Des Arc, Arkansas

Des Arc, Arkansas
Prairie County Courthouse (Northern district)
Lower White River State Park
Courthouse
White River, city park, bridge, and grain bins
Clockwise from top: Prairie County Courthouse, Northern District, Downtown Des Arc, the White River, city park and bridge, and the Lower White River State Park
Location of Des Arc in Prairie County, Arkansas.
Location of Des Arc in Prairie County, Arkansas.
Coordinates: 34°58′32″N 91°30′02″W / 34.97556°N 91.50056°W / 34.97556; -91.50056
Country United States
State Arkansas
CountyPrairie
Incorporated1854
Named for"At the bend" in French
Government
 • TypeMayor–Council
 • MayorJames Garth
Area
 • Total2.11 sq mi (5.46 km2)
 • Land2.10 sq mi (5.45 km2)
 • Water0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation207 ft (63 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total1,905
 • Density906.28/sq mi (349.83/km2)
Time zoneUTC−06:00 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−05:00 (CDT)
ZIP Code
72040
Area code870
FIPS code05-18550
GNIS feature ID2404222[2]

Des Arc (/ˈdɛz.ɑːrk/ DEZ-ark) is a city on the White River in the Arkansas Delta, United States. It is the largest city in Prairie County, Arkansas, and the county seat for the county's northern district. Incorporated in 1854, Des Arc's position on the river has shaped its culture, history, and economy, beginning as a major lumber shipping port but leaving the city vulnerable to major floods in 1927 and 1937. As river shipping declined, Des Arc was bypassed by railroads, Interstate highways, and much of the post-industrial society. Des Arc's history is preserved by seven listings on the National Register of Historic Places, and the region's history is interpreted at Lower White River Museum State Park. The city's population stopped growing in the 1980s and has been declining since, with a population of 1,717 at the 2010 Census.

  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Des Arc, Arkansas