Arkansas State...
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Arkansas Counties
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Madison County, Arkansas
Madison County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
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History
Created in September 30, 1836 from part of Washington County and was named in tribute of James Madison, the fourth President of the United States. It has an area of 836 square miles. Two previous Governors have come from Madison County: Isaac Murphy (1
864-1868) and Orval Faubus (1955-1967). The first session of the county court was held in the barn of Evan S. Polk, a little northwest of the present town of Huntsville. Later sessions were held at the house of John Sanders until July 22, 1839, when Huntsville was declared the permanent county seat.
The first courthouse was a hewed log structure about thirty feet square, erected at a cost of $150. A brick courthouse was built in 1815 and served until 1863 when it was burned by Federal troops. After the war, sessions of the court were held at the home of John Vaughan and in the Masonic hall
until a new courthouse was completed in January 1871. It was destroyed by fire December 1, 1879, and the next courthouse was completed in October 1882. Long before settlers began arriving from Europe around 1826, the area that is now Madison County was home to many Native American tribes, including
cliff dwellers whose artifacts have been found in caves and shelters along the county's waterways.
The same natural resources that drew them to the area appeal to modern residents and visitors. The King's River in Madison County was the first stream in Arkansas to receive legislative recognition and protection. Also protected is the Sweden Creek Falls Natural Area in the Boston Mountains. An
eighty-foot waterfall maintains moist conditions where ferns grow naturally. Two wildlife management areas are located in the county, Madison County WMA and White Rock WMA. Both offer excellent hunting. War Eagle Creek also flows through the county offering family recreation with fishing, canoeing
and camping. The rugged Ozark National Forest land attracts hikers and campers with its beauty. Withrow Springs State Park is located four miles north of Huntsville and offers camping, swimming and hiking suitable for the whole family. Poultry and cattle are raised on farms throughout the county.
Some residents commute to more industrialized neighboring counties for work. Butterball Turkey Co. and Labarge Electronics are the two major industries in Huntsville. St. Paul has no industry but used to be the hub of major railroads years ago. When the timber industry left, the railroads left with
them. St. Paul is located in the southern part of Madison County and was the home of Ralph Baker who served as sheriff from January 1, 1973 - January 5, 1998. At the time of his death his tenure in office was tied with only one other sheriff in the state.
Neighboring Counties:
- Northeast: Carroll County
- East: Newton County
- Southeast: Johnson County
- Southwest: Franklin County; Crawford County
- West: Washington County
- Northwest: Benton County
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County Resource Guide
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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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Penn Foster High School
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