BlockBefore

Altus, Arkansas

19 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1887 and the latest in 1993. It stands in Hogan Township. It lies in ZIP code area 72821. The Survey maps it on the Ozark quadrangle. 665 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 541 feet above sea level.

Altus within Franklin County

On record in Altus

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 8 records

Population over time

3 figures

Altus fell from 817 to 665 between 2000 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
2000817
2010758-59 (-7%)
2020665-93 (-12%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

11 surveys from 19 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

63 since 1997

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 63 fires within 5 miles of Altus between 1997 and 2019, burning about 435 acres in total. 3 started naturally. 9 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined26
Debris and open burning15
Arson/incendiarism9
Equipment and vehicle use6
Misuse of fire by a minor3
Natural3
Smoking1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
6 September 2001Debris and open burning2.0 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
3 September 2000Arson/incendiarism3.0 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
18 September 2011Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
12 September 2012Debris and open burning95 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
12 September 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
10 September 1998Arson/incendiarism10 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
10 September 1998Missing data/not specified/undetermined3.0 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named
10 September 1998Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresArkansas Forestry Commissionnot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Franklin County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 20 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 20 workings within 5 miles of Altus: 19 past producers, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Flagstone. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Chrisman Rock QuarryFlagstonePast Producer
UnkStonePast Producer
UnkStonePast Producer
UnkStonePast Producer
UnkStonePast Producer
UnkStonePast Producer
Unk Quarries 2StonePast Producer
Gutrie IslandSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Franklin County

Storms near this place

53 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Altus in 53 storm reports between 1994 and 2024: 31 thunderstorm wind, 17 hail, 2 tornado, 1 funnel cloud. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
August 2006LightningAltus1 hurtA 59 year old man was struck by lightning in the yard of his home.
November 2001Tornado (F1)Altus$2,000,000An F1 tornado touched down 1 mile west of Altus and crossed the Johnson County border 6 miles northeast of Altus. The tornado first began doing damage just southwest of Highway 64. The strongest intensity began just south of Interstate 40, just east of Wiederkerh Village and continued across Interstate 40 into Philpott Valley where most of the property damage occurred. The tornado resulted in F1 damage to several houses. Several mobile homes, numerous barns, outbuildings, and other weaker structures were destroyed, including two long turkey houses.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindAltus$50,000Strong thunderstorm wind damaged several outbuildings, damaged the roof of a home, damaged the roof of a school, and blew down trees.
April 2021HailAltus$25,000Golf ball size hail damaged vehicles and homes in Denning.
January 2000Thunderstorm WindAltus$20,000Thunderstorm winds rolled a mobile home over and blew down several trees.
April 2017HailAltus$15,000no account filed
June 2014Thunderstorm WindAltus$10,000Strong thunderstorm wind blew down a large tree onto a car. The car's occupant was trapped inside and needed to be rescued by first responders but was uninjured.
November 2001Tornado (F0)Altus$10,000A F0 tornado touched down 2 miles northeast of Altus and crossed into Johnson County 5 miles northeast of Altus. The tornado did tree damage, caused minor damage to a few homes and also blew down power lines.
November 2001Thunderstorm WindAltus$10,000Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour by a trained spotter blew a truck over on Interstate 40.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindAltus$5,000Strong thunderstorm wind damaged an outbuilding.
October 2018Thunderstorm WindAltus$5,000Strong thunderstorm wind damaged a home and blew down a few trees.
October 2014Thunderstorm WindAltus$5,000Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines and a tree onto a house.
May 2013Thunderstorm WindAltus$5,000A few trees and power lines were blown down by strong thunderstorm winds.
August 2013Thunderstorm WindAltus$5,000Strong thunderstorm wind blew down a few trees and snapped power lines on Highway 186 north of Altus.
August 2013Thunderstorm WindAltus$5,000Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines in Denning.
May 2011Thunderstorm WindAltus$5,000Strong thunderstorm wind blew down trees and power lines in the Denning area.
August 2011Thunderstorm WindAltus$5,000Strong thunderstorm wind blew down large tree limbs and damaged the roof of a new mobile home.
October 2007Thunderstorm WindAltus$5,000Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down power lines causing power outages.
March 2006Thunderstorm WindAltus$5,000Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down trees and signs, and also damaged a building.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindAltus$2,500Numerous power lines and trees were blown down in Altus.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindAltus$2,000Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines.
April 2015Thunderstorm WindAltus$2,000Strong thunderstorm wind blew down power lines south of Highway 64 on Logan Street, and on Highway 179.
November 1998Thunderstorm WindAltus$1,000Trees were blown onto a power line between Ozark and Coal Hill, causing a power outage to a large part of western Johnson County.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindAltus$500Several trees (3 ft. diameter) were blown down in Altus. One tree was blown onto a street, blocking the roadway.
January 2000Thunderstorm WindAltus$300Thunderstorm winds blew down trees.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindAltus-Strong thunderstorm wind blew down numerous trees.
May 2019Thunderstorm WindAltus-Strong thunderstorm wind snapped and uprooted numerous trees north of town. Saint Mary's Lane was covered in downed trees from just north of town up to the church.
March 2015Thunderstorm WindAltus-Strong thunderstorm wind blew down trees on Highway 64 between Altus and Ozark.
July 2014Flash FloodAltus-Locally heavy rainfall of around 5 inches in several hours resulted in the flooding of several county roads near and around Altus.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindAltus-Strong thunderstorm wind blew down a large tree.
October 2014Thunderstorm WindAltus-Strong thunderstorm wind blew down several trees across Highway 64.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindAltus-Trees were blown down by strong thunderstorm winds.
April 2008Thunderstorm WindAltus-Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down numerous trees.
April 2008Thunderstorm WindAltus-Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 miles an hour blew down numerous large tree limbs.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindAltus-Strong thunderstorm wind blew down trees.
November 2001Thunderstorm WindAltus-Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew a few trees down.
March 1999HailAltus-Location: Wiederkehr Winery Restaurant...no damage
April 2021HailAltus-no account filed
April 2009HailAltus-no account filed
April 2008HailAltus-no account filed
March 2008HailAltus-no account filed
February 2008HailAltus-no account filed
April 2005HailAltus-no account filed
April 2005HailAltus-no account filed
April 2005HailAltus-no account filed
April 2005HailAltus-no account filed
November 2001HailAltus-no account filed
November 2001HailAltus-no account filed
March 1999Funnel CloudAltus-no account filed
April 1999Thunderstorm WindAltus-no account filed
January 1999HailAltus-no account filed
May 1998HailAltus-no account filed
June 1994HailAltus-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Franklin County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Denning1.2 miles19
Wiederkehr Village1.9 miles19
Alix2.2 miles19
Greenwood2.7 miles19
Webb City4.0 miles19
South Ozark4.3 miles19
Ozark4.5 miles19
Sutherland Crossroads6.1 miles14

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on AltusAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q79226The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 45850. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

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.