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St. Francis County, Arkansas

97 topographic sheets cover 79 settlements here, and 16 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

16 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Arkansas within the United States
St. Francis County within Arkansas

What the record shows

  • 1,165 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 16 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 8 buildings, 5 structures and 3 sites.
  • 1 of the 16 listings was added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 79 populated places in this county; 79 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

16

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
Scott Bond Family Plotsite200202000603
Campbell Housebuilding200606000841
First United Methodist Churchbuilding199494000467
Forrest City City Hallbuilding2022100007718
Forrest City Colored Cemeterysite2021100007000
Forrest City High Schoolbuilding199292001341
Forrest City Public Librarybuilding2022100007321
Highway A-1. Forrest City Segmentstructure2026100012578
Highway B-1, Little Telico Creek Bridgestructure200909000316
Hughes Water Towerstructure200606000905
Mann Housebuilding198282000937
Smith Housebuilding198282000938
St. Francis River Bridgestructure199090000516
St. Francis River Bridgestructure199090000516
William Stone Housebuilding199292001346
Stuart Springssite197777001502

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

170 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 170 of them, burning about 3,086 acres. 2 started naturally and 60 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning67
Arson/incendiarism60
Missing data/not specified/undetermined21
Equipment and vehicle use12
Misuse of fire by a minor5
Railroad operations and maintenance3
Natural2

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

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
8 August 2011Equipment and vehicle use250 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
13 March 2007Debris and open burning239 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
22 March 2007Debris and open burning149 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
1 November 2010Debris and open burning148 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
27 October 2005Arson/incendiarism135 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
30 June 2012Debris and open burning90 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
6 November 2010Arson/incendiarism80 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
4 December 2010Arson/incendiarism80 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named

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

Storms, 1957 to 2026

60 of 242 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 242 reports for this county, causing 8 deaths, 145 injuries and about $35,867,150 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind112
Hail81
Tornado24
Flash Flood19
Flood3
Lightning2
Heavy Rain1

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
June 1974Tornado (F3)not stated4 killed, 112 hurt, $25,000,000no account filed
April 1982Tornado (F2)not stated1 killed, 13 hurt, $250,000no account filed
December 2013Tornado (EF2)Rawlison1 killed, 3 hurt, $500,000A tornado touched down six miles west-southwest of Hughes and traveled north-northeast. Three mobile homes were destroyed near Hughes. Roof damage occurred to two homes and a barn was damaged. A number of irrigation pivots were overturned. Near the community of Wildwood a metal shed was destroyed. Power lines were also damaged along the path. The tornado lifted one mile northwest of Tarsus. The peak winds were estimated at 130 mph.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindHawkins1 killed, 1 hurtA violent thunderstorm with downburst winds estimated at 70 to 80 mph lifted and rolled a double wide home on County Road 267 about 3 miles west of Caldwell. The mobile home traveled 70 feet where it finally landed on its roof. The mobile home was completely destroyed. A couple of vehicles were also heavily damaged. The downburst also removed a large part of the roofing material from the Country Hearth Inn near the interchange of Interstate 40 and Highway 1B in Forrest City.
January 2016FloodNewcastle1 killedHeavy rain in late 2015 caused flooding along the St. Francis River through much of January. The St. Francis went above the action stage of 29 feet on the afternoon of January 3, 2016 and then climbed above the flood stage of 32 feet on January 6, 2016. The river remained above flood stage until January 16, 2016. A man was swept away after driving into a flooded road near Newcastle during the late afternoon of January 3, 2016.
January 1999Tornado (F2)Wheatley9 hurt, $500,000The tornado moved into the extreme southwest corner of St. Francis county from Monroe county. It touched down several times and then lifted back into the air. The most severe damage occurred in and near Wheatley. Thirteen homes were completely demolished and six other homes sustained structural damage. Further along its path, the tornado hit a farm about 4.5 miles northeast of Wheatley. The farmhouse lost part of its roof. Two or three machine sheds were demolished, several other outbuildings were damaged, grain storage bins were flatted and blown several hundreds of feet away and irrigation equipment suffered extensive damage.
November 2006Thunderstorm WindWheatley4 hurt, $50,000Straight line winds blew seven tractor trailers off of Interstate 40 near Palestine. 4 injuries were reported from crashes. A motel in Wheatley had some roof damage. In addition...a Dollar General store in Forrest City received structural damage from the winds as the store front window was blown in. Several trees and power lines were also knocked down.
April 1970Tornado (F3)not stated2 hurt, $25,000no account filed
June 2018Thunderstorm WindRosenbaum1 hurt, $6,000,000Numerous trees down in approximately a two mile swath from near Colt, Arkansas. The hangar at the Delta Regional Airport in Colt was destroyed. In addition, several trees fell on houses along the path and numerous homes had some roof damage. Some power poles were snapped in the damage path.
May 2011FloodNewcastle$752,000Heavy rain during late April into early May caused the St. Francis River at Madison and L'Anguille River at Palestine to rise to near record levels. The river remained above flood stage through the end of May. Several homes sustained minor damage from the flooding. Several roads were closed and/or damaged. Several hundred acres of cropland was flooded.
June 2014Flash FloodColt$500,000Very heavy rainfall occurred across much of St. Francis County. Over 7 inches of rain was recorded at Wheatley. Many roads were flooded across the county and homes were evacuated in Madison due to flooding along Crow Creek. Five families were evacuated from homes in the Stonebrook subdicison in Forrest City.
July 1992Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
August 1973Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
June 2018Thunderstorm WindTelico$200,000Damage to a Waffle House and two semi-trailers overturned off I-40 and Highway 1 exit.
April 2025Tornado (EF1)Shiloh$125,000The tornado started just southwest of Colt, west of SFC 241. Multiple trees were damaged with some minor roof damage to a home along SFC 244. The tornado continued northeast, with a manufactured home destroyed along Highway 306 W and the debris blown away from the structure. Several nearby homes sustained minor roof damage before crossing into Cross County. Peak winds were estimated to be 110 mph.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindUnion Hill$100,000Numerous trees and power lines down across town with a widespread power outage. Additional trees down on houses across the city and one trailer north of town. The worst damage stretched along Highway 1.
May 2007LightningForrest City$90,000Lightning struck a local public housing complex on Rice Street in Forrest City. A fire started and spread to other apartments. No injuries were reported.
January 2020Thunderstorm WindWheatley$70,000Seven tractor trailers were blown over on Interstate 40 between mile markers 222 and 225 near Wheatley.
October 2007Thunderstorm WindGoodwin$70,000Straight line winds produced damage to a mobile home roof in Goodwin. Two wood frame homes and a metal shop had roof damage. In addition, a grain bin was blown over. 3 miles north of Palestine, several trees were knocked down, blocking County Road 130. Campers and trampolines were tossed about.
April 2022LightningHughes$60,000Lightning destroyed home in Newcastle community north of Forrest City. The home was a total loss.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindForrest City Muni Ar$50,000Numerous trees downed on the south side of Forrest City. Several power poles down, a church sustained roof damage, and a metal building sustained significant damage.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindRosine$50,000House collapsed after roof was torn off.
October 2014Thunderstorm WindForrest City$50,000Straight line winds blew a roof off a classroom building onto a nearby roof.
May 2013Tornado (EF1)Wheatley$50,000A weak tornado crossed from Monroe County into St. Francis County. A few trees and power lines were knocked down. Two tractor trailers were blown off Interstate 40 before the tornado lifted.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindForrest City$50,000One mobile home was badly damaged. Numerous trees, power poles and power lines were blown down. Nearly 14,000 homes were without power for a couple of days.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindWheatley$50,000A crop dusting aircraft that was on the ground was damaged.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindForrest City$50,000Some roofs were damaged.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindPalestine$50,000Thunderstorm winds damaged a church.
January 1996Tornado (F1)Hughes$50,000no account filed
June 2009Thunderstorm WindRosine$45,000Straight line winds produced major damage to a mobile home near Forrest City. In addition, several outbuildings received minor damage as well as a church.
February 2008Thunderstorm WindHorton$35,000Straight line winds blew trees down on three vehicles at a home off of County Road 224, outside of Forrest City.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindRosenbaum$30,000Large tree down across Highway 306 west and another tree on a house close to Colt.
May 2021Tornado (EF0)Wood Spur$25,000A brief tornado damaged a barn and storage building. It removed metal roof panels from a house and uprooted several trees. Peak winds were estimated at 85 mph.
May 2009Flash FloodPinetree$25,000Heavy rain produced flash flooding around St. Francis County. Numerous roads were flooded and closed. County roads 815 and 808 sustained the worst damage. Highway 1 South between Forrest City and Haynes was closed for 2 hours with water up to 5 feet deep. A woman was rescued from her car on Highway 1 South about 2 miles north of Haynes after she drove into a flooded area and the vehicle was pushed off the road and into a ditch. No homes or businesses were damaged.
October 2009Flash FloodForrest City$25,000Parts of State Highway 1 between Forrest City and Wynne were flooded. Six homes and one car dealership were flooded in that area. Several other homes west of Forrest City near County Road 226 had water approaching them. At least two people were evacuated from this area.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindRawlison$25,000Straight line winds damaged two mobile homes and overturned another near the intersection of Highway 38 East and County Road 753. Trees and power lines were also knocked down in the area.
March 2008Thunderstorm WindForrest City$25,000The roof and carport of a house located on Red Haven Drive in Forrest City were damaged by straight line winds. Numerous power lines were knocked down across the city as well.
February 2000Tornado (F0)Hughes$25,000A mobile home was overturned. Several homes were damaged.
February 1971Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
April 2017Thunderstorm WindWheatley$20,000Power lines down.
May 2003Thunderstorm WindForrest City$20,000The Hughes High School gymnasium had most of its roof blown off. The locker rooms near the football field were also damaged. Several trees and power lines were knocked down.
April 2025Tornado (EF0)Walkers Store$15,000A brief tornado formed just north of Interstate 40 near SFC 513, overturning a center irrigation pivot before crossing into Crittenden County.
July 2005Thunderstorm WindForrest City$15,000A couple of trees and power poles were blown down.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindForrest City$15,000A fence was damaged. Several trees and power poles were knocked down. One tree fell on a shed.
April 1999Thunderstorm WindForrest City$15,000A roof was blown off of a house trailer. Several trees were knocked down.
April 1997Thunderstorm WindForrest City$11,000A car wash and a liquor store suffered roof damage. Several trees and power lines were also knocked down.
April 2025HailForrest City$10,000Several car windows broken from large hail.
August 2020Thunderstorm WindPinetree$10,000Downed trees and power lines were reported on Route 306 west of Colt. A tree fell on Pine Tree Baptist Church.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindShannondale$10,000Trees blown down on Highway 38 in Hughes resulting in power lines landing on a car.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindForrest City$10,000Straight line winds knocked down trees and power lines across St. Francis County.
July 2005Thunderstorm WindCaldwell$10,000A large tree limb blew through a mobile home.
April 2001HailColt$10,000Thirty-three cars on a used car lot in Colt were damaged by the hail.
May 2001Thunderstorm WindForrest City$10,000A roof collapsed on a building at a country club. A few trees were blown down.
April 2000Thunderstorm WindForrest City$10,000Several trees and power lines were blown down.
June 1997Thunderstorm WindForrest City$10,000Several buildings suffered damage to their roofs and awnings. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindWheatley$5,000Straight line winds produced roof damage to a restaurant in Wheatley.
February 2008Thunderstorm WindPalestine$5,000Straight line winds blew a car off a road, roughly 8 miles northwest of Palestine.
May 2008HailWheatley$5,000Golf ball size hail fell on Interstate 40 near Wheatley.
July 2005Thunderstorm WindMadison$5,000Around 10 trees were blown down.
August 2003Thunderstorm WindForrest City$5,000Some tree limbs and power lines were knocked down.

Mines and quarries

12 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 12 workings inside this county. 3 still produce and 9 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction12

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

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Colvins PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Crisp PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Forrest City PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Forrest City Pit & PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
St.Francis Materials CoSand 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
Woods Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

79

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 St. Francis 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.