Clockwise from top: Conway County Courthouse, the Arkansas River, Cedar Falls, a panoramic view of the Arkansas River Valley from Petit Jean State Park, the Morrilton Train Station, and downtown Morrilton
Conway County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Created as Arkansas's 11th county on October 20, 1825, Conway County has four incorporated municipalities, including Morrilton, the county seat and most populous city. The county is also the site of numerous unincorporated communities and ghost towns. The county is named for Henry Wharton Conway, a politician from a powerful political family who served as the delegate from the Arkansas Territory to the U.S. Congress from 1823 to 1827.
From 1831 until 1883, Lewisburg was the county seat. When the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad planned built tracks 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Lewisburg in 1871, the proposed depot was to be named Morrilton after farmer E. J. Morrill, who sold the land to the railroad. People relocated from Lewisburg to Morrilton beginning in 1880, county government was relocated in 1883, and the depot was built in 1910.[4]
Conway County was much larger upon creation. Van Buren County was created from parts of Conway, Izard, and Independence counties on November 11, 1833. Perry County was created from Conway County on December 18, 1840. Faulkner County was created from parts of Conway and Pulaski counties on April 12, 1873.
Geography
Top: View from Petit Jean Mountain Bottom: Arkansas River winds through an alluvial plain
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 567 square miles (1,470 km2), of which 552 square miles (1,430 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (2.5%) is water.[5] It is the fifth-smallest county in Arkansas by area.
The northern 16 square kilometres (1,600 hectares) of Conway County is protected within the Ozark National Forest, a small part of a large protected forest spanning parts of 16 Arkansas counties. Petit Jean State Park, is Arkansas's oldest state park, rises from the River Valley in southern Conway County along the top of Petit Jean Mountain.
Conway County is home to five Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) under Arkansas Game and Fish Commission jurisdiction. Ed Gordon Point Remove WMA is a wetland near the confluence of the East Fork and West Fork of Point Remove Creek in western Conway County. The area is known for duck, deer, and dove hunting.[7] Lake Overcup WMA is a noted crappie fishing lake created by AGFC in 1963.[8] Cypress Creek WMA is located around the shore of Brewer Lake, a fishing lake built in 1983 to construct a water supply for Conway,[9] as well as containing parts of the Cherokee WMA[10] and a small part of Piney Creeks WMA.[11] The county is also home to the Cove Creek Natural Area.
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 20,715 people, 8,309 households, and 5,600 families residing in the county.
2010 Census
Racial/Ethnic Makeup of Conway County treating Hispanics as a Separate Category (2010)[18]
White Non-Hispanic (82.4%)
Black Non-Hispanic (11.2%)
Native American Non-Hispanic (0.7%)
Asian Non-Hispanic (0.4%)
Pacific Islander Non-Hispanic (0.0%)
Other Non-Hispanic (0.0%)
Two or more races Non-Hispanic (1.7%)
Hispanic Any Race (3.6%)
As of the 2010 census,[18] there were 21,273 people, 8,463 households, and 4,473 families in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile (15 people/km2). There were 9,720 housing units at an average density of 17 units per square mile (6.6 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.2% White, 11.2% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 1.5% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. 3.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 8,463 households 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 26.4% of households were one person and 11.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.98.
The age distribution was 24.2% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% 65 or older. The median age was 40.5 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.
The median household income was $32,700 and the median family income was $48,116. Males had a median income of $38,675 versus $26,318 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,909. About 10.2% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.8% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over.[19]
At the 2000 census,[21] there were 20,336 people, 7,967 households, and 5,736 families in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile (14 people/km2). There were 9,028 housing units at an average density of 16 units per square mile (6.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.27% White, 13.05% Black or African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 1.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 7,967 households 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 25.40% of households were one person and 12.10% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.99.
The age distribution was 25.40% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.
The median household income was $31,209 and the median family income was $38,179. Males had a median income of $28,199 versus $20,134 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,056. About 12.20% of families and 16.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.90% of those under age 18 and 13.10% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Prior to 2000, the county was reliably Democratic, voting solidly for the party in every presidential election except the 1972 and 1984 landslides of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, respectively. Former Governor Bill Clinton won this county twice in his 1992 and 1996 presidential runs.
As is the case with most rural counties since the turn of the millennium, the county has turned sharply rightward and away from a more socially liberal Democratic Party than the one Clinton led. Donald Trump won a record 61% of the vote in 2016 over former Arkansas First Lady and U.S. First Lady Hillary Clinton, owing both to the strength of Trump in rural America and the decline of the Clinton brand in their home state. In 2020, Trump won an even larger share of more than 65% of the vote over Democrat Joe Biden (despite Biden winning the national election), which once again marked the highest vote share for a Republican in the county in history.
The Democratic Party continued to win all local county and city elected offices until 2018, when two members of the Republican Party were elected: Keith Long as Justice of the Peace and Dennis Decker as County Coroner.
In the 2022 midterm elections, the county government flipped red, with Republicans winning all but three contested seats. Additionally, four Republicans were newly elected as new justices of the peace, the party flipped three Morrilton City Council seats – including Isaac Decker, who became the youngest to ever be elected, at age 20 – and the Oppelo Mayoral race.
In May 2023 the Morrilton City Council voted to turn the municipal offices to a non-partisan designation allowing for the mayor, city clerk, and council members to run as independents.
United States presidential election results for Conway County, Arkansas[22]
Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the United States census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. The townships of Conway County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township.
[23][24]
^Nelson, Rex (October 16, 2019). "The Catholic Point Italians". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Little Rock, AR: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. p. 7B. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via NewsBank.
^Staff (July 19, 1999). "Lake Brewer at a glance". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Inc. Little Rock, AR. p. C3. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via NewsBank.
^GIS Staff (November 21, 2019). Cherokee WMA(PDF) (Map). 1:70000. Little Rock: Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. p. 7. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
^GIS Staff (July 19, 2019). Piney Creeks WMA(PDF) (Map). 1:100000. Little Rock: Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. p. 5. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
United States
Arkansas
