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Sevier County, Arkansas

50 topographic sheets cover 44 settlements here, and 17 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

17 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Arkansas within the United States
Sevier County within Arkansas

What the record shows

  • 549 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 17 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 11 buildings, 5 structures and 1 district.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 45 populated places in this county; 44 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

17

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
Bishop Brookes Housebuilding199999001352
De Queen & Eastern Railroad Overpassstructure2023100008976
DeQueen & Eastern Railroad Machine Shopbuilding199696000643
DeQueen Commercial Historic Districtdistrict201211001051
First Presbyterian Churchbuilding199494001419
First United Methodist Churchbuilding199494000468
Gillham City Jailbuilding201211001052
Goff and Gamble Merchandise Storebuilding199696000646
Hale Creek Bridgestructure200404000489
Hayes Hardware Storebuilding198080000787
King Schoolhousebuilding199696000645
Little Cossatot River Bridgestructure199090000538
Lockesburg High School Gymnasiumbuilding2018100002458
Lockesburg Waterworksstructure200707000964
Oak Grove Rosenwald Schoolbuilding200404000494
Old US 71-Little River Approachstructure200404000493
Otis Theodore and Effiegene Locke Wingo Housebuilding200404000501

Wildfire, 1997 to 2020

556 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 556 of them, burning about 5,863 acres. 57 started naturally and 252 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Arson/incendiarism252
Missing data/not specified/undetermined117
Debris and open burning84
Natural57
Equipment and vehicle use20
Railroad operations and maintenance12
Smoking8
Recreation and ceremony3
Misuse of fire by a minor3

The five largest, by the area the report gives. 6 of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
20 July 1998Arson/incendiarism456 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
31 August 2011Debris and open burning280 acresPond Creek National Wildlife RefugeCOSSATOT
28 August 2000Arson/incendiarism258 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
28 August 2000Arson/incendiarism228 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
10 September 2011Arson/incendiarism212 acresArkansas Forestry CommissionRED BARN
19 August 1999Arson/incendiarism210 acresFelsenthal National Wildlife RefugeSALT LICK
27 August 2000Arson/incendiarism179 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
7 September 2012Missing data/not specified/undetermined120 acresArkansas Forestry CommissionLOCKESBURG

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

Storms, 1954 to 2026

60 of 470 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 470 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 16 injuries and about $11,074,130 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind217
Hail188
Flash Flood31
Tornado23
Lightning5
Flood4
Funnel Cloud2

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
April 2009Tornado (EF3)West Line7 hurt, $3,500,000Tornado destroyed at least 10 to 12 mobile homes along US-71 just north of De Queen, AR. Numerous trees and powerlines were also uprooted or snapped. There were 7 reported injuries, all in the mobile home park north of Dequeen, Arkansas but none were life threatening. The Arkansas governor declared Sevier County a disaster area because of the tornado damage in the county.
November 1973Tornado (F2)not stated6 hurt, $250,000no account filed
March 1978Tornado (F1)not stated1 hurt, $250,000no account filed
September 2000Thunderstorm WindBen Lomond1 hurt, $15,000A weigh station was damaged and numerous trees down.
August 1954Tornado (F2)not stated1 hurt, $2,500no account filed
April 1982Tornado (F4)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
September 2000Thunderstorm WindDe Queen$2,000,000Numerous trees and power lines down. Twenty eight (28) homes damaged. A chicken house was destroyed and 30 thousand chickens were contaminated resulting in their destruction.
May 2024Tornado (EF1)Beacon Hill$500,000During the early morning hours of May 24th, an EF-1 tornado with maximum winds estimated at 110 mph, first touched down on Beacon Hill Road in rural Central Sevier County, Arkansas between the towns of De Queen and Lockesburg in association with a quasi-linear convective system. It continued to move northeastward for 4 to 5 miles, crossing US Highway 71 just south of the US Hwy 70 intersection, then lifting along Sevier County Road 328. Damage consisted mostly of uprooted and snapped trees and power lines, with structural damage to a few outbuildings and sheds. A few residences were damaged due to falling trees or branches. Peak intensity of the tornado was estimated as the tornado crossed Farm-to-Market Road 15 south of the community of Geneva. There, many trees where snapped, a residence was damaged, and a chicken house had roof panels removed. Many areas northeast of this location were hard to access by the NWS survey team, but the team found enough evidence to conclude the tornado continued to the northeast for several more miles before lifting.
April 2020Tornado (EF2)Cheatham$400,000This is the continuation of the Eastern McCurtain County EF-2 tornado. This tornado snapped and uprooted numerous trees along Kellum Road in Northwest Sevier County, and continued to touch down intermittently several times as it tracked southeast. It touched down again along Bellah Mine Road as it crossed DeQueen Lake, with additional trees snapped and uprooted along Story Creek Road and DeQueen Lake Road. Minor metal roof damage to a garage of a home also occurred in this area. The damage swath broadened as the tornado approached Highway 71, when it crossed Crosstrails Road, damaging the roofs of two chicken houses while uprooting and snapping numerous trees. The tornado continued on to cross Highway 71 where numerous trees were snapped, a single-wide mobile home was rolled and destroyed, and the roof of a farm building was partially damaged. The tornado snapped approximately ten more trees before lifting just south of Highway 71/371 several miles east of DeQueen just east of the intersection of Farm to Market Road. Although the tornado will be rated an EF-2 with estimated maximum winds near 125 mph, found in Eastern McCurtain County Oklahoma, the tornadic damage in North-central Sevier County was estimated to be EF-1, with estimated maximum winds up to 105 mph. The total tornado path length from Eastern McCurtain County Oklahoma into North-central Sevier County Arkansas was near 20 miles.
May 2008Tornado (EF1)Avon$250,000An EF1 tornado with winds of 85 to 95 mph occurred on the north side of the town of Dequeen, Arkansas. The main track paralleled West Robinson Road west of U.S. Hwy 71 North. Numerous large trees were snapped and uprooted including several that fell on homes. Several trees also fell in the town of DeQueen mainly along Altena Street in association with strong straight line winds from the same tornadic thunderstorm.
April 1979Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
May 2015Thunderstorm WindDe Queen$200,000Widespread wind damage was reported in Sevier County, Arkansas as well as in the city of DeQueen, Arkansas. Some damage was reported to homes, mainly from fallen trees. Numerous other trees were snapped and uprooted across the county as well.
November 2011LightningHoratio$150,000Lightning struck a home in Horatio, Arkansas, burning it to the ground. There were no reports of injuries.
April 2005LightningLockesburg$125,000Lightning struck a home in town resulting in a fire. The house burned to the ground but there were no injuries.
August 2010LightningDe Queen$100,000Fire destroyed a home on Mountain View Road near De Queen Lake in De Queen, Ark., Monday evening. It was determined that the fire was started by a lightning strike from thunderstorms in the evening. There were no injuries reported from the fire but the house was a total loss.
April 2025Tornado (EF1)Lockesburg$50,000An EF-1 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 95 mph touched down just south of of Highway 24 about 2 miles west of Lockesburg, where it caused significant damage to a small shed. The tornado then moved northeast across Highway 24, snapping and uprooting trees and just missing a home on the north side of the highway. A trampoline and small playground near the home were blown about 50 yards directly to the west from their original location. Although the road network became sparse beyond this point, drone footage indicated that the damage path continued from the home to Wildwood and Hilltop Roads where a number of trees were snapped and uprooted. The tornado did cause significant damage to three chicken coops located just north of Hilltop Road, while also snapping/uprooting additional trees in this area as well. It then tracked across Shady Lane just to the north of Hilltop Road and uprooted a very large tree, with another tree uprooted and having fallen onto a small home on the west side of Shady Lane. The tornado continued to move northeast over North Park Avenue, Elm Drive, and Highway 71 north of Lockesburg. The damage path became more sparse as the tornado crossed Montgomery Lane just east of Highway 71, with a few other small trees downed on Provo Road just east of Big Timber Lane before the tornado lifted.
May 2001HailHoratio$50,000Numerous cars were dented and windows and windshields broken.
April 1994Thunderstorm WindBen Lomond$50,000Thunderstorm winds damaged two barns.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindCentral$50,000Thunderstorm winds knocked down several trees and damaged a chicken house.
August 1993Thunderstorm WindDeQueen$50,000Thunderstorm winds downed numerous trees.
August 1993Thunderstorm WindDeQueen$50,000Thunderstorm winds damaged a chicken house and knocked down several trees.
January 1993Thunderstorm WindCentral$50,000Thunderstorm winds blew down several trees and damaged a chicken barn.
August 2008LightningDe Queen$40,000Lightning struck the fire department's radio tower in De Queen, Arkansas. The electricity from the strike followed the wiring into the wall resulting in a fire inside the local fire department. Moderate damage was reported.
December 2012Thunderstorm WindHoratio$30,000A tree was downed on a house in Horatio, Arkansas. No injuries were reported.
March 2026Tornado (EF1)King$25,000Early on the morning of March 11th, a line of severe thunderstorms moved into Sevier County, Arkansas. The line of thunderstorms produced a brief EF1 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 95 mph just east of U.S. Highway 71 southeast of Gillham. As the tornado touched down east of the highway, it damaged several large barns before it then snapped several hardwood trees in a downstream field. The tornado then crossed Kind Road where multiple trees were snapped and uprooted. As the tornado moved east of Kind Road, it damaged several more trees before quickly lifting.
May 2007Thunderstorm WindDe Queen$22,000Trees downed in town and minor roof damage as well. A tree also fell on top of an automobile. No reports of injuries.
December 2012Thunderstorm WindBen Lomond$20,000Wind damage was reported to the front porch of a home and the chimney of the same house.
September 2011FloodHoratio$20,000The Horatio Grocery Store located at Main and Hwy. 41 was flooded. Emergency manager reported over 5 inches of rain in just a few hours.
November 2015Flash FloodRock Hill$5,000A car was submerged by flood waters and the occupant had to be rescued.
July 2014Thunderstorm WindDe Queen$5,000Estimated wind gust by a Trained Spotter in DeQueen, Arkansas. A large tree fell on Courthouse causing minor damage.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindCheatham$5,000The Army Corps of Engineers reported that thunderstorm winds damaged trees near DeQueen Dam.
May 1994Thunderstorm WindKing$5,000Thunderstorm winds downed several trees.
May 1994Thunderstorm WindCentral$5,000Thunderstorm winds downed several trees.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindDeQueen$5,000Thunderstorm winds downed several trees.
November 1994Thunderstorm WindCentral$5,000Thunderstorm winds downed several trees.
May 1993Thunderstorm WindHoratio$5,000Thunderstorm winds blew down several trees.
August 1993Thunderstorm WindDeQueen$5,000Several trees were blown down.
August 1993Thunderstorm WindGillham$5,000Thunderstorm winds knocked some trees down.
October 1993Thunderstorm WindLockesburg$5,000Thunderstorm winds blew down several trees.
April 1993Thunderstorm WindLockesburg$5,000Thunderstorm winds knocked down several trees.
August 1993Thunderstorm WindDeQueen$5,000Some trees were downed.
April 1996LightningDe Queen$5,000no account filed
July 2011Thunderstorm WindLockesburg$2,000Numerous trees were snapped in the Lockesburg community. Power poles were snapped along Hwy. 71. Highways 329 and 371 were blocked from downed trees. Some structural damage to outbuildings were also reported.
April 2000Tornado (F1)Horatio$2,000Supercells developed in unstable airmass ahead of a multicellular squall line which moved east across the area. Both the supercells and squall line produced tornadoes. Damage consisted mainly of numerous snapped and fallen small trees. Shingles were partially removed from one roof and a swing set was tossed 100 feet at another home. This tornado moved into Sevier County, AR from Little River County, AR.
May 2024Tornado (EF0)Milford$500A brief landspout tornado was captured on video briefly touching down along Red Colony Road several miles southeast of Lockesburg, where it snapped small branches and tore off a small portion of the roof of a poorly constructed detached exterior carport. A few shingles were also removed from the the roof of an adjacent single family home. The landspout then crossed a hay meadow and snapped a small limb off of a hardwood tree before lifting along TJ King Road. Estimated maximum winds were 65 mph.
July 2009HailBellview$100Nickel sized hail busted out a windshield south of Lockesburg, Arkansas.
April 1973Tornado (F1)not stated$30no account filed
March 2026Thunderstorm WindAvon-Trees downed on power lines just north of De Queen.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindCentral-Trees downed in the Central community between Horatio and Ben Lomond.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindRock Hill-Multiple trees downed across the county, some of which were located along U.S. Highway 371 near Lockesburg and on Elm Drive in Lockesburg.
January 2025Flash FloodCheatham-Multiple secondary roads were closed across Sevier County due to flooding.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindNeal Spgs-A tree was blown down on Highway 24 near Wilson Lane.
March 2025Thunderstorm WindCentral-Multiple trees downed on Frog Level Road southeast of Horatio.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindLockesburg-Large branches snapped off of trees in Lockesburg.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindLockesburg-Trees downed near U.S. Highway 371 and Liggin Drive east of Lockesburg.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindBeacon Hill-A large tree limb was blown down across Highway 41 South between De Queen and Horatio.
September 2025Thunderstorm WindGillham-A tree was blown down along Highway 71 just south of Gillham.
September 2025Thunderstorm WindDe Queen-Trees were blown down on East Red Bridge Road just to the southeast of Highway 41.
September 2025Thunderstorm WindDe Queen-Trees were blown down on Johnson Bridge Road just off of Highway 70 W just west of De Queen.
September 2025Thunderstorm WindGillham-An NWS survey team confirmed that a microburst produced a narrow swath of wind damage in the town of Gillham just south of the Kansas City Southern Railway to just east of Highway 71. The damage consisted almost entirely of uprooted hardwood and softwood trees, although a few softwood trees were also snapped. The damage was particularly concentrated just north of and down a hill from Gillham Baptist Church. The damage pattern was almost entirely unidirectional, pointing to the northeast, and even diverged slightly in a couple of places, which strongly indicated straight-line wind damage with estimated winds near 90 mph.

Mines and quarries

77 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 77 workings inside this county. 7 still produce and 70 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction43
Diatomite21
Barium-Barite3
Antimony, Lead2
Stone2
Flagstone2
Copper, Antimony, Silver1
Zinc, Silver1
Gold1
Calcium1
Copper, Lead, Zinc1
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
Bob Wolf MineCopper, Antimony, SilverOccurrenceCervantite, Galena, Stibnite
Davis MineCopper, Lead, ZincPast Producer
Dequeen Rock QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
No NameCalciumPast Producer
OttoAntimony, Lead, Zinc, Silver, GoldProducer1877
Dequeen Rock QuarryFlagstoneProducer
Rolling Fork Pit & PlantFlagstoneProducer
Stewart MayAntimony, LeadProducerSiderite, Stibnite
UnkStonePast Producer
UnkStonePast Producer
Section 16 Barite DepositBarium-BaritePast Producer
UnkBarium-BariteProspect
UnkBarium-BariteProspect
Antimony Bluff MineDiatomitePast Producer
Bellah MineDiatomitePast Producer
Black Horse MineDiatomitePast Producer
Brewer MineDiatomitePast Producer
Clark MineDiatomitePast Producer
Hankins MineDiatomitePast Producer
Harrel ProspectDiatomiteProspect
Lignitz MineDiatomitePast Producer
Luttrell LeaseDiatomiteProspect
May MineDiatomitePast Producer
Mickle MineDiatomitePast Producer
New Discovery ShaftDiatomitePast Producer
Otto MineDiatomitePast Producer
Petty ProspectDiatomiteProspect
Poor Boy MineDiatomitePast Producer
Stewart MineDiatomitePast Producer
Valley MineDiatomitePast Producer
Warner Mine No 1DiatomitePast Producer
Werner Mine No 2DiatomitePast Producer
Werner ProspectDiatomiteProspect
Wolfton MineDiatomitePast Producer
Dequeen Sand & Gravel CoSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
McKeller Pit & PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

45

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 Sevier 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.