Lay of the land
Rural Lonoke County home to one-of-a-kind communities
Named for the lone oak used as a survey mark for the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad, Lonoke County still stands out as an agricultural powerhouse and a residential haven. The only Arkansas county that shares a name with its county seat, Lonoke County includes three geographic areas: the Ozark foothills in the north, the Grand Prairie in the middle and the Delta in the south. The first local residents were Native Americans, including the Plum Bayou Culture, who built the Toltec Mounds between 650 and 1050. White settlers moved to the area in the 1820s, and the county was formally established in 1873. Lonoke County was caught in the path of the Union’s push toward Little Rock during the Civil War, which decimated Brownsville and Austin. The Camp Nelson Confederate Cemetery in Cabot honors Confederate soldiers who died of disease there during the war. The county also has a long agricultural history. During the 1800s, farmers transported cotton and strawberries by rail. In 1928, the Joe Hogan Fish Hatchery in Lonoke opened as the nation’s largest state-owned, warm-water pond fishery. The county continues its legacy of agriculture and aquaculture to this day. With an increasing population, the area is also focused on growing rooftops. Many cities and towns in Lonoke County provide rural and suburban residential options for those who work in Little Rock or other nearby cities. Local parks and community facilities, as well as excellent schools, provide amenities to those seeking a suburban, family-focused lifestyle. Read on for more details about the cities and towns in the county.
ALLPORT
Bordered by Crooked Creek, Allport sprang up after emancipation, when African-Americans settled near the creek and began farming. The community boasted a school by 1878, and students were added to the Humnoke School District after the school closed in 1967. The community also had a post office from 1914 to 1926. In 1967, Johnnie Gay led the town’s push for incorporation and became Allport’s first mayor.
FAST FIGURES
• Population: 116 • Incorporation: 1967 • Area: Less than 1 square mile
AUSTIN
Situated in northern Lonoke County, Austin sits 1 mile north of its original location, now known as Old Austin. The first white settlers came to Old Austin in 1822. Although the town withstood the destruction of the Civil War, Austin could not withstand being bypassed by the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway. Residents moved some of the buildings closer to the tracks, and the new town was known as Austin Station before becoming Austin. Many of the city’s residents commute to Cabot and Jacksonville.
FAST FIGURES
• Population: 3,282 • Incorporation: 1895 • Area: About 3 square miles
CABOT
Boasting the state’s seventh-largest school district, stateof-the-art facilities and annual events such as CabotFest and StrawberryFest, Cabot has come a long way since it was
created as a water-and-fuel stop on the Cairo and Fulton Railroad in 1873. The city grew into a farming community in the 1930s before blossoming as a bedroom community for the Arkansas Ordnance Plant in Jacksonville. Now 40 percent of Cabot residents are connected to the Little Rock Air Force Base, and Cabot also houses an armory for the Arkansas National Guard. The city’s crown jewel is Cabot’s school district, the largest employer in the county.
➤ FAST FIGURES • Population: 26,141 • Incorporation: 1891 • Area: About 20 square miles CARLISLE
Bordered by Military Road, Carlisle claims to be the cradle of Grand Prairie rice production. The city bloomed after the Civil War as a result of an influx of freed African-American migrants and Carlisle’s position near the newly rebuilt Memphis and Little Rock Railroad. The city continues to grow rice, as well as soybeans and wheat. Carlisle also boasts a municipal airport and manufacturers such as Riviana Foods and Bigham Brothers, a farm-equipment maker.
➤ FAST FIGURES
• Population: 2,182 • Incorporation: 1878 • Area: About 5 square miles
COY
Located in the fertile Delta, Coy was a major site for growing and ginning cotton during the first half of the 20th century, and a cotton gin still exists there today. During its heyday, Coy was a thriving community with various shops and access to both highway and railroad transportation. However, the rural town’s population has steadily declined since the 1960s.
➤ FAST FIGURES
• Population: 95 • Incorporation: 1902 • Area: Less than 1 square mile
ENGLAND
Like many other Delta communities, England grew with the railroad and row crops. However, the Drought of 1930-1931 put the brakes on farming, leading to the England Food Riot. The city persevered and continues to farm rice, soybeans and corn. With an emphasis on education, recreation and smalltown charm, England also provides homes for those who commute to Little Rock and Pine Bluff. One of the city’s most unique attractions is the Wagon Yard Museum, which features antique farm equipment and replicas of historic buildings.
➤ FAST FIGURES
• Population: 2,744 • Incorporation: 1897 • Area: About 2 square miles
HUMNOKE
Although the wetlands of Humnoke are ideal for rice cultivation, the swampy landscape discouraged early settlement, and the community was not founded until 1904. During World War I, citizens worked to improve Humnoke by adding a drainage system and electric service. The city was incorporated during World War II. The Grand Prairie was used as a training ground for military pilots during that time, and the Stuttgart Army Air Field was located near Humnoke. ➤ FAST FIGURES • Population: 278 • Incorporation: 1942 • Area: Less than 1 square mile
LONOKE
If the skirmish at Brownsville had not destroyed the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad tracks there, Lonoke might not exist. However, the company chose to rebuild using a more direct route, so Lonoke developed while Brownsville faded away. Lonoke originally profited from cattle and timber production before the land was converted for farming. During World War I, Lonoke was adjacent to Eberts Field, a top Army aviation training center. Although Lonoke no longer runs on planes and trains, its proximity to Interstate 40 makes it a popular home for those who work in Little Rock but prefer small-town life.
➤ FAST FIGURES KEO
• Population: 4,248 • Incorporation: 1872 • Area: About 5 square miles As a well-preserved cotton-plantation town, Keo provides a step back in time with its Commercial Historic District. Originally called Cobb Settlement after Lafayette Cobb, who moved to the area in 1873, the community once boasted six cotton gins and a collection of stores. When the St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railway built a line a mile south of the settlement, citizens moved closer to the tracks and renamed the community Keo. The city now beckons visitors with shopping, pecan harvests and Keo Fall Days, an annual celebration.
➤ FAST FIGURES
• Population: 256 • Incorporation: 1916 • Area: About 5 square miles
SCOTT
Straddling Lonoke and Pulaski counties, Scott is surrounded by oxbow lakes left by the Arkansas River. The area’s fertile soil has fostered plantation agriculture since the first white settler arrived in 1844. The Cotton Belt cut through Scott in 1871, spurring further development. Scott is home to several notable plantations, including the Dortch Plantation, which features Marlsgate, a mansion designed by architect Charles L. Thompson. The Plantation Agriculture Museum in Scott provides a place for visitors to learn about the industry.
➤ FAST FIGURES
• Population: 72 • Incorporation: Not applicable • Area: About 3 square miles
WARD
Although its natural resources drew settlers to the area during the late 19th century, transportation has been the driving force behind Ward’s development. The city flourished as a shipping point for various crops when the Cairo and Fulton Railroad arrived in the 1870s. In the 1920s, U.S. 67 passed through the city’s downtown, boosting its economy. Although the highway moved in the 1960s, Ward continues to thrive as a bedroom community, and its population has multiplied during the 21st century.
➤ FAST FIGURES
• Population: 5,117 • Incorporation: 1923 • Area: About 4 square miles