Yellville is a city in Marion County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the main government offices for the county are located. Yellville is found in the Ozark Mountains next to Crooked Creek. The small town of Summit is just north of Yellville. In 2020, about 1,178 people lived here. The town's first name, "Shawneetown," is still remembered in a local creek called Shawnee Town Branch. Yellville is famous for its yearly Turkey Trot Festival.

History of Yellville

Yellville gets its name from Archibald Yell. He was the first person from Arkansas to serve in the United States House of Representatives. He also became the second governor of Arkansas. Sadly, he died during the Mexican–American War at the Battle of Buena Vista.

Yellville existed even before Arkansas became a state. Back then, it was known as "Shawneetown." In 1836, Marion County was created, and Shawneetown was renamed Yellville. An old story says that Governor Archibald Yell offered $50 for the name change but never paid. Years later, his family heard the story and paid the "bill." You can find Yell's name in other places in Arkansas, like Yell County and a street in Fayetteville.

In the late 1840s, Yellville saw some conflicts during the Tutt–Everett War. Later, in 1863, a Confederate cavalry group was formed in the town.

On July 17, 2024, Marion County experienced heavy rainfall and flash flooding. Bridges and homes in Yellville were affected by the high water. The National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Emergency for the area. Yellville is still working to recover from the effects of this flood.

Geography of Yellville

Yellville is located in the middle of Marion County. The city covers about 2.5 square miles (6.49 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water. The city of Summit is just north of Yellville. Mountain Home is about 20 miles (32 km) to the northeast. Harrison is about 28 miles (45 km) to the west. These cities are connected by U.S. Routes 412 and 62.

Climate in Yellville

Yellville is in the Arkansas Ozarks. It has a climate that is a mix of humid continental and subtropical. This means winters are cold to mild, and summers are hot and humid. The highest temperature ever recorded in Yellville was 110°F (43°C) in August 1984 and July 1986. The lowest temperature was -20°F (-29°C) in January 1977.

Climate data for Yellville, Arkansas
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	76 (24)	83 (28)	92 (33)	95 (35)	94 (34)	102 (39)	110 (43)	110 (43)	102 (39)	95 (35)	85 (29)	78 (26)	110 (43)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	48 (9)	53 (12)	63 (17)	73 (23)	80 (27)	87 (31)	92 (33)	91 (33)	83 (28)	74 (23)	62 (17)	51 (11)	71 (22)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	21 (−6)	26 (−3)	35 (2)	44 (7)	52 (11)	61 (16)	65 (18)	63 (17)	56 (13)	43 (6)	35 (2)	26 (−3)	44 (7)
Record low °F (°C)	−20 (−29)	−14 (−26)	2 (−17)	18 (−8)	30 (−1)	40 (4)	44 (7)	38 (3)	29 (−2)	18 (−8)	2 (−17)	−15 (−26)	−20 (−29)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	2.40 (61)	2.90 (74)	4.40 (112)	4.20 (107)	5.20 (132)	4.10 (104)	2.80 (71)	3.50 (89)	3.90 (99)	3.70 (94)	4.50 (114)	3.90 (99)	45.50 (1,156)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	3.8 (9.7)	3.4 (8.6)	2.2 (5.6)	0.2 (0.51)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0.9 (2.3)	2.8 (7.1)	13.3 (34)

People in Yellville

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	170	—
1870	96	−43.5%
1880	345	259.4%
1890	263	−23.8%
1900	578	119.8%
1910	463	−19.9%
1920	615	32.8%
1930	478	−22.3%
1940	546	14.2%
1950	697	27.7%
1960	636	−8.8%
1970	860	35.2%
1980	1,044	21.4%
1990	1,181	13.1%
2000	1,312	11.1%
2010	1,204	−8.2%
2020	1,178	−2.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 Census Information

Yellville racial composition
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	1,059	89.9%
Native American	13	1.1%
Asian	6	0.51%
Other/Mixed	67	5.69%
Hispanic or Latino	33	2.8%

According to the 2020 United States census, there were 1,178 people living in Yellville. These people made up 416 households, and 271 families lived in the city.

Education and Resources

Schools in Yellville

Public Education

Students in Yellville attend public schools run by the Yellville–Summit School District. This district provides education from early childhood through high school. Students graduate from Yellville–Summit High School.

Higher Education

In 1890, a school called Yellville College was built in the city. It was taken down in 1925. Today, Yellville and Marion County do not have any colleges. The closest two-year colleges are Arkansas State University Mountain Home and North Arkansas College in Harrison. For four-year degrees, students can go to College of the Ozarks in Missouri or Lyon College in Batesville. The nearest public four-year university is Arkansas Tech University in Russellville.

Library Services

The Marion County Library is located in Yellville. It offers many resources like books, e-books, movies, and help with research. They also have special programs for kids and help with genealogy (family history).

Fun Things to Do and See

Buffalo National River

Yellville is a popular spot because it's close to the Buffalo National River. This beautiful river is about 16 miles (26 km) south of Yellville. In the summer, many tourists visit the area. Yellville becomes a busy place for them to shop and find places to stay. The Buffalo Point Ranger Station is also nearby.

You can enjoy activities like horseback riding, canoeing, and renting cabins. Marion County also has over 1,000 caves to explore. There's also the famous "Rush" ghost town in the Buffalo Point area. This town was once a busy place for zinc mining long ago. You can see old abandoned mines along the hiking trails, but they are fenced off for safety. Some historic buildings in Rush have been damaged by fires.

Bull Shoals Lake and White River

Much of northern Marion County is covered by water, especially Bull Shoals Lake. This lake was created by the Bull Shoals Dam. The eastern border of Marion County is marked by the White River. In the summer, people love to go water skiing, pontoon boating, and fishing on Bull Shoals Lake and the White River. Yellville is about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Bull Shoals. It's another great place for tourists to stay if they are visiting the lake or river areas.

Fred Berry Conservation Education Center

Crooked Creek near the City Park

In 1999, Fred Berry, a former teacher in the Yellville-Summit School District, gave money to create an education center. This center is located on Crooked Creek, near the Yellville City Park. With more donations, the Fred Berry Conservation Education Center on Crooked Creek opened on June 17, 2005. It is one of four education centers run by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The center sits on 471 acres (191 ha) of land along a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) stretch of Crooked Creek. This land used to be a dairy farm.

Yearly Events

One of Yellville's oldest traditions is the annual Turkey Trot festival. The Mid-Marion County Rotary Club organizes it. The festival started in 1945. Back then, live turkeys were dropped from the roof of the Marion County Courthouse. Today, the festival is still held every second weekend of October. The most well-known part is when live turkeys are dropped from airplanes over the town square. Some groups, like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, have expressed concerns about the turkeys' safety during this event.

The Turkey Trot festival also includes a beauty pageant, dinners, live music, a 5-kilometer run, and a parade. There's also a famous turkey calling contest sponsored by the National Wild Turkey Federation. You can find crafts and tools for turkey hunting sold in booths around the town square.

Town Services

Main Roads

Highway 14 in Yellville

Yellville is connected by several important highways:

US 62/US 412
U.S. Route 62 Business
Highway 14
Highway 202
Highway 235

Utilities and Services

Entergy Arkansas provides electricity to almost all of Marion County, including Yellville. Natural gas is available from Black Hills Energy. Trash collection is handled by Nabors Sanitation. Yelcot provides cable television service.

The Yellville Water Department buys its potable water (drinking water) from the Marion County Regional Water Association. This water comes from Bull Shoals Lake. The Yellville Water Department serves about 2,329 people. They are in charge of keeping the water system working and sending out bills to customers.

Famous People from Yellville

Betty Gaedtke (Quapaw), a potter
Kelley Linck, who represented Yellville in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2011 to 2016

Yellville, Arkansas facts for kids

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