Clark

Formed December 15, 1818 (3^rd county)

Clark County (21,447), Arkadelphia (10,384)

The tall clock tower makes this brick courthouse stand out on Court Street between Clay and 4^th streets.  United States Highway 67 is two blocks west of the site.  It was built in 1899 and is the only courthouse in Arkadelphia.  The architect was Charles L. Thompson of the Romanesque style courthouse.  An Annex has been added.  Hollywood (1818), Biscoeville (1827), Greenville (1831), and Arkadelphia (1842) have all been county seats.  Clark County was named for explorer William Clark (Lewis and Clark fame).  He is also the source of the name of the Johnson County seat.  Arkadelphia is derived from Arkansas and the Greek word for “brother.”  Clark County was cut from Arkansas County on December 15, 1818 as the 3^rd county. 

Clark County government consists of a sheriff, assessor, treasurer, and coroner (executive).  It has 11 Quorum Court members (legislative.)  One Circuit Court Judge and a District Court Judge, an Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Clark County (judicial.)  The county is in the southwest part of the state, southwest of Little Rock, Arkansas.  The center of the county is 11.5 miles Southwest of Arkadelphia.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Hot Spring, Dallas, Ouachita, Nevada, Pike, and Montgomery counties.  A sitting L best describes the shape for the county.  The Ouachita River forms a large portion of the eastern border and the Little River is the southern border.  Arkadelphia is in the northeast quarter of the county.  Arkadelphia is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 48.4% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced ARK-A-DEL-FEE-A. 

The area of the county is 882.6 square miles.  It is 11 of 75 in size.  It ranks 30 out of 75 in population in the state.  It has a density of 24.3 persons per square mile making it 42 out of 75 in the state.  Clark County has 64.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 30 crosses diagonally from Hot Spring County to the northeast into Nevada County to the southwest.  United States Highway 67 parallels Interstate Highway 30 from Hot Spring County to Nevada County.  The county is in the Arkadelphia Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Whelen Springs