Dallas County, Arkansas

Dallas County Education, Geography, and History

Dallas County is a county located in the state of Arkansas. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 8,116, making it the fourth-least populous county in Arkansas. The county seat is Fordyce. Dallas County is Arkansas's 49th county, formed on January 1, 1845. Dallas county is named for George M. Dallas, Vice President of the United States.

Etymology - Origin of Dallas County Name

Dallas county is named for George Mifflin Dallas, the eleventh vice president of the United States. George Mifflin Dallas (July 10, 1792 - December 31, 1864) was a US Senator from Pennsylvania and the eleventh Vice President of the United States, serving under James K. Polk.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Dallas County History

Dallas county was created on January 1, 1845, from Bradley and Clark counties and named in honor of George M. Dallas, who had been elected Vice President of the United States in 1844.  The world's first southern pine plywood plant was built in Fordyce, and timber resources still drive its economy. Georgia-Pacific Corp. is the county's largest employer. Tri-County Lake, where Dallas, Calhoun, and Cleveland counties meet, offers water recreation activities. The Ouachita River, the longest and largest river in the Ouachita Mountain region, forms the western county line and provides floating and fishing. The Cotton Belt route through the town of Fordyce, the county seat, brought prosperity when it arrived in Dallas County in 1882. Fordyce is Arkansas' only single county seat to have been moved from a central location when the railroads bypassed its original site of Princeton. In April of each year, the weeklong "Fordyce on the Cotton Belt Festival" is held which draws not only the local citizens but many tourists as well.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 668 square miles (1,730 km²), of which 667 square miles (1,730 km²) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) (0.1%) is water.

Dallas County is known for its rising and falling hills and pine Forests. The Ouachita River, the longest and largest river in the Ouachita Mountain region, forms the western county line and provides floating and fishing.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Northeast: Grant County
• East: Cleveland County
• Southeast: Calhoun County
• Southwest: Ouachita County
• West: Clark County
• Northwest: Hot Spring County

Education

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