Newton County, Arkansas
Newton County is a county in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,225.[1] The county seat is Jasper.[2] Newton County is Arkansas's 46th county, formed on December 14, 1842, and named for Thomas W. Newton, an Arkansas Congressman.
Newton County is part of the Harrison, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area.
It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county.[3]
History
[edit]Newton County residents were divided during the Civil War, serving in both the Confederate and Union armies. John Cecil, who had served as Newton County's sheriff, served as a Confederate Captain. Jasper blacksmith James R. Vanderpool (ca. 1832–1880) served as Captain of Union Company C, 1st Regiment Arkansas Infantry Volunteers, while farmer and teacher John McCoy (1820–1903) served as Captain of Union Company F, 1st Regiment Arkansas Infantry Volunteers. Many Newton County citizens served under each of these men, as well as in other units. As an example of how the war divided families, Confederate Captain Cecil's brother, Sam, served as a sergeant in Union Company D, 2nd Regiment Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers. Violence took a severe toll on the civilian population, and at one point, Captains McCoy and Vanderpool escorted 20 wagons of Unionist families from Newton County to Missouri to seek refuge.[4]
Geography
[edit]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 823 square miles (2,130 km2), of which 821 square miles (2,130 km2) is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km2) (0.3%) is water.[5]
Newton County lies almost entirely within the rugged Boston Mountain range of the Ozark Mountains where elevations exceed 2,500 feet (760 m). The Buffalo National River, a popular destination for canoeing and recreation, runs through the county from west to east. Highway 7, which traverses the county from north to south, has been rated as one of the most scenic drives in the country.
Adjacent counties
[edit]- Boone County (north)
- Searcy County (east)
- Pope County (southeast)
- Johnson County (south)
- Madison County (west)
- Carroll County (northwest)
National protected areas
[edit]Demographics
[edit]2020 census
[edit]As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 7,225. The median age was 51.6 years. 18.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 28.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.0 males age 18 and over.[6][7]
The racial makeup of the county was 92.6% White, 0.1% Black or African American, 1.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.4% from some other race, and 5.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.1% of the population.[7]
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[8]
There were 3,169 households in the county, of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.2% were married-couple households, 21.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[6]
There were 4,086 housing units, of which 22.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 82.4% were owner-occupied and 17.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.0%.[6]
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 census,[9] there were 8,608 people, 3,500 households, and 2,495 families residing in the county. The population density was 4/km2 (10/sq mi), one of the most sparse among county populations in Arkansas. There were 4,316 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (1.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 99.29% White, 0.00% Black or African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.09% from other races, and 0.00% from two or more races. 0.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,500 households, out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.90% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 27.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $24,756, and the median income for a family was $30,134. Males had a median income of $22,406 versus $17,654 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,788. About 15.70% of families and 20.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.80% of those under age 18 and 16.90% of those age 65 or over.
Native residents of Newton County were interviewed in 1970 for research being done by a doctoral student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. A Ph.D. degree was awarded to Bethany K. Dumas in May 1971 after she completed "A Study of the Dialect of Newton County, Arkansas." Results are discussed in two of her published articles/chapters: "The Morphology of Newton County, Arkansas: An Exercise in Studying Ozark Dialect," Mid–South Folklore 3 (1975), 115–125, and "Southern Mountain English" Chapter 5 of The Workings of Language, ed. R. S. Wheeler, Westport, CT, and London: Praeger, 1999, 67–79.
Government
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The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Arkansas and the Arkansas Code. The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are called justices of the peace and are elected from county districts every even-numbered year. The number of districts in a county vary from nine to fifteen, and district boundaries are drawn by the county election commission. The Newton County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the county judge, who serves as the chief operating officer of the county. The county judge is elected at-large and does not vote in quorum court business, although capable of vetoing quorum court decisions.[10][11]
| Position | Officeholder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| County Judge | Warren Campbell | Republican |
| County/Circuit Clerk | Donnie Davis | Republican |
| Sheriff | Glenn Wheeler | Republican |
| Treasurer | Vickie Bartholomew | Republican |
| Collector | Nedra Daniels | Republican |
| Assessor | Stephen Willis | Republican |
| Coroner | Cody Middleton | Republican |
The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 8 Republicans and 1 Independent. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:[12][13][14]
- District 1: Jamie Mefford (R)
- District 2: Richard Campbell (R)
- District 3: Terry Clark (R)
- District 4: Dennis Sain (I)
- District 5: Jerry Lee (R)
- District 6: Chris Martin (R)
- District 7: Steven Adams (R)
- District 8: Arlis Jones (R)
- District 9: John David Phillips (R)
Additionally, the townships of Newton County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the Constitution of Arkansas. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult.[15] The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:[14]
- Hickory Grove: Charles Moore (R)
- Hudson: Marvin Wilson (R)
- Jackson: Joe Phillips (R)
- Jefferson: Jayson Flud (R)
- Pleasant Hill: Johnny Bohannon (R)
- Richland: Lee Young (R)
- Western Grove: Gary Waters (R)
Politics
[edit]Along with adjacent Searcy County, Newton is unique among Arkansas counties in being traditionally Republican in political leanings even during the overwhelmingly Democratic "Solid South" era. This Republicanism resulted from their historical paucity of slaves, in turn created by infertile soils unsuitable for intensive cotton farming, and produced support for the Union during the Civil War.[citation needed] These were the only two counties in Arkansas to be won by Alf Landon in 1936,[16] Wendell Willkie in 1940, Charles Evans Hughes in 1916, and even Calvin Coolidge in 1924. Since the Civil War the only Democrats to gain an absolute majority of Newton County's vote have been Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 and Jimmy Carter in 1976.[17] In 2008, the Socialism and Liberation candidate, Gloria La Riva, had the notable achievement of winning the precinct of Murray, ahead of major party candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.[18] The Republican nominee has received over sixty percent in all Presidential elections from 2000 to 2020 inclusive.[19] In 2016, Newton County voted over 76 percent for Donald Trump, while Hillary Clinton received just 18 percent.
The county is in Arkansas's 1st congressional district, which from Reconstruction until 2010 sent only Democrats to the U.S. House. That year, it elected Republican Rick Crawford, who currently holds the seat as to date. In the Arkansas House of Representatives Newton County is represented by Steven Walker. The state senator, Missy Thomas Irvin, is also a Republican.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1896 | 733 | 52.21% | 659 | 46.94% | 12 | 0.85% |
| 1900 | 690 | 60.74% | 443 | 39.00% | 3 | 0.26% |
| 1904 | 645 | 68.47% | 280 | 29.72% | 17 | 1.80% |
| 1908 | 582 | 58.26% | 377 | 37.74% | 40 | 4.00% |
| 1912 | 285 | 34.67% | 290 | 35.28% | 247 | 30.05% |
| 1916 | 675 | 55.10% | 550 | 44.90% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 828 | 60.26% | 486 | 35.37% | 60 | 4.37% |
| 1924 | 578 | 61.23% | 298 | 31.57% | 68 | 7.20% |
| 1928 | 1,316 | 70.87% | 533 | 28.70% | 8 | 0.43% |
| 1932 | 540 | 35.76% | 941 | 62.32% | 29 | 1.92% |
| 1936 | 1,053 | 52.89% | 938 | 47.11% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 1,392 | 53.17% | 1,202 | 45.91% | 24 | 0.92% |
| 1944 | 934 | 56.61% | 710 | 43.03% | 6 | 0.36% |
| 1948 | 879 | 50.29% | 848 | 48.51% | 21 | 1.20% |
| 1952 | 1,728 | 60.89% | 1,107 | 39.01% | 3 | 0.11% |
| 1956 | 1,481 | 63.95% | 832 | 35.92% | 3 | 0.13% |
| 1960 | 1,814 | 67.51% | 844 | 31.41% | 29 | 1.08% |
| 1964 | 1,357 | 49.01% | 1,374 | 49.62% | 38 | 1.37% |
| 1968 | 1,467 | 50.83% | 852 | 29.52% | 567 | 19.65% |
| 1972 | 1,924 | 69.84% | 831 | 30.16% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 1,611 | 46.68% | 1,840 | 53.32% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 2,423 | 60.08% | 1,436 | 35.61% | 174 | 4.31% |
| 1984 | 2,749 | 65.88% | 1,414 | 33.88% | 10 | 0.24% |
| 1988 | 2,504 | 62.00% | 1,489 | 36.87% | 46 | 1.14% |
| 1992 | 1,730 | 41.75% | 1,765 | 42.59% | 649 | 15.66% |
| 1996 | 1,927 | 46.39% | 1,631 | 39.26% | 596 | 14.35% |
| 2000 | 2,529 | 64.40% | 1,205 | 30.69% | 193 | 4.91% |
| 2004 | 2,779 | 63.48% | 1,506 | 34.40% | 93 | 2.12% |
| 2008 | 2,588 | 65.35% | 1,182 | 29.85% | 190 | 4.80% |
| 2012 | 2,508 | 68.51% | 993 | 27.12% | 160 | 4.37% |
| 2016 | 2,875 | 76.61% | 699 | 18.63% | 179 | 4.77% |
| 2020 | 3,192 | 79.84% | 709 | 17.73% | 97 | 2.43% |
| 2024 | 3,063 | 81.25% | 644 | 17.08% | 63 | 1.67% |
| 2016 | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% |
Attractions
[edit]24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell (24HHH) is an annual rock-climbing competition held at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in Newton County.[21] Using difficulty ratings based on the Yosemite Decimal System, teams of two attempt to climb as many routes as possible in 24 hours. The sandstone walls of the canyon has over 411 established routes. The event was first held in 2006, and was rated by Climbing magazine as one of the most difficult endurance events in the nation.[22][23]
Communities
[edit]City
[edit]- Jasper (county seat)
Town
[edit]Census-designated place
[edit]Other unincorporated communities
[edit]Townships
[edit]
Template:Arkansas Townships About [26][27]
Infrastructure
[edit]Major highways
[edit]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Newton County, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ↑ "Wet and Dry Counties" (PDF). National Alcoholic Beverage Control Association. January 2017.
- ↑ Lackey, Walter F. History of Newton County, Arkansas, Point Lookout, MO: S of O Press, 1950.
- ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ↑ Teske, Steven (March 24, 2014). "Quorum Courts". Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
- ↑ Goss, Kay C. (August 28, 2015). "Office of County Judge". Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Newton | Association of Arkansas Counties". www.arcounties.org. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "2022 General Election - County, District Officials" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 18, 2022.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Newton County, Arkansas, elections, 2024". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ↑ "What is a Constable?". What is a Constable?. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
- ↑ "Presidential election of 1936 - Map by counties". geoelections.free.fr.
- ↑ Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, pp. 149-153 ISBN 0786422173
- ↑ "Arkansas Secretary of State".
- ↑ "President Map - Election Results 2008 - The New York Times". archive.nytimes.com.
- ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- ↑ "Rock Climbing." Archived September 8, 2014, at the Wayback Machine www.horseshoecanyonduderanch.com. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
- ↑ Robinson, Bob. "Rock around the clock: Crag climbers put themselves through 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell." Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, October 21, 2013. 6E.
- ↑ Hewitt, Andrew. "UPDATED: Rave Reviews and Sleepless Sending at 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell."[dead link] www.rockandice.com, October 10, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
- ↑ Lackey, Walter Fowler (1950). History of Newton County, Arkansas. Zion's Print. and Publishing Company.
- ↑ Arkansas Bureau of Mines, Manufactures, and Agriculture (1924). The Arkansas Handbook ... Ft. Smith, Calvert-McBride printing Company.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ↑ 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Newton County, AR (PDF) (Map). U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
- ↑ "Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
External links
[edit]- Map of Newtown County from the U. S. Census Bureau
- Map of Newton County from the Encyclopedia of Arkansas
- Newton County entry in the Encyclopedia of Arkansas
- Jasper/Newton County Chamber of Commerce Archived September 25, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- Newton County Historical Society
- Newton County Scrap book
- 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell
- Newton County Sheriff
Template:Newton County, Arkansas Template:Arkansas
Coordinates: 35°56′08″N 93°13′19″W / 35.93556°N 93.22194°W
- Articles with dead external links from November 2025
- Use American English from June 2025
- Use mdy dates from April 2024
- Articles with unsourced statements from August 2018
- All accuracy disputes
- Articles with disputed statements from November 2025
- Coordinates not on Wikidata
- Newton County, Arkansas
- 1842 establishments in Arkansas
- Populated places in the United States established in 1842
- Harrison micropolitan area, Arkansas