| Official Name: | Prescott, Arkansas |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Coordinates: | 33.8025°N -93.3819°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Arkansas |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Nevada |
| Established Date: | 1873 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 16.74 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 6.46 |
| Area Land Km2: | 16.63 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 6.42 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.12 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.04 |
| Elevation Ft: | 325 |
| Population Total: | 3101 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Density Km2: | 186.52 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 483.10 |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 71857 |
| Area Code: | 870 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 05-57260 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 2404569 |
Prescott is a city and the county seat of Nevada County, Arkansas, United States.[2] The community had a population of 3,296 at the 2010 census. Prescott is part of the Hope Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Located 100 miles southwest of Little Rock, Prescott was developed on the Prairie D'Âne,[3] named by French colonists before the United States acquired this area. The prairie consisted of approximately 25–30 square miles of rolling open land, surrounded by forest. The area had been a well-known crossroads prior to construction of the Cairo & Fulton Railroad.[4] To the west lies the city of Washington, to the east lies the city of Camden, while to the south lies the Red River, with Shreveport, Texarkana, and Dallas beyond.
As of 2014, Prescott and Nevada County had sixteen properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Elkin's Ferry Battleground and the Prairie D'Ane Battlefield are further recognized as National Historic Landmarks within a National Historic Landmark District.
The city of Prescott was not platted until 1873 during Reconstruction. It was to be a station stop for the Cairo & Fulton Railroad then under construction.[5] The railroad was constructed parallel to the Southwest Trail[6] through northern Nevada County. Prescott was incorporated on October 6, 1874.
The original town site consisted of 48 blocks, 24 on each side of the railroad. The streets were platted in a grid pattern from the railroad line. Streets running east–west use the railroad as a dividing line between their eastern and western halves, and streets running north–south use Main Street as a dividing line between their northern and southern halves.
Prescott grew quickly because the railroad provided a reliable way to transport local products to larger markets. The first post office opened in November 1873, and the first newspaper, The Banner, was established in 1875. The Nevada County seat was moved to Prescott in 1877, which contributed to the town's commercial importance. It became a center of law and government in the county. By the late 1890s, Prescott had its own telephone system and water and light plant.
The timber industry became important to the region's early economy when in 1890, James H. Bemis & Benjamin Whitaker built the Ozan Lumber Company plant in Prescott. That same year, Dr. R. L. Powers began constructing the Prescott & Northwestern Railroad. It transported lumber, peaches, cotton and other products. It also provided passenger service, connecting adjacent communities to the Missouri Pacific Railroad Depot in Prescott.
Historians have speculated on the naming of Prescott:[7] whether it was named after William Hickling Prescott, of Salem, Massachusetts, who was a friend of Cairo & Fulton Railroad officials Thomas Allen and Henry Marquand, or where it was named after the County Surveyor, W. H. Prescott.[8]
Prescott is located on south-southwest section of Prairie D'Âne. The large open prairie was named by French colonists and is located in the Arkansas Timberlands region of the Ark-La-Tex. Prescott is situated in the Gulf Coastal Plain, near the Little Missouri River. This waterway provides Prescott with drinking water and recreational opportunities.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.5sqmi, of which 6.5sqmi is land and 0.15% is water.
The climate in Prescott is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Prescott has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[9]
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,258 | 40.57% | |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,544 | 49.79% | |
| Native American | 13 | 0.42% | |
| Asian | 10 | 0.32% | |
| Other/Mixed | 108 | 3.48% | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 168 | 5.42% |
As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 3,686 people, 1,421 households, and 912 families residing in the city. The population density was 564.9sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 1,643 housing units at an average density of 251.8sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 53.31% White, 44.49% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 1.17% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,421 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 19.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,612, and the median income for a family was $28,665. Males had a median income of $27,384 versus $17,289 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,515. About 27.5% of families and 32.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.7% of those under age 18 and 39.6% of those age 65 or over.
The Fall Festival and Trade Days showcases games, activities and numerous entertainment and sports events. These include a 5K run/walk, arts & crafts booths, a BQ cook-off, balloon liftoff, beauty pageant, bunco tournament, co-ed softball tournament, dessert contest, dunking booth, face painting, food vendors, a great pumpkin treasure hunt, pet costume contest, pie eating contest, sidewalk sales, and the Tyson/Calvin Brown basketball tournament.[12] [13]
The Prescott/Nevada County Library was completed on November 4, 2003.[14] It is located in downtown Prescott, and is administered by the Southwest Arkansas Regional Library System.[15] [16] [17]
The Nevada County Depot & Museum is the depot building was designed by Missouri Pacific Railroad architect E. M. Tucker,[18] who also designed railway stations in Little Rock and Texarkana. It was constructed in 1912 and houses permanent exhibits on the Civil War Battles, Railroads, and general history of Prescott and Nevada County. The museum also houses an area archive that is open to researchers.
Prescott's public school system was founded in 1877. Public education for elementary and secondary school students is provided by the Prescott School District, which leads to graduation from Prescott High School. As of the 2015–2016 school year, the district serves more than 1,000 students and employs more than 175 faculty and staff.
Prescott School District includes the following three school facilities: