White County, Arkansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids White County
U.S. county
White County Courthouse and Confederate monument in Searcy
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
Arkansas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
Founded	October 23, 1835
Named for	Hugh Lawson White
Seat	Searcy
Largest city	Searcy
Area
• Total	1,042 sq mi (2,700 km2)
• Land	1,035 sq mi (2,680 km2)
• Water	7.1 sq mi (18 km2)  0.7%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	76,822
• Estimate  (2023)	78,452
• Density	73.73/sq mi (28.466/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd

White County is a county located in the state of Arkansas in the United States. In 2020, about 76,822 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Searcy.

White County became Arkansas's 31st county on October 23, 1835. It was created from parts of Independence, Jackson, and Pulaski counties. The county was named after Hugh Lawson White, who was a candidate for President of the United States. White County is known as a "dry county," which means that selling alcohol is generally not allowed, though some private places can serve it.

History of White County

The first American settlers believed to have arrived in White County were John and Nancy Magness. They came from Tennessee around 1815 and started a farm near what is now Letona. The county was officially formed by the Arkansas territorial legislature on October 23, 1835.

During the American Civil War, White County saw some action. On May 17, 1862, a small fight called the Little Red Skirmish happened between Union and Confederate forces. This was followed by the Battle at Whitney Lane in June, also known as The Skirmish at Searcy Landing.

In the 1960s, the U.S. Department of Defense built several large missile silos for Titan II missiles in the county. Sadly, an accident happened at one of these sites in 1965, which resulted in the loss of workers' lives.

Geography and Nature

White County covers a total area of about 1,042 square miles. Most of this area, about 1,035 square miles, is land, and a small part, about 7.1 square miles, is water. It is the second-largest county in Arkansas by land area.

Main Roads

Many important roads run through White County, connecting different towns and areas. These include:

Neighboring Counties

White County shares borders with several other counties:

• Independence County (to the north)
• Jackson County (to the northeast)
• Woodruff County (to the east)
• Prairie County (to the southeast)
• Lonoke County (to the southwest)
• Faulkner County (to the west)
• Cleburne County (to the northwest)

Protected Natural Areas

White County is home to important natural areas, including:

• Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge
• Henry Gray / Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area

People of White County

Age pyramid White County

In 2020, the census counted 76,822 people living in White County. There were 28,621 households and 18,028 families.

Population Makeup in 2020

Economy

White County has a strong economy with some notable businesses. One of Arkansas's largest banks, First Security Bank, started in Searcy in 1932. Today, it has many locations and billions of dollars in assets.

The first Wal-Mart distribution center built outside of its main headquarters in Bentonville was also located in Searcy.

Education

White County offers many educational opportunities, from public schools to colleges.

Public Schools

Several public school districts serve the students of White County:

Private Schools

There are also several private schools in White County:

Colleges and Universities

For higher education, students can attend:

• Arkansas State University-Beebe: A public college established in 1927.
• Arkansas State University-Searcy: A technical branch of Arkansas State University.
• Harding University: A private university affiliated with Churches of Christ, with over 6,000 students.

Communities

White County has many towns and communities where people live.

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or towns:

Historic Towns

Some towns that existed in the past are now historic sites:

Townships

White County is divided into smaller areas called townships: 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 White County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township.

Images for kids

• 

  White County Courthouse and Confederate monument in Searcy

See also

In Spanish: Condado de White (Arkansas) para niños