Biggers, Arkansas Explained

Official Name:Biggers, Arkansas
Settlement Type:Town
Mapsize:250px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Name1:Arkansas
Subdivision Name2:Randolph
Area Total Km2:2.64
Area Total Sq Mi:1.02
Area Land Km2:2.60
Area Land Sq Mi:1.00
Area Water Km2:0.05
Area Water Sq Mi:0.02
Elevation Ft:285
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:305
Population Density Km2:117.47
Population Density Sq Mi:304.39
Timezone:Central (CST)
Utc Offset:-6
Coordinates:36.3319°N -90.8053°W
Timezone Dst:CDT
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:72413
Area Code:870
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:05-06040
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:2405264
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]

Biggers is a town in Randolph County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 305 at the 2020 census.

History

During the first half of the 19th century, what is now Biggers was part of a large plantation owned by Arkansas governor Thomas Stevenson Drew. In 1889, a businessman named Benjamin Franklin Bigger, the town’s namesake, bought the land at the town site and established a ferry and distillery. In 1901, a depot was established with the completion of the Southern Missouri and Arkansas Railroad (later part of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway).[2]

Geography

The Current River passes through the northern part of town.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1sqmi, of which 1sqmi is land and 0.04sqmi (1.92%) is water.

List of highways

US Highways 62 and 67 run concurrently, just to the southeast of town; no actual state or federal maintained highway runs through the town, however, the original U.S. Highway 67 did run through the town as the current day, "Biggers-Reyno Road" before the town was bypassed and the original route was decommissioned.

Demographics

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 355 people, 139 households, and 99 families residing in the town. The population density was 347.9sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 149 housing units at an average density of 146sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the town was 95.49% White, 1.97% Black or African American, 1.41% Native American, 0.28% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 0.28% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 139 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $26,250, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $19,821 versus $17,917 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,926. About 13.5% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 22.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Corning School District serves Biggers. The consolidation of Biggers-Reyno School District into the Corning District was effective July 1, 2004.[4] Prior to that point, the community was served by Biggers-Reyno High School in Biggers,[5] and Biggers-Reyno Elementary School in Reyno.[6]

A small slice of the city north of the Current River lies within the Maynard School District.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files . October 29, 2021 . United States Census Bureau.
  2. Derek Allen Clements, "Biggers (Randolph County)," Encyclopedia of Arkansas, 2017.
  3. Web site: U.S. Census website . January 31, 2008 . United States Census Bureau.
  4. "ConsolidationAnnex_from_1983.xls ." Arkansas Department of Education. Retrieved on October 13, 2017.
  5. "Biggers-Reyno High School." Biggers-Reyno School District. June 10, 2001. Retrieved on October 14, 2017. "Bigger-Reyno High School 3440 Biggers-Reyno Road Biggers, Arkansas 72413"
  6. "Biggers-Reyno Elementary School." Biggers-Reyno School District. June 10, 2001. Retrieved on October 14, 2017.
  7. Web site: SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Randolph County, AR . March 5, 2021 . U.S. Census Bureau.