Yell County, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yell County
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Yell County Courthouse, Dardanelle
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Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
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Arkansas's location within the U.S. |
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Country | United States |
State | Arkansas |
Founded | December 5, 1840 |
Named for | Archibald Yell |
Seat | Danville (western district); Dardanelle (eastern district) |
Largest city | Dardanelle |
Area | |
• Total | 949 sq mi (2,460 km2) |
• Land | 930 sq mi (2,400 km2) |
• Water | 19 sq mi (50 km2) 2.0%% |
Population
(2010)
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• Total | 22,185 |
• Estimate
(2019)
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21,341 |
• Density | 23.377/sq mi (9.026/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional district | 4th |
Yell County is a county in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,185. The county has two county seats, Dardanelle and Danville. Yell County is Arkansas's 42nd county, formed on December 5, 1840, from portions of Scott and Pope counties. It was named after Archibald Yell, who was the state's first member of the United States House of Representatives and the second governor of Arkansas. He died in combat at the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican–American War.
This is an alcohol prohibition or dry county. Yell County is part of the Russellville, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 949 square miles (2,460 km2), of which 930 square miles (2,400 km2) is land and 19 square miles (49 km2) (2.0%) is water.
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Pope County (north)
- Conway County (northeast)
- Perry County (east)
- Garland County (southeast)
- Montgomery County (south)
- Scott County (west)
- Logan County (northwest)
National protected areas
- Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge (part)
- Ouachita National Forest (part)
- Ozark National Forest (part)
Demographics
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1850 | 3,341 | — | |
1860 | 6,333 | 89.6% | |
1870 | 8,048 | 27.1% | |
1880 | 13,852 | 72.1% | |
1890 | 18,015 | 30.1% | |
1900 | 22,750 | 26.3% | |
1910 | 26,323 | 15.7% | |
1920 | 25,655 | −2.5% | |
1930 | 21,313 | −16.9% | |
1940 | 20,970 | −1.6% | |
1950 | 14,057 | −33.0% | |
1960 | 11,940 | −15.1% | |
1970 | 14,208 | 19.0% | |
1980 | 17,026 | 19.8% | |
1990 | 17,759 | 4.3% | |
2000 | 21,139 | 19.0% | |
2010 | 22,185 | 4.9% | |
2019 (est.) | 21,341 | −3.8% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2016 |
2020 census
Race | Number | Percentage |
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White (non-Hispanic) | 14,710 | 72.6% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 226 | 1.12% |
Native American | 111 | 0.55% |
Asian | 202 | 1.0% |
Pacific Islander | 11 | 0.05% |
Other/Mixed | 799 | 3.94% |
Hispanic or Latino | 4,204 | 20.75% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 20,263 people, 7,503 households, and 5,542 families residing in the county.
Communities
Cities
- Belleville
- Danville (county seat)
- Dardanelle (county seat)
- Havana
- Ola
- Plainview
Towns
Unincorporated communities
- Aly
- Bluffton
- Centerville
- Gravelly
- Rover
- Mount George
- Oynx
- Briggsville
- Wing
- Chickalah
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 Yell County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township.
- Birta
- Bluffton
- Briggsville
- Centerville
- Chula
- Compton
- Crawford
- Danville (Corinth, Danville)
- Dardanelle (Dardanelle)
- Dutch Creek
- Ferguson (Belleville)
- Galla Rock
- Gilkey
- Gravelly Hill
- Herring
- Ions Creek
- Lamar (Plainview)
- Magazine
- Mason
- Mountain
- Prairie
- Richland
- Riley (Havana)
- Rover
- Sulphur Springs
- Ward (Ola)
- Waveland
Trivia
- In the novel True Grit, the heroine Mattie Ross is from near Dardanelle in Yell County.
- First Sergeant William Ellis of the 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his valor and bravery above and beyond the call of duty at Dardanelle. At 10 a.m. on January 14, 1865, approximately 1,500 Confederates attacked the Union forces entrenched on the outskirts of the town and a fierce four-hour battle was waged. In the end Confederate Colonel William H. Brooks was unable to overcome the Union defenders of the town and was forced to retreat. It was during this battle that Ellis held his position even after receiving three wounds and would not withdraw for medical attention until he received a fourth wound and was ordered to retire by his commanding officer.
- Yell County was the birthplace of Gretchen McNairy, a moe character from the animated TV series Lukas. The county is referenced several times, and is often portrayed as a land of milk and honey, despite its depressing poverty, since it is the only place where Gretchen's parents actually loved her.
Education
Public education
Early childhood, elementary and secondary education within Yell County is provided by four public school districts:
- Danville School District
- Dardanelle School District
- Two Rivers School District—formed in 2004 by the consolidation of the former Fourche Valley School District, Ola School District, Perry–Casa School District, and Plainview–Rover School District.
- Western Yell County School District—formed in 1985 by the consolidation of the former Belleville School District and Havana School District.
Dissolved school districts
- Fourche Valley School District
- Ola School District
- Perry–Casa School District
- Plainview-Rover School District
- Havana School District
- Belleville School District
- Carden Bottoms School District
Public libraries
The Arkansas River Valley Regional Library System, is headquartered in Dardanelle and serves multiple counties and consists of one central library and six branch libraries, including the Yell County Library, a branch library in Danville.
Infrastructure
Major highways
Notable people
- Ray R. Allen (1920–2010), public official in Alexandria, Louisiana, was born in Yell County.
- John Daly, professional golfer
- Arthur Hunnicutt, Academy Award-nominated Western Actor
- Kelly Ring, WTVT news anchor
- Johnny Sain, Major League Baseball player
- William L. Spicer, Republican state chairman, 1962–1964, was born in Yell County, but owned a chain of drive-in theaters in Fort Smith.
- Cousins Jim Walkup (left-handed pitcher), and Jim Walkup (right-handed pitcher), MLB pitchers
- James Lee Witt, former FEMA Director
- Henry C. Bruton, Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, born in Belleville, Arkansas in 1905
- Jacob Lofland, American actor
- Timothy Balarabe, jazz musician.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Yell para niños