Pike

Formed November 1, 1833 (25^th county)

Pike County (10,180), Murfreesboro (1,498), Glenwood (2,068)                

The governmental looking tan brick structure was built in 1932 in Art Deco style.  It sits on a square in the center of town where Main and Washington streets intersect.  Arkansas State Highway 26 goes from Washington to Main streets at the courthouse.  Witt, Seibert and Halsey are the designers of this courthouse.  Murfreesboro was named after Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  It is the only county seat since county formation.  The county’s name was taken from explorer Zebulon Montgomery Pike.  On November 1, 1833, Clark and Hempstead counties yielded land to form Pike County as the 25^th county. 

Pike County government consists of a sheriff, assessor, treasurer, and coroner (executive).  It has 9 Quorum Court members (legislative.)  Two Circuit Court Judges serve Pike, Howard, Little River, and Sevier counties and a District Court Judge, an Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Pike County (judicial.)  The county is in the southwest part of the state, southwest of Hot Springs, Arkansas and north of Texarkana, Arkansas.  The center of the county is 12.4 miles North of Murfreesboro nearer Kirby.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Montgomery, Clark, Nevada, Hempstead, and Howard counties.  

The area of the county is 613.9 square miles.  It is 56 of 75 in size.  It ranks 61 out of 75 in population in the state.  It has a density of 16.6 persons per square mile making it 59 out of 75 in the state.  Pike County has 39.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 70 goes across the northern part of the county from Montgomery County, north, to Howard County, west.  The Little River forms the county’s southern border.  The county is shaped like a pot with a handle.  Murfreesboro is in the southwest corner of the county.  Glenwood is in the northeast corner of the county and extends into Montgomery County.  Murfreesboro is the county seat and Glenwood is the largest city.  Murfreesboro is 14.5% of the county population while Glenwood is 20.3% of the county population.