Vilonia, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vilonia, Arkansas
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City
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      Drone Flyover, Welcome Sign, Veterans Memorial, Baseball Fields, Fire Department, Veterans Museum
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Location of Vilonia in Faulkner County, Arkansas.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Faulkner |
| Incorporated | 1938 |
| Area | |
| • City | 7.98 sq mi (20.66 km2) |
| • Land | 7.97 sq mi (20.65 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 312 ft (95 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 4,288 |
| • Density | 537.82/sq mi (207.66/km2) |
| • Metro | 748,031 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
72173
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| Area code(s) | 501 |
| FIPS code | 05-71960 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405655 |
Vilonia is a city in Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States. Its population was 4,288 in 2020 and estimated at 4,429 in 2021, up from 3,815 at the 2010 census and 2,106 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Central Arkansas region.
Contents
History
Vilonia was first settled in 1861 as Vilsonia. By 1870, a cottin gin, a gristmill, general stores and a drug store were in Vilsonia. In 1873, an error caused the town name to be changed to Vilonia.
In 1874, the first schoolhouse was built on what is now U.S. Highway 64. In 1879, the first post office was established. In 1887, a blacksmith shop was opened. In 1905, the Arkansas Holiness College was built in Vilonia. Sometime in the 1930s, the college closed and was burned. On August 23, 1938, Vilonia was incorporated under mayor Thomas H. Hill.
Tornadoes
2011 tornado
A small portion of the town was destroyed by a tornado on the evening of April 25, 2011. The devastated area was a mobile home park. The tornado was confirmed and rated high-end EF2 by National Weather Service survey crews. Four people were killed in the Vilonia area.
2014 tornado
On April 27, 2014, in the late evening hours, a violent EF4 tornado passed through Mayflower and continued into Vilonia shortly before 7:50 p.m. (0050 UTC). 16 people were killed, several homes in one subdivision were swept clean off their foundations, a 15-ton fertilizer tank was thrown ¾ of a mile and several businesses were damaged or destroyed, including the new Vilonia Intermediate School, which had been set to open in the fall. The NWS office in Little Rock said that if it had occurred before the Enhanced Fujita scale was implemented in 2007, it would more than likely have been rated F5. There was consideration for upgrading the tornado to EF5 status, but due to the low quality of construction, the EF4 rating stands.
On May 7, 2014, President Barack Obama visited the city to view the damage and reconstruction efforts. With him were Governor Mike Beebe (D), Senator Mark Pryor (D) and Representative Tim Griffin (R).
Geography
Vilonia is located in southeastern Faulkner County at 35°4′38″N 92°12′45″W / 35.07722°N 92.21250°W (35.077299, −92.212617). It is bypassed to the south by 
US 64 which leads west 13 miles (21 km) to Conway, the county seat, and east 21 miles (34 km) to Beebe.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Vilonia has a total area of 7.1 square miles (18.4 km2), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km2), or 0.05%, is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1940 | 259 | — | |
| 1950 | 215 | −17.0% | |
| 1960 | 234 | 8.8% | |
| 1970 | 423 | 80.8% | |
| 1980 | 736 | 74.0% | |
| 1990 | 1,133 | 53.9% | |
| 2000 | 2,106 | 85.9% | |
| 2010 | 3,815 | 81.1% | |
| 2020 | 4,288 | 12.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 3,694 | 86.15% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 53 | 1.24% |
| Native American | 32 | 0.75% |
| Asian | 25 | 0.58% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 299 | 6.97% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 183 | 4.27% |
At the 2020 United States census, there were 4,288 people, 1,432 households and 1,211 families residing in the city.
Education
Public education of early childhood, elementary and secondary school students is primarily provided by the Vilonia School District, which leads to graduation from Vilonia High School.
Nearby secondary educational institutions include the Arkansas State University: Beebe Campus, Central Baptist College, Hendrix College, and University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
Notable people
- J. B. Chapman (1884–1947), minister, president of Arkansas Holiness and Peniel Colleges, editor of the Herald of Holiness and general superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene
See also
In Spanish: Vilonia (Arkansas) para niños
