Formed December 18, 1840 (41st county)
Bradley County (10,540), Warren (5,454)
The tall clock tower dominates the red brick courthouse. This 1903 facility is on Main Street between 1st and Cedar streets. Its site is on United States Highway 63. The designer of the courthouse was Frank W. Gibb in a Romanesque Revival style. The courthouse was renovated in 2002. There were 1843 and 1862 courthouses also in Warren, the only county seat. Bradley County was named for Captain Hugh Bradley who served with General Andrew Jackson. Warren was named for Warren Bradley, a local slave. Bradley County was the birthplace of 1 Arkansas Governor, Joe E. Purcell. Bradley County was cut out of Union County on December 18, 1840 as the 41st county.
Bradley County government consists of a sheriff, assessor, treasurer, and coroner (executive). It has 9 Quorum Court members (legislative.) Five Circuit Court Judges serve Bradley, Ashley, Chicot, Desha, and Drew counties and a District Court Judge, an Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Bradley County (judicial.) The county is in south central Arkansas northeast of El Dorado, Arkansas and south of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The center of the county is 13.9 miles Southwest of Warren nearer Banks. The county is surrounded clockwise by Cleveland, Drew, Ashley, Union, and Calhoun counties. The Saline River crosses the eastern part of the county becoming the border in the southeast. The Ouachita River is the southwestern county border. The county is shaped like an upside-down bag of popcorn bulging out in the south. Warren is in the northeast corner of the county. Warren is the county seat and the largest city. It is 51.8% of the county population.
The area of the county is 654.4 square miles. It is 39 of 75 in size. It ranks 59 out of 75 in population in the state. It has a density of 16.1 persons per square mile making it 60 out of 75 in the state. Bradley County has 57.5% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 278 enters from Drew County in the east and crosses into Calhoun County on the west.
Banks
Hermitage
Warren
