Prattsville, Arkansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Prattsville, Arkansas
City
Location of Prattsville in Grant County, Arkansas.
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	Grant
Area
• Total	1.62 sq mi (4.21 km2)
• Land	1.62 sq mi (4.19 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation	312 ft (95 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	289
• Density	178.73/sq mi (68.99/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	72129
Area code(s)	870
FIPS code	05-57230
GNIS feature ID	2407158

Prattsville is a small city in Grant County, Arkansas, United States. In 2010, its population was 305 people. By 2020, the population was 289. Prattsville is part of the larger Central Arkansas region.

Geography of Prattsville

Prattsville covers an area of about 4.3 square kilometers (1.7 square miles). This entire area is land, meaning there are no large lakes or rivers within the city limits.

People of Prattsville

In the year 2000, there were 282 people living in Prattsville. These people lived in 115 different homes, and 83 of these were families.

Most people living in Prattsville were White (99.65%). A very small number (0.35%) were Asian. Also, 0.35% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Many homes (33%) had children under 18 living there. Most homes (61.7%) were married couples. Some homes (9.6%) had a female head of household without a husband. About 26.1% of all homes were individuals living alone. This included 17.4% of people aged 65 or older.

The average age of people in Prattsville was 37 years old. About 23.8% of the population was under 18. About 16% of the population was 65 years or older.

History of Prattsville

Prattsville was first settled in 1841 by Elder Joab Pratt, a Baptist preacher. He came by wagon train from Alabama with several other families. The town was named after Mr. Pratt.

Mr. Pratt ran a ferry service called Pratt's Ferry. This was near where Highway 270 crosses the Saline River today. He also worked as the postmaster for the Lost Creek Post Office in 1846. Soon after settling, Mr. Pratt started the Philadelphia Baptist Church.

The Old Camden Trail

An important old road called the Old Camden Trail passed through the area. This road was used a lot in the 1800s. It connected Little Rock and Camden. The Old Camden Trail was one of only five main roads in Arkansas during that time. It helped early settlers get to Prattsville. You can still see it marked on maps today.

During the American Civil War, a Union Army general named Frederick Steele tried to cross the Saline River at Pratt's Ferry. He was trying to get his troops back to Little Rock. However, the water was too high. General Steele and his troops then went south to cross at Jenkins Ferry. There, they fought Confederate troops in the Battle of Jenkins Ferry. General Steele and his army eventually escaped and returned to Little Rock using the Old Camden Trail.

Education in Prattsville

Public schools in the Prattsville area are managed by the Sheridan School District. The original Prattsville School District joined with the Sheridan district on July 1, 1994.

Famous People from Prattsville

Many notable people have connections to Prattsville.

David Delano Glover

David Delano Glover (1868–1952) was born and went to school in Prattsville. He became a U.S. Representative for Arkansas. This means he was elected to represent Arkansas in the United States Congress. He served for six terms, from 1929 to 1935.

Robert W. Glover

Robert W. Glover was David Delano Glover's brother. He was a pastor and served in the Arkansas Legislature. He lived in Prattsville briefly as a child. In 1909, he helped create a plan to establish four state agricultural colleges in Arkansas.

Jackson T. Stephens

Jackson T. Stephens (1923–2005) was born on a farm near Prattsville during the Great Depression. He co-founded Stephens, Inc., a very large trading company in Little Rock. He gave millions of dollars to many good causes. These included the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the Prattsville Community Center. He also chaired the Augusta National Golf Club, which hosts The Masters golf tournament.

Wilton "Witt" R. Stephens

Wilton "Witt" R. Stephens (1907–1991) was born in Prattsville and was Jack Stephens's older brother. He started his career selling things door-to-door. During the Great Depression, he made a lot of money by buying municipal bonds cheaply and selling them for a profit. He also invested in natural gas, oil, and gold mining. After World War II, he became very influential in Arkansas politics. The Grant County Museum building is named after him.

Ray Thornton

Ray Thornton (born 1928) lived in Prattsville and is the nephew of Jack and Witt Stephens. He has been a U.S. Representative, a lawyer, and a judge on the Arkansas Supreme Court. He also served as a university president. Thornton played a key role in the Watergate scandal investigation against President Richard Nixon. He was also part of an important Supreme Court of the United States case about term limits for members of Congress.

See also

In Spanish: Prattsville (Arkansas) para niños