Lee County, Arkansas: History and Information

Lee County, Arkansas

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

County Seat: Marianna
Year Organized: 1873
Square Miles: 602

Court House:

15 East Chestnut Street
County Courthouse
Marianna, AR 72360-2326

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Lee is named for Robert Edward Lee, the Confederate commander-in-chief. Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870), was a career United States Army officer, an engineer, and among the most celebrated generals in American history. Lee was the son of Major General Henry Lee III "Light Horse Harry" (1756–1818), Governor of Virginia, and his second wife, Anne Hill Carter (1773–1829). He was a descendant of Sir Thomas More and of King Robert II of Scotland through the Earls of Crawford.

Demographics:

History

Created in April 17, 1873, from parts of Crittenden, Monroe, Phillips and St. Francis counties, in which the county was named after General Robert E. Lee. The county seat is Marianna. The landscape of Lee County is rolling hills in the northern tip and rich delta flat farmland in the center. Crowley's Ridge runs through the northern tip. The Mississippi River makes up the eastern border of the county, and half of the St. Francis National Forest, the smallest forest in the nation, is situated in the southeastern section with excellent hunting and fishing. Altogether Lee County has 25 lakes and 320 miles of manmade shoreline. The Louisiana Purchase State Park consists of 37.5 acres of headwater swamp. The John Patterson Memorial in Marianna marks the birthplace of the first non-native American born west of the Mississippi. His favorite riddle: "I was born in a kingdom (Spain), raised in an empire (France), attained manhood in a territory (Arkansas), and now am a citizen of a state, and have never been 100 miles from where I was born." The economy is mainly agriculture. Rich cotton and other typical delta crops are grown here. The Crowley's Ridge area grows fruit crops and pecan trees. Processing agricultural products and light manufacturing has helped the economy

Neighboring Counties:

North: St. Francis County

Northeast: Crittenden County

Southeast: Tunica County, Miss.

South: Phillips County

Southwest: Monroe County

Cities and Towns:

- Aubrey

town

Incorporated Area

- Haynes

town

Incorporated Area

- LaGrange

town

Incorporated Area

- Lexa

city

Incorporated Area

- Marianna (County Seat)

city

Incorporated Area

- Moro

town

Incorporated Area

- Rondo

town

Incorporated Area

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."

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Lee County, Arkansas

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

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Demographics:

History

Neighboring Counties:

Cities and Towns:

County Resources:

Online High Schools

County Resource Guide