Sherwood, Arkansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sherwood, Arkansas
City
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Location of Sherwood in Pulaski County, Arkansas.
Sherwood, Arkansas Location in Arkansas
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	Pulaski
Incorporated (city)	April 22, 1948 (1948-04-22)
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
Area
• Total	21.15 sq mi (54.79 km2)
• Land	20.74 sq mi (53.73 km2)
• Water	0.41 sq mi (1.06 km2)
Elevation	331 ft (101 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	32,731
• Density	1,577.85/sq mi (609.22/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code	72120
Area code(s)	501
FIPS code	05-63800
GNIS feature ID	2405460

Miss Arkansas Kelly George (left) with former Sherwood Mayor Danny Stedman

Sherwood is a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 32,731, making it the 13th most populous city in Arkansas. It is part of the Little Rock−North Little Rock−Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area with 699,757 people according to the 2010 census.

History

Sherwood was officially incorporated as a town on April 22, 1948. Sherwood moved to a city of Second Class on September 16, 1957, and subsequently as a city of First Class on April 30, 1971.

On March 31, 2023, a damaging tornado passed through Sherwood causing damage. The tornado originally touched down near Little Rock, before it continued on a path which went through Sherwood.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.8 square miles (54.0 km²), of which 20.6 square miles (53.4 km²) is land and 0.23 square miles (0.6 km²), or 1.15%, is water.

Climate

Sherwood lies in the humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen Cfa). Sherwood experiences all four seasons and does receive cold air masses from the north. July is the hottest month of the year, with an average high of 92 °F (33 °C) and an average low of 73 °F (23 °C). Temperatures above 100 °F (37.8 °C) are somewhat common. January is the coldest month with an average high of 50 °F (10 °C) and an average low of 33 °F (1 °C). The city's highest temperature was 110 °F (43.3 °C), recorded in July 1986. The lowest temperature recorded was −6 °F (−21.1 °C), in January 1985.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 29,523 people, 12,207 households, and 8,314 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 75.3% White, 18.5% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. 4.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 12,207 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.92.

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 32,731 people, 12,337 households, and 8,324 families residing in the city.

Economy and business

Major employers include customer contact centers for FTD.com and Cardinal Health. Another major employer is CHI St Vincent's North Hospital. In 2017, there were 569 employer firms in the city of Sherwood. 304 of those employer firms were men-owned and 139 of them were women-owned. [1]

Gravel Ridge

The community of Gravel Ridge, located at 34°52′12″N 92°11′13″W / 34.87000°N 92.18694°W / 34.87000; -92.18694 (34.870068, -92.187069), was a census-designated place (CDP) in Pulaski County that was annexed into the city of Sherwood in 2008. Gravel Ridge, located between western Jacksonville and the Sylvan Hills area of Sherwood, had a population of 3,232 and total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), as of the 2000 census.

Annexation

Gravel Ridge carried ties to both Jacksonville and Sherwood for many years. Its telephone number prefix is shared with Sherwood, while Gravel Ridge shares a ZIP code with Jacksonville. On February 5, 2008, a special election was held in Jacksonville for the annexation of Gravel Ridge into Jacksonville. Upon the Jacksonville ballot issue being announced, Sherwood Mayor Hillman and the Sherwood city council ordered a special election for March 11, 2008, to gauge support for the annexation of Gravel Ridge into Sherwood. In each of the cities' respective elections, each city's residents as well as the residents of Gravel Ridge voted. The proposal for annexation into either Jacksonville or Sherwood passed in each election. The result prompted a third special election for Gravel Ridge residents only on April 1, 2008, to vote on whether they wanted to be annexed into Sherwood or Jacksonville, with voters ultimately deciding in favor of annexation by Sherwood.

Gravel Ridge was formally annexed during the Sherwood city council meeting on April 28, 2008, during which the territory comprising the one-time census designated place was divided along Arkansas Highway 107 into additions to the first and second wards of Sherwood.

Voting results

Education

Sherwood is home to several public and private schools for elementary and secondary education. Students seeking higher education often attend nearby colleges and universities including the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and University of Central Arkansas.

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Sylvan Hills High School

Sylvan Hills Junior High School

The city's public schools are managed by the Pulaski County Special School District. The city's public high school is Sylvan Hills High School. Other public schools include: Sylvan Hills Junior High School, Sylvan Hills Middle School, Cato Elementary School, Bill Clinton Elementary Magnet School, Oakbrooke Elementary School, Sherwood Elementary School and Sylvan Hills Elementary School.

In 2008, LISA Academy North opened as a public charter school focused on STEM fields.

Private schools

The Abundant Life School, now known as Abundant Life Christian Academy, is a co-educational private school for grades pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade and is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).

Other private schools include Victory Baptist Elementary School, Central Arkansas Christian Schools, and Immaculate Conception Catholic School.

Public libraries

The Central Arkansas Library System includes the Amy Sanders Library in Sherwood, which is a 9,800 square feet (910 m²) facility that offers a variety of books, DVDs, public computers, and wireless Internet access. The library, named in 1988 in honor of Amy Sanders, Sherwood's city clerk for more than 14 years, offers numerous children's programs.

Media

The Sherwood Voice is a local weekly newspaper serving the city and its nearby communities in Pulaski County with its print publication and website. As a community newspaper, articles are centered around local news, issues, classified ads and events. Sports coverage is usually limited to the area's middle school and high school teams.

Sherwood is home to the several radio stations:

• KOKY (102.1 FM) that plays an urban adult contemporary playlist, and
• KMTL (760 AM) that produces a religious radio format, both serving the Little Rock metro area.

Infrastructure

Transportation

The primary mode of local transportation in Sherwood is the automobile, though efforts have been made to increase the availability of alternative modes of transportation, including biking and walking paths, wide sidewalks, and buses.

Highways

The following is a list of the freeways located in or near the Sherwood area:

Within Sherwood

• Future Interstate 57
• U.S. Route 67
• U.S. Route 167
• Arkansas Highway 107

Near Sherwood

• Interstate 30
• Interstate 40
• Interstate 440

Healthcare

Sherwood is home to several hospitals including:

• St. Vincent Medical Center North—Facility that includes a Level IV trauma center, surgical suites and St. Vincent Heart Clinic Arkansas, and the Jack Stephens Heart Institute.
• St. Vincent Rehabilitation Hospital—Serves as a 60-bed acute rehabilitation hospital.

Parks

In this list are the 14 parks currently located within Sherwood.

Places of interest

In addition to the city's 17 community parks and recreational facilities, the following places of interest exist:

• Roundtop Filling Station—Historic gasoline filling station; listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• Bill Harmon Recreation Center
• The Greens at North Hills Municipal Golf Course; listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• Lake Cherrywood
• Indianhead Lake
• Sherwood Splash Pad
• Amy Sanders Library
• Thornhill Park and Pool; featuring a public fishing area and outdoor workout equipment

Notable people

• Joey Lauren Adams, actress and director
• Wes Bentley, film actor
• John Burkhalter, businessman and Democratic politician
• Kelly George, Miss Arkansas USA 2007
• Jeff Henderson, world-class long jump and sprinter
• Mark Lowery, member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Pulaski County since 2013
• Kevin McReynolds, former professional baseball player
• Bryce Mitchell, undefeated UFC featherweight contender
• Mathew Pitsch, Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
• Christina Marie Riggs, a woman who killed her children, later executed by lethal injection
• Jennifer Sherrill, Miss Arkansas USA 2004
• Terry Tiffee, professional baseball player
• Ashur Tolliver, current professional baseball player
• Harry Vines, former coach of Arkansas Rollin' Razorbacks

Notable events

2009 Theft of City Funds

In July 2009, after city officials were notified by Eagle Bank in December 2008, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating the theft of $219,913 in municipal funds. These funds were taken from the city's checking account through an unauthorized online electronic transfer. This was the first time the city had experienced unauthorized accessing the city's checking account via the internet. In response, city officials analyzed city's security system to its financial network and additional safeguards and protections were implemented.

Debtor's Prison

Nikki Petree was released on August 25, 2016, after spending 35 days in county jail for bouncing a $28.93 check five years ago. Judge Milas Hale, who is accused of running a modern-day debtors' prison in Sherwood, Ark., sentenced the mother to jail; the Huffington Post reports Petree has been arrested seven times in connection with that charge and paid at least $640 to the city for the charge. She told the Post she still owes the city $1,300.

"Every time [I’d] go to jail, they’d let me out immediately for $100,” Petree said in an interview. “They’d turn around and add $600 or $700 more to my bond. I couldn't afford to pay. They cornered me, and there was no way out from underneath it. I felt overwhelmed and hopeless.

Petree said prior to her sentencing, Judge Hale asked Petree how much money she could pay today. The judge and the city are facing a federal lawsuit over their alleged practice of unconstitutionally jailing defendants who are unable to pay court fines, fees, and costs.

See also

In Spanish: Sherwood (Arkansas) para niños