Chicot County ( ) is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the southeastern corner of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,208. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Lake Village. Chicot County is Arkansas's 10th county, formed on October 25, 1823, and named after Point Chicot on the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. It is part of the

Arkansas Delta The Arkansas Delta is one of the six natural regions of the state of Arkansas. Willard B. Gatewood Jr., author of ''The Arkansas Delta: Land of Paradox'', says that rich cotton lands of the Arkansas Delta make that area "The Deepest of the Deep ...

, lowlands along the river that have been historically important as an area for large-scale cotton cultivation. Landmarks around the county include

Lake Chicot, Arkansas Lake Chicot ( ) is a lake adjacent to the Mississippi River. The lake is located on the east side of Lake Village, Arkansas in Chicot County. It is the largest oxbow lake in North America, as well as the largest natural lake in Arkansas. The ...

, North America's largest

oxbow lake An oxbow lake is a U-shaped lake or stream pool, pool that forms when a wide meander of a river is meander cutoff, cut off, creating a free-standing body of water. The word "oxbow" can also refer to a U-shaped bend in a river or stream, whether ...

and Arkansas's largest natural lake; the site of

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, and author. On May 20–21, 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York (state), New York to Paris, a distance of . His aircra ...

's first night-time flight; and the legendary burial site of

Hernando De Soto Hernando de Soto (; ; 1497 – 21 May 1542) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula. He played an important role in Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru, ...

, near Lake Village.

History

Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto came to this area with his expedition in 1542, settling for a time in the village or territory known as ''

Guachoya Quigualtam or Quilgualtanqui was a powerful Native Americans in the United States, Native American Plaquemine culture polity encountered in 1542–1543 by the Hernando de Soto (explorer), Hernando de Soto expedition. The capital of the polity and i ...

''. The European-American town of Lake Village later developed in the 19th century at Lake Chicot, formed by an oxbow of the Mississippi River. Eighteenth-century French colonists named it ''Chicot'' because of the many cypress trees in the waterways. The word is translated to "stumpy, or knobby". The area along the Mississippi River and major tributaries was developed as cotton plantations, the major commodity crop before and after the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

of 1861–1865. Enslaved African Americans formed the labor force, comprising a majority of the population in the antebellum years. Major large cotton plantations included Sunnyside (owned in the 20th century by

LeRoy Percy LeRoy Percy (November 9, 1860December 24, 1929) was an American attorney, planter, and Democratic politician who served as a United States Senator from the state of Mississippi from 1910 to 1913. Percy was a grandson of Charles "Don Carlos" Pe ...

, planter and US Senator from

Greenville, Mississippi Greenville is the List of municipalities in Mississippi, ninth-most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, and the largest city by population in the Mississippi Delta region. It is the county seat of Washington County, Mississippi, Was ...

); Florence, Patria, Pastoria, Luna, and Lakeport. On February 14, 1864, 13 Black Union soldiers of the 1st Mississippi Volunteer Infantry (African Descent) were ambushed and killed at the Tecumseh plantation near Ross's Landing by Confederate guerillas of the 9th Missouri Cavalry. Union and Confederate forces fought at the

Battle of Old River Lake The Battle of Old River Lake, also known as Ditch Bayou, Furlough, and Fish Bayou, was a small skirmish between U.S. Army troops and Confederate troops from June 5 to June 6, 1864, during the American Civil War. A Union Army force marched into Co ...

from June 5 to 6, 1864. The population of the rural county has declined since its peak in 1940. Earlier in the century, boll weevils threatened the cotton crop, and many African Americans left in the Great Migration for opportunity in northern and midwestern industrial cities. In addition, mechanization of agriculture and consolidation into industrial-style farms has reduced the need for farm labor.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (6.7%) is water.

Major highways

U.S. Highway 65 U.S. Route 65 (US 65) is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 425 in Clayton, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at Interstate 35 just south of I ...

U.S. Highway 82 U.S. Route 82 (US 82) is an east–west United States highway in the Southern United States. Created on July 1, 1931 across central Mississippi and southern Arkansas, US 82 eventually became a route extending from the White Sands of New ...

* U.S. Highway 165 * U.S. Highway 278 * Highway 8 *

Highway 35 The following highways are numbered 35: The Karakoram Highway (Urdu language, Urdu: شاہراہ قراقرم, ''Śāhirāh-i Qarāquram''), also known as the KKH, National Highway 35 (Urdu language, Urdu: قومی شاہراہ ۳۵), N-35, and ...

* Highway 159 * Highway 52 Arkansas 144

Adjacent counties

Desha County Desha County ( ) is a county located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of Arkansas, with its eastern border the Mississippi River. At the 2020 census, the population was 11,395. The county is plurality-African American. The county seat ...

(north) *

Bolivar County Bolivar County ( ), officially the County of Bolivar, is a County (United States), county located on the western border of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 30,985. Its county sea ...

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

(northeast) * Washington County,

(east) *

Issaquena County Issaquena County (, '' ISS-ə-KWEEN-ə'') is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 Census, its population was 1,338, making it the least populous county in the United States east of the Mississippi River. Its count ...

(southeast) *

East Carroll Parish East Carroll Parish () is a parish located in the Mississippi Delta in northeastern Louisiana. As of 2020, its population was 7,459. The parish seat is Lake Providence. An area of cotton plantations in the antebellum era, the parish in the ear ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

(south) *

West Carroll Parish West Carroll Parish () is a parish located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,751. The parish seat is Oak Grove. The parish was founded in 1877, when Carroll Parish was di ...

(south) *

Morehouse Parish Morehouse Parish (French:Paroisse de Morehouse) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,629. The parish seat is Bastrop. The parish was formed in 1844. Morehouse Parish comprises th ...

(southwest) * Ashley County (west) *

Drew County Drew County is a county located in the southeast region of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,350. The county seat and largest city is Monticello. Drew County was formed on November 26, 1846, and named for ...

(northwest)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,208 people, 4,068 households, and 2,636 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 11,800 people living in the county. 54.1% were Black or African American, 41.2%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 3.2% of some other race and 0.8 of two or more races. 4.6% were

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...

(of any race).

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 14,117 people, 5,205 households, and 3,643 families living in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 5,974 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 53.96%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 43.24%

, 0.13% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 1.41% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 2.88% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. There were 5,205 households, out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.70% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 22.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.12. In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.50% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $22,024, and the median income for a family was $27,960. Males had a median income of $25,899 versus $17,115 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $12,825. About 23.10% of families and 28.60% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 38.30% of those under age 18 and 20.70% of those age 65 or over. Since 1940, the population of the county has collapsed. Press reports indicate that in 2013, the largest settlement in the county,

Lake Village, Arkansas Lake Village is a city in and the county seat of Chicot County, Arkansas, Chicot County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,575 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It is located in the Arkansas Delta. Lake Village is name ...

had two bank branches, two pharmacies, some law firms, two dollar stores, a grocery store, and no retail shops.

Government and Politics

Government

The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the

Constitution of Arkansas The Constitution of Arkansas is the Constitution, primary organizing law for the U.S. state of Arkansas delineating the duties, powers, structures, and functions of the Politics and government of Arkansas, state government. Arkansas' original ...

and the

Arkansas Code Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma to the ...

. The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are called ''justices of the peace'' and are elected from county districts every even-numbered year. The number of districts in a county vary from nine to fifteen, and district boundaries are drawn by the county election commission. The Chicot County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the ''county judge'', who serves as the

chief operating officer A chief operating officer (COO), also called chief operations officer, is an executive in charge of the daily operations of an organization (i.e. personnel, resources, and logistics). COOs are usually second-in-command immediately after the C ...

of the county. The county judge is elected at-large and does not vote in quorum court business, although capable of vetoing quorum court decisions. The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 5 Democrats, 3 Republicans, and 1 Independent. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are: * District 1: Theodore Brown (D) * District 2: Clinton Hampton (D) * District 3: Michael Mencer (R) * District 4: Jeraldine Tucker (D) * District 5: Dale Scrivner (R) * District 6: Mark Pieroni (D) * District 7: Ralph Jones (R) * District 8: Danita Baker Turner (D) * District 9: Dr. Terri McCullough (I) Additionally, the townships of Chicot County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the

. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult. The township constables as of the 2024 elections are: * Bowie: Jimmy Head (D) * Carlton: Reginald Dixon (D) * Planters: James Cathey (D)

Politics

The county voters have traditionally supported the Democratic Party. In the 20th century, the only Democratic presidential candidate to lose the county was

George McGovern George Stanley McGovern (July 19, 1922 – October 21, 2012) was an American politician, diplomat, and historian who was a U.S. representative and three-term U.S. senator from South Dakota, and the Democratic Party (United States), Democ ...

in 1972. In modern times, the margins have shrunk in this county due to depopulation and the state's intense swing rightward. The county is part of

Arkansas's 1st congressional district Arkansas's 1st congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in eastern Arkansas that elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. It is currently represented by Republican Rick Crawford. With a Cook Parti ...

. In the

Arkansas Senate The Arkansas State Senate is the upper branch of the Arkansas General Assembly. The Senate consists of 35 members, each representing a district with about 83,000 people. Service in the state legislature is part-time, and many state senators have ...

, the county is in District 26 and is represented by Republican Ben Gilmore. In the

Arkansas House of Representatives The Arkansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the US state of Arkansas. The House has 100 members elected from an equal number of constituencies across the state. Each distr ...

, it is in District 1 and represented by Republican Mark McElroy. The county supported a measure prohibiting "co-habiting couples" from adopting.

Communities

Cities

* Dermott * Eudora * Lake Village (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

* Arkla * Bellaire * Cosgrove * Chicot Junction *

Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...

* Farmwood *

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

* Grand Lake * Hudspeth *

Jennie Jennie may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Jennie'' (film), a 1940 American drama film * ''Jennie'' (musical), a 1963 Broadway production * ''Jennie'' (novel), a 1994 science fiction thriller by Douglas Preston * '' Jennie: Lady Randolph C ...

* Lakeport * Lakehall *

Luna Luna commonly refers to: * Earth's Moon, named "Luna" in Latin, Spanish and other languages * Luna (goddess) In Sabine and ancient Roman religion and myth, Luna is the divine embodiment of the Moon (Latin ''Lūna'' ). She is often presented as t ...

* McMillian Corner * Readland * Ross Van Ness * Shives * Stuart Island * Wellford

Ghost towns

* Columbia * Eunice * Gaines Landing

Townships

Chicot County Arkansas 2010 Township Map large

* Bowie ( Dermott) * Carlton ( Lake Village) * Planters ( Eudora)

Notable people

Larry D. Alexander Larry Dell Alexander (born May 30, 1953) is an Americans, American artist, Christianity, Christian author and Catechist from Dermott, Arkansas, in Chicot County. Alexander is best known for his creations of elaborate colorful, and black & white ...

- Visual artist, writer, Bible teacher- Encyclopedia of Arkansas - Larry Dell Alexander - 1953-
/ref> * Jim Cain - American player of

gridiron football Gridiron football ( ),"Gridiron football"
''Encyclopædia Britannica'' ...

Ruby Grant Martin Ruby Lee Grant Martin (February 18, 1933 – May 8, 2003) was an American lawyer and government official. She was director of the federal Office for Civil Rights, appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson. She won the Federal Woman's Award in 1968 for h ...

- lawyer, federal civil rights official * Robert L. Hill - founder of the Progressive Farmers and Household Union of America * Mark D. McElroy - State representative for Chicot County since 2013; resides in

Lycurgus Johnson Lycurgus Johnson (March 22, 1818 – August 1, 1876) was an American cotton planter and large slaveholder in the Arkansas Delta during the Antebellum South, antebellum years. Born to the powerful political and planter Johnson family in Scott Coun ...

, the owner of the Lakeport Plantation, later a state congressman.Thomas A. DeBlack
Lycurgus Leonidas Johnson (1818–1876)
''The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture'', March 23, 2007

References

External links

* * {{authority control 1823 establishments in Arkansas Territory Populated places established in 1823 Arkansas counties on the Mississippi River Black Belt (U.S. region) Majority-minority counties in Arkansas