Formed March 28, 1871 (64th county)
Lincoln County (12,936), Star City (2,171)
The courthouse made of tan brick was built in 1943. Wittenberg and Delony were the building designers of this Art Deco style courthouse. The building was renovated in 1978. It is located on a square at Lincoln, Wiley, Drew and Madison streets. Lincoln Street is United States Highway 425. An earlier courthouse in Star City was built in 1889. Cane Creek Church was the county seat until Star City took over in 1872. Lincoln County was named for Abraham Lincoln, United States President. The county seat is professed to be named for five hills near the original courthouse’s location. On March 28, 1871 Lincoln County was cut from Arkansas, Bradley, Desha, Drew, and Jefferson counties as the 64th county.
Lincoln County government consists of a sheriff, assessor, treasurer, and coroner (executive). It has 9 Quorum Court members (legislative.) Six Circuit Court Judges serve Lincoln and Jefferson counties and a District Court Judge, an Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Lincoln County (judicial.) The county is located in the southeast part of the state southeast of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Its northeast border is the Arkansas River. The center of the county is 10.4 miles East-Southeast of Star City. The county is surrounded clockwise by Jefferson, Arkansas, Desha, Drew, and Cleveland counties. The county is shaped like a pitcher with the northeast part being the wandering river. Star City is in the southwest quarter in the county. Star City is the county seat and the largest city. It is 16.8% of the county population.
The area of the county is 572.2 square miles. It is 70 of 75 in size. It ranks 53 out of 75 in population in the state. It has a density of 22.6 persons per square mile making it 46 out of 75 in the state. Lincoln County has 24.3% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 65 enters from the north, Jefferson County, and exits to the southeast, Desha County. United States Highway 425 comes from Jefferson County on the north and goes into Drew County on the south. The county is in the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Gould
Grady
Star City
