County was formed on February 28, 1838, and named for Joel Roberts Poinsett, U.S. Secretary of War. County business was initially conducted in the county judge's home until first court was held in Bolivar, upon completion of a courthouse in 1839. In 1859, the county seat was moved to the more centrally located town of Harrisburg, where it still remains. Poinsett County acquired its current boundaries in the years following this change, as portions were assigned to newly organized counties.

The northern portion became Craighead County, and the south portion became Cross County. Sunken lands were added to eastern Poinsett County during this time, including Lepanto and Marked Tree.

The Civil War devastated the county financially. It did not recover until the railroads were constructed into the area, giving farmers a new avenue to market their crops, and the timber industry developed. The Texas and St. Louis Railway completed track through Weiner and the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railway ran through the center of the county in 1882. The Kansas City, Ft. Scott, and Gulf Railroad opened service in east Poinsett County the following year. Shipping timber had become feasible and was undertaken throughout northeast Arkansas following the completion of railroads. Farmers used the railroads to ship their cotton and farm animals to new markets. Many small railroad towns boomed during this period. Despite this uplift, the county's population mostly consisted of poor sharecroppers and tenant farmers, with an elite class of white landowners.

Poinsett County was the hardest hit county by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, which flooded thousands of fields and destroyed homes countywide. The Southern Tenant Farmers Union was founded in 1935 in Tyronza during the Great Depression. The organization was an interracial union to improve the pay and working conditions of poor sharecroppers. It met violent resistance from white planters, with union leaders and members attacked and some killed throughout its areas of organizing in Arkansas and Mississippi. The Southern Tenant Farmers Union Museum in Tyronza is operated by Arkansas State University.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 764 square miles (1,980 km²), of which 758 square miles (1,960 km²) is land and 5.2 square miles (13 km²) (0.7%) is water. Located in Arkansas's northeast corner, the county is bisected by Crowley's Ridge and the L'Anguille River which both pass north–south through the county. The soils in the eastern part of the county have been deposited by the Mississippi River and are mostly used for cotton farming. Western Poinsett County is generally dedicated to rice fields. Lake Poinsett State Park is centrally located within the county.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

• Craighead County (north)
• Mississippi County (east)
• Crittenden County (southeast)
• Cross County (south)
• Jackson County (west)

Demographics

Age pyramid Poinsett County

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 22,965 people, 9,526 households, and 6,710 families residing in the county.

Education

Public education

Early childhood, elementary and secondary education is available from four school districts listed from largest to smallest based on student population:

• Trumann School District based in Trumann with four facilities serving more than 1,600 students.
• Harrisburg School District based in Harrisburg with five facilities and serving more than 1,300 students.
• East Poinsett County School District based in Lepanto with three facilities serving more than 750 students.
• Marked Tree School District based in Marked Tree with three facilities serving more than 650 students.

Libraries

Poinsett County is served with central and branch libraries from two library systems, the Crowley Ridge Regional Library System and Trumann Library System.

Communities

Lake Poinsett within Lake Poinsett State Park, June 2011

Cities

• Fisher
• Harrisburg (county seat)
• Lepanto
• Marked Tree
• Trumann
• Tyronza
• Weiner

Town

• Waldenburg

Census-designated place

• Payneway
• Rivervale

Unincorporated communities

• Greenfield

Townships

Townships in Poinsett County, Arkansas as of 2010

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 Poinsett County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Poinsett para niños