Howard

Formed April 17, 1873 (72^nd county)

Howard County (12,784), Nashville (4,156)                

The masonry structure was built in 1939.  There was a 1906 courthouse also in Nashville.  The current courthouse sits at the corner Main Street and Bishop Street on United States Highway 371.  The building designs were Erhart and Eichenbaum in an Art Deco style.  Center Point (1873) and Nashville (1905) have both been county seats.  State Senator James Howard was the namesake for the county.  Nashville, Tennessee is the source for the county seat’s name.  Howard County was originally part of Hempstead, Pike, Polk, and Sevier counties as the 72^nd county.  It was formed on April 17, 1873. 

Howard County government consists of a sheriff, assessor, treasurer, and coroner (executive).  It has 9 Quorum Court members (legislative.)  Two Circuit Court Judges serve Howard, Little River, Pike, and Sevier counties and a District Court Judge, an Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Howard County (judicial.)  The county is in southwest Arkansas, southwest of Hot Springs, Arkansas and north of Texarkana, Arkansas.  The center of the county is 20.5 miles Northwest of Nashville nearer Dierks.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Polk, Pike, Hempstead, Little River, and Sevier counties.  

The area of the county is 595.2 square miles.  It is 62 of 75 in size.  It ranks 54 out of 75 in population in the state.  It has a density of 21.5 persons per square mile making it 49 out of 75 in the state.  Howard County has 49.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 70 crosses the northern part of the county from east to west, Pike County to Sevier County.  United States Highway 278 goes northwest to southeast from Polk County to Hempstead County.  United States Highway 371 comes from Hempstead County, east, and goes into Sevier County, west.  The county is shaped like a walking cane.  Most of the western border is the Saline River.  Nashville is in the southeast near the border with Hempstead County.  Nashville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 32.5% of the county population.

Tollette