Independence

Formed October 20, 1820 (8^th county)

Independence County (37,931), Batesville (11,200)

The governmental appearance to the masonry courthouse at East Main and Bayou gives it a stately look.  It is situated 12 blocks southwest of United States Highway 167 on Main Street.  It was built in 1940.  An 1892 courthouse was also located in Batesville, the only county seat.  Wittenberg and Delony were the building architects of this Art Deco courthouse.  Judge James Woodson Bates provided the name for the county seat.  The county name honors the Declaration of Independence.  Independence County was the birthplace of 1 Arkansas Governor, William R. Miller.  The county was formed on October 20, 1820 from Lawrence County as the 8^th county. 

Independence County government consists of a sheriff, assessor, treasurer, and coroner (executive).  It has 11 Quorum Court members (legislative.)  Four Circuit Court Judges serve Independence, Cleburne, Fulton, Izard, and Stone counties and a District Court Judge, an Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Independence County (judicial.)  The county is in the north central part of the state.  Jonesboro, Arkansas is east and Little Rock, Arkansas is south of the location.  The White River is the eastern border.  The center of the county is 4.7 miles Northeast of Batesville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Sharp, Lawrence, Jackson, White, Cleburne, Stone, and Izard counties.  The county is overall rectangular with bulges both east and west on the northern half.  Batesville is slightly north and west of the county center.  Batesville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 29.5% of the county population. 

The area of the county is 771.6 square miles.  It is 21 of 75 in size.  It ranks 20 out of 75 in population in the state.  It has a density of 49.2 persons per square mile making it 20 out of 75 in the state.  Independence County has 49.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 167 enters from Sharp County on the north and exits to White County on the south.  The county is in the Batesville Micropolitan Statistical Area.