Howard County, Arkansas

Howard County Education, Geography, and History

Howard County is a county located in the state of Arkansas. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 13,789. The county seat is Nashville. Howard County is Arkansas's 74th county, formed on April 17, 1873. The county is named for James Howard, a state senator.

Etymology - Origin of Howard County Name

Howard county is named for James H. Howard, an Arkansas state senator. James Howell Howard (April 13, 1913 - March 18, 1995) was a general in the United States Air Force and the only fighter pilot in the European Theater of Operations in World War II to be awarded the Medal of Honor - the United States military's highest decoration. CBS commentator Andy Rooney, then a wartime reporter for Stars and Stripes, called Howard's exploits "the greatest fighter pilot story of World War II". In later life, Howard was a successful businessman, author, and airport director.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Howard County History

Howard county was created in 1873 from parts of Hempstead, Sevier, Polk and Pike Counties, in which Center Point was the County Seat. In 1905 the county seat was moved to Nashville. The Arkansas & Louisiana Railroad ran from Hope to Nashville. The present day courthouse was built in 1938. Farming was the main source of income; the major crops were cotton, corn, peaches and cattle. Now, Howard County has several large industries that provide approximately 4,500 jobs. The major industries are: Frigidaire Home Products James Hardy Gypsum Jan-Eze Planting Mission Plastics Pilgrims Pride Tyson's Trucking Industries Weyerhaeuser Company Oxbodies The total number of county employees is 86. County Road Dept. has 20. Sanitation has 20. Communities not to be forgotten that had schools, churches, cemeteries and stores: Northern Hills Baker Springs Burg Pates Bethel Galena Three Chutes Blue Ridge Mineola Flower Springs Central Plains Antioch County Line Mt. Carmel Salem Blue Bayou Fellowship Muddy Fork Sardis Briar Creek Greens Plains Pleasant Valley Temperancevill Center-Rosedale Kolb Town Polk Wakefield Chapel Hill Longview Possum Hollow Bethany Welcome Corinth Madison Twp Pump Spgs. York's Chapel Southern Prairies Blackland Midway Sorghum City Bluff Springs Schaal Buck Range Shiloh.  It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 595 square miles (1,540 km²), of which 589 square miles (1,530 km²) is land and 6.8 square miles (18 km²) (1.1%) is water.

Howard County is made up of 384,000 acres or about 600 sq. miles.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Northeast: Montgomery County; Pike County
• Southeast: Hempstead County; St. Landry Parish, La.
• Southwest: Little River County; Sevier County
• Northwest: Polk County

Education 

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