Woodruff County, Arkansas

Woodruff County Education, Geography, and History

Woodruff County is a county located in the state of Arkansas. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 7,260, making it the second-least populous county in Arkansas. The county seat is Augusta. Woodruff County was formed on November 26, 1862. The county is named for William E. Woodruff, founder of the state's first newspaper, the Arkansas Gazette.

Etymology - Origin of Woodruff County Name

Woodruff county is named for William Woodruff the first newspaper publisher in the state. William Woodruff (September 12, 1916 - September 23, 2008) was a professor of world history, but perhaps most noted for his two autobiographical works: The Road to Nab End and its sequel Beyond Nab End; both became bestsellers in the United Kingdom. The memoirs, covering Woodruff's impoverished upbringing in an English weaving community during the Great Depression, contain significant amounts of social commentary about the conditions in which he lived.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Woodruff County History

Woodruff county was founded as a trading post in 1848 Augusta was built on the site of an abandoned Indian village, in which Augusta is located on the bank of the White River. The river is accessible by a launch ramp in the downtown area. Augusta celebrated its 150 anniversary in 1998

This 1902 Romanesque Revival structure is listed on the National Historic Register. Historic homes surround the Woodruff County Courthouse, It is unusual for being in a residential neighborhood and features a four-story clock tower and multi-colored ceramic tile floors with a tile mural. Woodruff County was named for William E. Woodruff, founder of the Arkansas Gazette, who became influential in Arkansas government. Woodruff County is currently celebrating its 140 Anniversary. Woodruff County's rich, level land is well suited to rice, cotton, soybean and grain farming and to the mechanization that has changed the shape of eastern Arkansas agriculture. Additionally, some light industry is located in Augusta, McCrory and Cotton Plant. These cities additionally are centers for outdoor recreation in Woodruff County. The scenic White River forms most of the county's western border and is known for year-round swimming and fishing. The Cache River flows through the Rex Hancock Black Swamp Wildlife Management Area in the center of the county and is nationally known for duck hunting. The Cache River Natural Area includes some of the state's finest river swamp and bottomland hardwood forests, including some of its largest, most magnificent bald cypress and tupelo trees and majestic, record-size oak. Bayou DeView, which runs nearly parallel to the Cache, has been described as a "virtual island of bottomland hardwood timber surrounded by farmland." It provides good hunting, especially for waterfowl, and ample fishing opportunities as well. The Henry Gray Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area is also known for its excellent hunting opportunities.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 594 square miles (1,540 km²), of which 587 square miles (1,520 km²) is land and 7.2 square miles (19 km²) (1.2%) is water.

 Woodruff County's rich, level land is well suited to rice, cotton, soybean and grain farming and to the mechanization that has changed the shape of eastern Arkansas agriculture. The Cache River Natural Area includes some of the state's finest river swamp and bottomland hardwood forests, including some of its largest, most magnificent bald cypress and tupelo trees and majestic, record-size oak.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• North: Jackson County
• Northeast: Cross County
• Southeast: St. Francis County
• South: Monroe County
• Southwest: Prairie County
• West: White County

Education

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