Lincoln County is located between the Arkansas Timberlands and Arkansas Delta in the U.S. state of Arkansas. It is also within the Pine Bluff metro area, and on the outer edge of the Central Arkansas region. The county is named for President Abraham Lincoln. Created as Arkansas’s 65th county on March 28, 1871, Lincoln County has three incorporated cities, including Star City, the county seat and most populous city. The county contains 46 unincorporated communities and ghost towns, Cane Creek State Park at the confluence of Cane Creek and Bayou Bartholomew, and nine listings on the National Register of Historic Places to preserve the history and culture of the county.
Lincoln County occupies 572.17 square miles (148,190 ha) and contained a population of 12,941 as of the 2020 Census. The rural economy is largely based on agriculture. The state has built two prisons here that also provide some local jobs. Poverty and unemployment rates are above national averages, but steady. Household incomes are below state and national averages. Politically, the white-majority Lincoln County has transitioned from reliably Democratic in presidential elections to steadily Republican since the election of Barack Obama.
Lincoln County is served by two school districts, Star City School District and Dumas Public Schools. Higher education and healthcare are available in Pine Bluff to the north or Monticello to the south. Although no Interstate highways serve Lincoln County, the county has access to two United States highways (U.S. Route 65 [US 65], US 425) and eight Arkansas state highways. Lincoln County is also served by one public owned/public use general aviation airport, Star City Municipal Airport, and six community water systems provide potable water to customers in the county.
| Name: | Lincoln County |
|---|---|
| FIPS code: | 05-079 |
| State: | Arkansas |
| Founded: | March 28, 1871 |
| Named for: | Abraham Lincoln |
| Seat: | Star City |
| Largest city: | Star City |
| Total Area: | 572.17 sq mi (1,481.9 km²) |
| Land Area: | 561.20 sq mi (1,453.5 km²) |
| Total Population: | 12,941 |
| Population Density: | 23/sq mi (8.7/km²) |
| Time zone: | UTC−6 (Central) |
| Summer Time Zone (DST): | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Website: | lincolncounty.arkansas.gov |
Lincoln County location map. Where is Lincoln County?
History
The county was established in 1871 during the Reconstruction era by the Arkansas General Assembly from parts of Arkansas, Bradley, Desha, Drew, and Jefferson counties. It was named for President Abraham Lincoln. The Republican Party was chosen by most freedmen after they got the franchise, as it was the one that secured their emancipation after the Civil War. Some white Union sympathizers, including veterans who decided to stay in the South, also voted for Republican candidates, and some were elected to state offices in former Confederate states.
County government was first permanently established in Star City. The county had a second county seat at Varner from 1885 to 1912.
Lincoln County Road Map
Geography
Lincoln County’s geography is defined by two physiographic regions of Arkansas: the Arkansas Timberlands and the Arkansas Delta (in Arkansas, usually referred to as “the Delta”). These two regions are separated by Bayou Bartholomew, the world’s longest bayou, which approximately splits the county into eastern and western halves with significant differences in geography. In the east, the Arkansas Delta is a subregion of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, which is a flat area consisting of rich, fertile sediment deposits from the Mississippi River between Louisiana and Illinois. The western half is part of the Arkansas Timberlands, a portion of the Gulf Coastal Plain characterized by flat pine and cypress forests and silviculture rather than row agriculture. The county is the eighth-smallest in Arkansas, with a total area of 572.17 square miles (1,481.9 km), of which 561.20 square miles (1,453.5 km) is land and 10.97 square miles (28.4 km) (1.9%) is water.
The county is located approximately 68 miles (109 km) southeast of Little Rock, 170 miles (270 km) southwest of Memphis, Tennessee, and 200 miles (320 km) northwest of Jackson, Mississippi. Lincoln County is surrounded by two Delta counties to the east, Arkansas County and Desha County, and a Timberlands county to the west, Cleveland County. Jefferson County to the north and Drew County are border counties similar to Lincoln County, with Bayou Bartholomew delineating a similarly split geography.
Protected areas
Lincoln County contains two protected areas. Cane Creek State Park is a 2,053-acre (831 ha) state park located on the border between the West Gulf Coastal Plain and Arkansas Delta, with a 1,675 acre (678 ha) lake at the center. Fishing, canoeing, and kayaking are available on the lake in addition to pavilions, trails, and a visitor center with gift shop on land. The park offers 29 RV/tent camping sites with water and electric hookups, and is owned and operated by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Huff’s Island Public Use Area is located on the Arkansas River in northeastern Lincoln County. Managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the park does not have a boat ramp or camping, but offers day use, river bank access from March–September, and four picnic sites.
Lincoln County Topographic Map
Lincoln County Satellite Map
Lincoln County Outline Map
