Benton County, Arkansas: History and Information

Benton County, Arkansas

Benton County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Bentonville
Year Organized: 1836
Square Miles: 843
MSA: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO MSA

Court House:
215 East Central Avenue
County Administration Building
Bentonville, AR 72712-5395
Phone: (479) 271-1000
Fax: (479) 271-1036

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Meaning of County Name

Demographics:

History

Created in 1836, was named after United States Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri. The landscape of the county is gently sloping hills. The Courthouse is located on the square in Bentonville, the site of Arkansas's most significant Civil War battle at Pea Ridge. Mementos of Confederate heroes are located throughout the courthouse. The county, historically a fruit-growing center, has a diversified economy that includes agriculture, especially dairy and poultry. From the corporate headquarters of Wal-Mart, the fastest growing retail chain in America, to Little Debbie bakeries, Cooper Communities', and Bella Vista retirement community to light manufacturing, business is booming in Benton County. The population of Benton County doubled from 1950 to 1980 and at the last census (1990), had increased another 25%. Benton County's natural resources are as varied as its economy. Beaver Lake offers fishing and water recreation. Orchards and pastures, museums and art galleries, dogwood tours in the fall, arts and crafts fairs, country music, symphony concerts, and a community theater are all popular with the local people as well as visitors.

Neighboring Counties:

Northeast: Barry County, Mo.

East: Carroll County

Southeast: Madison County

South: Washington County

Southwest: Adair County, Okla.

West: Delaware County, Okla.

Northwest: McDonald County, Mo.

Cities and Towns:

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of our country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."

Arkansas State...

Arkansas

Arkansas Counties

Benton County, Arkansas

Benton County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Demographics:

History

Neighboring Counties:

Cities and Towns:

County Resources:

Benton County, Arkansas

County Resource Guide

Penn Foster High School