Montgomery County, Arkansas

Montgomery County Education, Geography, and History

Montgomery County is a county located in the state of Arkansas. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 9,487. The county seat is Mount Ida. Montgomery County was formed on December 9, 1842. Montgomery county is named after Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general.

Etymology - Origin of Montgomery County Name

Montgomery county is named for Richard Montgomery, a general in the American Revolutionary War. Richard Montgomery (December 2, 1738 -December 31, 1775) was an Irish-born soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a brigadier-general in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and he is most famous for leading the 1775 invasion of Canada.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Montgomery County History

Montgomery county was created on December 9, 1842, was named after General Richard Montgomery, a hero of the American Revolution. The county was once the hunting grounds of the Caddo Indians. The county seat is Mount Ida. Sixty-three percent of the county is national forest land with the federal government being a stable employer. Cattle, swine and poultry production, along with mining and tourism makes up the economy. The Ouachita Mountain range of Arkansas is one of only three known areas in the world to have enough high quality quartz crystal to warrant mining. In 1987, more than two million tons of quartz was mined in Montgomery County for uses ranging from decorative items to computer chips. Each year Montgomery County has an annual Quartz Crystal Festival and Crystal Dig. Many Tourists come to dig quartz crystal. The scenic beauty and recreation draw visitors from far and near. Lake Ouachita, Arkansas' largest covers so many acres the county had to have a lake patrol in addition to its regular sheriff's and forest patrol. Thousands visit the park areas each year to enjoy the clear water, fishing and many other water sports. The Ouachita River, the Caddo River and the Little Missouri River all flow through the county. The Missouri River drops an average of 35 feet per mile in its 29-mile journey through southern Montgomery County. The Montgomery County Courthouse houses early history of the county. It is made of native stone and is now listed on the National Register of Historical Places. Montgomery County is within easy driving distance of metropolitan areas offering shopping, restaurants and other services.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 800 square miles (2,100 km²), of which 780 square miles (2,000 km²) is land and 20 square miles (52 km²) (2.6%) is water.

Landscape of the county is long, narrow ridges of folded rock, large fertile valleys, and mountains (Ouachita) covered with oak and pine timber. Montgomery County's natural resources and its rugged beauty is its livelihood.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Northeast: Yell County
• East: Garland County
• Southeast: Hot Spring County; Clark County
• South: Pike County
• Southwest: Howard County
• West: Polk County
• Northwest: Scott County

Education

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