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Lonoke County, Arkansas

107 topographic sheets cover 124 settlements here, and 32 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

32 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Arkansas within the United States
Lonoke County within Arkansas

What the record shows

  • 1,918 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 32 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 27 buildings, 2 objects, 2 districts and 1 structure.
  • 4 of the 32 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 124 populated places in this county; 124 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

32

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Ashley-Alexander Housebuilding197676000431
Bank of Carlislebuilding2022100007317
Thomas Sloan Boyd Housebuilding197676000430
J. M. Bransford Housebuilding2019100004440
Camp Nelson Confederate Cemeteryobject199696000503
Carlisle Rock Island Depotbuilding199090000905
Carver Gymnasiumbuilding200909000741
Dairyman's Bank Buildingbuilding2019100004439
Dortch Plantationbuilding197575000397
Dortch Plantation (Boundary Increase)building197979003777
Eagle Housebuilding198282000858
Eagle, Joe P., and D. R. Boone Buildingbuilding199494001462
First Christian Churchbuilding199797000748
First Presbyterian Churchbuilding200404001037
W. P. Fletcher Housebuilding199090001373
Keo Commercial Historic Districtdistrict201111000355
Lonoke Confederate Monumentobject199696000508
Lonoke County Courthousebuilding198282002121
Lonoke Downtown Historic Districtdistrict199696000528
Morris Housebuilding2019100004000
Rock Island Depotbuilding198484000006
Sears Housebuilding199292000952
Shull Housebuilding198282000859
Standard Oil Company of Louisiana Oil Depotbuilding2023100008563
Trimble Housebuilding198282000860
Trimble-McCrary Housebuilding200404001038
US 70, Union Valley Segmentstructure200404001040
Dr. E.F. Utley Housebuilding199898000623
Walls Farm Barn and Corn Cribbuilding199595001379
Walls Housebuilding198282000861
Wheat Housebuilding198282000862
Woodlawn School Buildingbuilding199393000086

Wildfire, 1997 to 2020

138 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 138 of them, burning about 3,903 acres. 5 started naturally and 51 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning52
Arson/incendiarism51
Missing data/not specified/undetermined20
Equipment and vehicle use7
Natural5
Misuse of fire by a minor2
Smoking1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Three of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
1 March 2012Debris and open burning367 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
23 March 2004Arson/incendiarism270 acresArkansas Forestry CommissionLUNENBURG
22 November 2006Arson/incendiarism203 acresArkansas Forestry CommissionBEAR CREEL
12 November 2016Arson/incendiarism192 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
15 August 2015Debris and open burning130 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
17 June 1998Debris and open burning127 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
9 March 2004Debris and open burning117 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
5 October 2000Debris and open burning83 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1951 to 2026

60 of 853 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 853 reports for this county, causing 21 deaths, 131 injuries and about $142,732,730 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind371
Hail275
Tornado88
Flash Flood71
Flood15
Funnel Cloud14
Heavy Rain10
Lightning9

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
March 1952Tornado (F3)not stated9 killed, 9 hurt, $250,000no account filed
March 1976Tornado (F3)not stated5 killed, 64 hurt, $25,000,000no account filed
November 1988Tornado (F2)not stated2 killed, 8 hurt, $25,000,000no account filed
March 1952Tornado (F4)not stated2 killed, 6 hurt, $250,000no account filed
June 2023Thunderstorm WindCarlisle2 killed, 1 hurtA large tree fell on a house causing 2 fatalities and 1 injury in Carlisle.
May 2011FloodAustin1 killed, $2,000,000Widespread areal flooding continued from April into May. Parts of Arkansas Highways 13, 236, and 381 as well as U.S. Highway 70 were closed due to flooding. On the morning of the 1st, two sections of U.S. Highway 67/167 Southbound were closed due to flooding, and one section of the highway was closed Northbound. On the 2nd, Arkansas Highway 89 was closed due to high water, and fast-flowing water more than a foot deep was over Kerr Station Rd. On the 3rd, a 55 year-old man drowned when he drove around barricades into flood waters several feet deep on Arkansas Highway 236 northeast of Furlow. His body was not recovered until the 6th.
April 1978Tornado (F2)not stated5 hurt, $250,000no account filed
September 2005Tornado (F2)Bevis Corner5 hurtA strong tornado was spawned in Lonoke County roughly 2 miles east-southeast of Bevis Corner. The tornado moved to the northwest around the remnants of Hurricane Rita. Estimated winds with the tornado were about 120 mph. The tornado demolished a couple of mobile homes, with an injury in one of these homes. Several other mobile homes sustained some damage, such as being moved off of their foundations or having their roofs caved in. In one of these homes, 4 additional injuries were noted. The tornado was on the ground for just over 7 miles before dissipating near Kerr.
March 1986Thunderstorm Windnot stated4 hurtno account filed
March 1997Tornado (F2)Furlow3 hurt, $150,000no account filed
February 1951Tornado (F2)not stated3 hurt, $25,000no account filed
February 2001Tornado (F1)Lonoke3 hurtA weak tornado was spawned in central Lonoke County about 2.5 miles west-southwest of Lonoke. The tornado moved quickly northeast and destroyed a mobile home on the west side of Lonoke. Three people in the mobile home were injured, including a baby who suffered a broken arm. The tornado also downed trees and power lines. The tornado travelled about 9 miles before dissipating about 6.8 miles northeast of Lonoke.
November 1988Thunderstorm Windnot stated3 hurtno account filed
May 2008Tornado (EF2)Cobbs2 hurt, $3,000,000This tornado exited Pulaski County, east of Wrightsville, and entered Lonoke County, just northwest of Keo. Two houses and two farm shops near Keo had roof damage. In addition, two houses north of Keo were destroyed. Trees, power poles, and grain bins were blown down, and there was damage at a fish farm. Two farm shops in Pettus were damaged. Also, five large, steel, electrical transmission towers were partially to totally destroyed.
April 1982Tornado (F2)not stated2 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
December 2009FloodWattensaw2 hurt, $40,000An elderly woman was rescued after her car was swept off Oakdale Rd. by flood waters from Wattensaw Bayou. Her husband had to be rescued after he went looking for his wife and had his vehicle swept off Arkansas Highway 13 by the same bayou.
October 2004Thunderstorm WindLonoke2 hurtStraight line thunderstorm winds overturned a mobile home, injuring two occupants. Only minor injuries were reported.
February 2000Tornado (F2)Furlow2 hurtA strong tornado was spawned in western Lonoke County about 3.7 miles north of Furlow. Just as the tornado developed, it removed roof shingles from a few houses and badly damaged a farm shop. A mobile home was then demolished in the Fairview community. The worst structural damaged was found at the intersection of Arkansas Highways 31 and 236, or 4 miles south of Woodlawn. There, two small houses and some grain bins were destroyed, several vehicles and some telephone equipment were badly damaged and power poles were blown down. Farther east, more damage was found about 5 miles north of Carlisle near the intersection of Arkansas Highway 13 and East Shaefer Road. In this area, an old abandoned house and a mobile home were destroyed with a couple of houses damaged. Also, at least three dozen power poles were replaced. Two injuries were reported in Lonoke County. The tornado moved east into Prairie County, crossing the county line about 5 miles northeast of Carlisle.
April 1980Tornado (F2)not stated1 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
December 2009FloodMountain Spgs1 hurt, $2,000,000Flash flooding, which developed early on the morning of the 24th, became widespread areal flooding later in the morning on the 24th and continued for several days. Arkansas Highway 89 was closed near Furlow. Fire departments used boats to rescue five residents on Grayhawk Circle, where water was about 5 feet deep on Christmas Eve morning. Along Arkansas Highway 236 West, water was 4 to 5 feet deep on the road and even deeper in the houses. The South Bend Fire Department responded to 38 calls for rescues from vehicles trapped in high water, and assisted six families who needed to leave flooded homes. One motorist suffered hypothermia before he was rescued from his car. Problem areas included Graham Road, Kerr Station Road, South Kerr Road, Gentry Lane, Rifle Lane, and Shotgun Lane. Arkansas Highway 31 was flooded from Beebe to Lonoke. U.S. Highway 70 was closed by flooding between Carlisle and Lonoke. In Carlisle, part of City Hall flooded. In Lonoke, a number of homes and the city shop were flooded. County roads throughout the county were damaged.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindWard1 hurt, $250,000A workshop building at a residence was blown down, roof damage occurred at several houses and shingles were removed from additional roofs, and a barn was badly damaged. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. One woman was injured when a tree fell on her car in the Apple Hill area.
May 1967Tornado (F2)not stated1 hurt, $250,000no account filed
June 2009Thunderstorm WindAustin1 hurt, $200,000Trees and power lines were blown down. Some of the trees fell on houses and vehicles. A man was injured when he was struck by a falling tree.
January 1999Tornado (F1)Ward1 hurtno account filed
April 1991Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
November 1988Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000,000no account filed
April 2011Tornado (EF2)Pettus$20,000,000A tornado destroyed 51 large steel power transmission towers. These towers carried 500 kilovolt transmission lines. For the most part, the towers fell into open farm fields, but one fell into a pond on a fish farm. The power cables that fell with the towers blocked a number of roads, including Arkansas Highway 31. Power poles, power lines, and trees were blown down as well.
June 2009HailKerr$5,000,000The devastating hailstorm moved eastward out of Pulaski County, and continued east across all of Lonoke County. The hail swath about 10 miles wide. The hail ranged in size from the size of nickels (0.88 inch) to the size of baseballs (2.75 inches). Communities affected included South Bend, Parnell, Furlow, Fairview, Brownsville, Lonoke, and Carlisle. ||The largest hail fell a few miles north and northeast of Lonoke, where much of the hail was golf ball size (1.75 inches) to baseball size (2.75 inches). The hailstones ruined roofs, damaged siding on houses, broke windows in houses, broke car windshields, killed birds perched in trees, and destroyed gardens and crops. The worst damage was found in the vicinity of these roads: Plafcan Rd., Fred Koch Rd., Watson Lane, E. Watson Rd., Ferguson Ln., Wesley Kittler Rd., Kittler Rd., E. Schafer Rd., Raymond Schafer Rd., Brownsville Loop, Arkansas Highway 13, Lawson Rd., Lilly Rd., Oakdale Rd., Northcutt Rd., D.K. Bennett Rd., Bud Young Rd., and Arkansas Highway 31.||The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service indicated that between 22 and 27 farmers lost 60% to 100% of their crops. Altogether, about 26,000 acres of crops were lost, including 16,260 acres of soybeans, 8,130 acres of rice, and 1,600 acres of corn. Corn stalks that were 8 feet tall were cut in half and soybeans were beaten to the ground.||For the sake of completeness, all hail reports received by the National Weather Service are listed individually.
April 2010Tornado (EF2)Kerr$4,600,000This tornado exited Pulaski County south-southeast of Jacksonville and entered Lonoke County north of Kerr. In Lonoke County, the tornado affected the South Bend and Furlow communities, then continued to the northeast, passing south of Cabot and east of Ward. A Red Cross survey indicated: 20 houses and 14 mobile homes destroyed, 27 houses and 6 mobile homes with major damage, 50 houses and 22 mobile homes with minor damage, and 15 houses and 14 mobile homes affected. In addition, numerous trees and power lines were blown down. The tornado exited Lonoke County north-northeast of Jacksons Store and entered White County southeast of Beebe.
March 2023Tornado (EF2)South Bend$4,290,000This tornado continued from Pulaski County into Lonoke County|within Holland Bottoms State Wildlife Area west of Kerr Station Road. Many trees|were snapped or uprooted in this wildlife area. ||The tornado exited the wildlife area into the Parnell community, with more|roofs damaged and some garages destroyed along Oliver Lane. The|tornado crossed Arkansas Highway 89 near Russell Road, destroying a|mobile home. The tornado continued into some more rural areas of|southeast Cabot, with some damage to a few homes and several more|trees uprooted or snapped. The tornado finally lifted between|Arkansas Highway 321 and Campground Road west of Laser Lane. This tornado was rated an EF2 with maximum estimated winds of 132 mph within Lonoke County. This tornado tracked for a total distance of 34.2 miles across two counties.
April 1980Tornado (F2)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
December 2009Flash FloodWard$2,000,000Widespread heavy rain resulted in the development of flash flooding early on the morning of the 24th. Water rescues were necessary in Cabot.
April 2008Tornado (EF2)Cabot$2,000,000A tornado began southwest of Cabot and was most intense as it traveled through industrial and business areas on the west side of the railroad tracks in Cabot. Business structures destroyed included a self-storage warehouse and two storage buildings. A truck repair building was badly damaged, and two large warehouses also suffered damage. Several vehicles on a used-car lot were damaged when a large canopy fell. A canopy was damaged at a gas station, and there was roof damage to several businesses. To the east of the railroad tracks, numerous houses sustained roof damage, both in the middle of Cabot and on northeast through the Shiloh subdivision. A few houses and vehicles were damaged by falling trees.
April 2011Tornado (EF1)Coy$1,750,000A tornado destroyed grain bins, overturned irrigation pivots, and tore much of the roof off of a large farm shop. A tractor-trailer truck on U.S. Highway 165 was overturned. Power poles were broken and trees were blown down. One tree fell into a house.
March 2008LightningLonoke$1,000,000A hand-built historical house known as Eagle Plantation burned down when struck by lightning.
May 2008Tornado (EF1)Carlisle$1,000,000The tornado damaged approximately 25 homes, along with the Carlisle Fire Station, the old railroad depot, a storage garage, an automotive repair garage, a beauty shop, and a minnow farm. Many trees, power lines, and power poles were knocked down.
April 2017LightningLonoke$600,000Three houses and a barn in different portions of the county were struck by lightning during the night. The barn and two of the houses were destroyed.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindMountain Spgs$500,000A barn was destroyed and several farm buildings and barns were severely damaged. Hundreds of trees were blown down, one of which sliced through a mobile home. Roofs of several residences were damaged. Power lines were blown down. Boats were blown around on a lake.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindCabot$500,000Thunderstorm winds downed trees, some of which fell on houses.
June 1994Tornado (F1)Carlisle-$500,000An F1 tornado touched down 1.5 miles northeast of Carlisle. The tornado moved into Carlisle before lifting. Trees and power lines were blown down. Approximately 20 houses were damaged, along with a few businesses. Most of the damage occurred in Carlisle.
July 2008LightningEngland$450,000Lightning struck a house, setting it on fire. The one year-old home was destroyed, with only the foundation and parts of the brick walls remaining.
February 2011Tornado (EF1)Lonoke$400,000A tornado began on the south side of Lonoke and tracked through the southeastern part of the city, then ended near U.S. Highway 70 just east of the city. Many houses suffered roof damage, windows were blown out of a house, and the porch was blown off a church. Numerous trees were blown down. One of the trees crushed a wood-frame house that was vacant. Power lines were blown down. Much of the roof of the National Guard Armory was blown off.
April 2011Tornado (EF1)England Flying Svc A$350,000This tornado exited Pulaski County east-southeast of Wampoo and entered Lonoke County west of the England Flying Service Airport. In Lonoke County, a number of power poles were snapped off, a farm fertilizer truck was flipped on its side, a grain trailer was tipped over, and some barns and outbuildings were damaged. In the city of England, falling trees damaged the roofs of several houses.
April 2011FloodAustin$325,000Widespread areal flooding occurred.
March 2019Tornado (EF1)Culler$300,000Several metal farm buildings were either damaged or destroyed, along with many power poles snapped. This tornado then continued into Prairie County near the intersection of West Zion Road and County Road 817.
September 2008Tornado (EF1)Cabot$300,000This tornado was spawned by Tropical Storm Ike. The tornado peeled the metal structure off a self-storage warehouse building. Although the items stored in the warehouse were left pretty much in place, heavy rain poured onto them, badly damaging them. The roofs of several apartment buildings were damaged. In some cases, holes in the roof were large enough to allow rainwater to fall into the apartments. Metal buildings at an abandoned lumber yard had strips to metal torn off and thrown onto neighboring properties. A medical supply company's roof was damaged and bay doors were blown in. The facade of a strip mall was damaged, and business signs at the strip mall were blown out. Fences were blown down, as were power poles, power lines, and several large trees.
August 2009Thunderstorm WindSouth Bend$250,000A metal canopy at a convenience store was lifted up by the wind and landed on the roof of the store. Roof damage occurred on several homes. A fence was blown down. Numerous trees were blown down, as were power lines. Arkansas Highway 294 was blocked by the fallen trees. One tree fell on a mobile home. During the clean-up process, a man was badly injured on Jarry Lane when a tree fell on him. The man had to be airlifted to a hospital. This was an indirect injury.
April 1985Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
April 1979Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
April 1973Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
May 1967Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
May 1967Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
April 2021LightningEngland$200,000Lightning struck a house setting it on fire. The home was a total loss.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindLonoke$200,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. Some of the trees landed on houses. Additionally, some houses had roof damage.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindLonoke$200,000Many trees were blown down in Lonoke, and a number of houses were damaged by falling trees.
May 2010LightningCabot$200,000Lightning struck a residence north-northwest of Cabot. The resulting fire destroyed the second floor of the house, and the first floor was heavily damaged by water.
May 2009Flash FloodSylvania$200,000Approximately 20 homes had water in their garages in Cabot. A number of county roads were damaged.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindLonoke$200,000Trees were down on at least four houses. Trees were down on Arkansas Highway 31. There was a tree blocking Ferguson Street.
May 2010Thunderstorm WindLonoke$150,000Thunderstorm winds affected an area covering quite a few square miles. Roofs were partially blown off a number of barns and sheds. Dozens of trees had limbs blown off and other trees were toppled. A large tree fell through the roof of a house. Along Arkansas Highway 31, fallen limbs or trees littered virtually every yard.
August 2010LightningParnell$150,000Lightning struck a house on Poppy Lane. The resulting fire destroyed the two-story house.

Mines and quarries

8 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 8 workings inside this county. 4 still produce and 4 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Flagstone4
Clay2
Aluminum1
Stone, Crushed/Broken1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Bauxite ExplorationAluminumOccurrenceBauxite
Cabot Quarry & Mill No. 1Stone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
England Pit & PlantClayProducer
UnkClayPast Producer
Cabot Quarry & Mill No 2FlagstoneProducer
Cabot Quarry and Mill No 2FlagstoneProducer
Freshour G P ContrctrFlagstonePast Producer
Sheaffer QuarryFlagstonePast Producer

Every populated place in the county

124

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

The vanished settlements of Lonoke County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.