Ashdown, Arkansas
11 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1950 and the latest in 1990. It stands in District 6. It lies in ZIP code area 71822. The Survey maps it on the Ashdown West quadrangle. 4,261 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 322 feet above sea level.
On record in Ashdown
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 7 records
Ashdown Commercial Historic Districtlisted 2008
Judge Jefferson Thomas Cowling Houselisted 1988
Hunter-Coulter Houselisted 1996
Little River County Courthouselisted 1976
Little River County Training School Historic Districtlisted 2016
Memphis, Paris and Gulf Railroad Depotlisted 1994
Old US 71-Ashdown Segmentlisted 2013
Population over time
2 figuresAshdown fell from 4,723 to 4,261 between 2010 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.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4,723 | |
| 2020 | 4,261 | -462 (-10%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
6 surveys from 11 printed sheetsMatched 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.
- 1950 USGS Ashdown West quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1951 USGS Ashdown West quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1953 USGS Texarkana quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
- 1956 USGS Texarkana quadrangle1:250000
- 1986 USGS Idabel quadrangle1:100000
- 1990 USGS Idabel quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
49 since 1997Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 49 fires within 5 miles of Ashdown between 1997 and 2019, burning about 447 acres in total. 5 started naturally. 10 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/undetermined | 18 |
| Debris and open burning | 12 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 10 |
| Natural | 5 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 2 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 1 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 September 2004 | Debris and open burning | 8.0 acres | Arkansas Forestry Commission | not named |
| 6 September 1999 | Natural | 1.0 acres | Arkansas Forestry Commission | not named |
| 4 September 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3.0 acres | Arkansas Forestry Commission | not named |
| 29 September 2017 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Arkansas Forestry Commission | not named |
| 27 September 2002 | Debris and open burning | 68 acres | Arkansas Forestry Commission | not named |
| 22 September 2000 | Equipment and vehicle use | 10 acres | Arkansas Forestry Commission | not named |
| 20 September 2004 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Arkansas Forestry Commission | not named |
| 19 September 2010 | Debris and open burning | 5.0 acres | Arkansas Forestry Commission | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
3 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 3 workings within 5 miles of Ashdown: 2 past producers, 1 occurrence. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
Storms near this place
60 of 82 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Ashdown in 82 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 36 hail, 35 thunderstorm wind, 6 flash flood, 4 lightning. The reports record 1 death and 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.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2006 | Lightning | Ashdown | 1 killed, $100,000 | Lightning struck a home causing a fire to ignite. One male, age 83 was killed as a result of the house fire. House sustained considerable damage. |
| December 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | 1 hurt, $400,000 | John Moon, who lives near Hwy 108 West of Ashdown, had three chicken houses, one metal building and farm equipment destroyed and a fourth house damaged. In addition, he lost 44,000 two day old chicks with an estimated total damage of $350 thousand dollars. Moon was inside one of the chicken houses when the winds struck. A large fan fell on his back causing minor injuries. The winds also damaged the home of Ashdown Police Sargent Danny Hallet, Hwy 108 west of Ashdown. Windows were broken out on his patrol car and a camper trailer was overturned. Two other homes reported roof damage; several trees were uprooted and some snapped off above the ground accounting for the remainder of monetary loss. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | $500,000 | A downburst occurred on the southwest side of Ashdown which resulted in numerous trees and powerlines to be snapped in the town of Ashdown. As many as 50 county and city roads were closed in Little River County from the damaging winds which started approximately 8AM west of Ashdown. In the town of Ashdown trees were noted to point NE and N away from the downburst region very indicative of a strong straight line wind. Damage included numerous homes and businesses as well as a school. Very little structural damage occurred from the wind alone. Most of the damage was the result of falling trees. Maximum winds are estimated at 95-105 mph. |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | $150,000 | Numerous trees down and numerous trees had their tops blown off. A roof was torn off a house and a telephone pole fell on a car. |
| May 2009 | Flash Flood | Ashdown | $100,000 | Hwy. 71 near the paper mill was flooded and closed. Heavy rainfall plummeted through the roof of the planned Two Rivers Museum annex, soaking museum artifacts and exhibits. The Central Baptist Church and several other homes sustained water damage from the high waters that clogged city drainage ditches. Rainwater also backed up into a mobile home park near the Arkansas 32 Bypass causing some flooding concerns. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | $50,000 | Several trees downed across the county including trees that fell across two homes in Ashdown. |
| November 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds partially destroyed a barn. |
| August 1999 | Lightning | Ashdown | $2,000 | Lightening hit a vent pipe starting a fire in the attic of a residence. Damage was light with a little smoke damage and smoke water damage. |
| June 2007 | Lightning | Ashdown | $1,000 | Lightning struck a transformer resulting in power outages. |
| March 1996 | Lightning | Ashdown | $1,000 | no account filed |
| April 2025 | Hail | Ashdown | - | Quarter size hail fell at the Little River County Sheriff's Office in Ashdown. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Multiple trees downed in Ashdown. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Trees snapped and uprooted in Ashdown. |
| June 2023 | Hail | Ashdown | - | Quarter size hail reported at the paper mill in Ashdown. |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | A large tree was blown down near Stone and Buck Wright Road just north of Ashdown, as relayed by broadcast media. |
| May 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Numerous trees and power lines were downed across much of Little River County. A tree fell on a home on North Stewart Street in Ashdown. Numerous power poles and lines were snapped on LR 35, trapping a vehicle. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Large branches were blown down onto power lines leading to power outages in Ashdown. A light pole was blown down on South Wallace Drive. |
| May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | A tree was downed on Peyton Avenue in Ashdown. |
| May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Trees were downed on the east side of Ashdown. |
| July 2017 | Flash Flood | Ashdown | - | Three of the four lanes of Highway 71 in front of the Domtar Paper Mill was flooded and closed. Traffic was reduced to only one lane. |
| March 2016 | Hail | Ashdown | - | Penny size hail fell in Ashdown. |
| October 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Numerous trees downed throughout the county including Arkansas Hwy. 41, 108, 32 and on CR. 29, 11 and 15. |
| July 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Trees were downed across the entire county. |
| October 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | A few trees were downed in and around the Foreman, Arkansas community. |
| June 2014 | Flash Flood | Ashdown | - | High water and a road closure was reported along Hwy. 71 near the Paper Mill in Ashdown, Arkansas. |
| April 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Trees were downed. |
| December 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Numerous trees and powerlines were downed throughout the county. |
| August 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Several trees were downed across the county. |
| October 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | At least 20 trees were reported downed along the north and northeast side of Ashdown, Arkansas. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Numerous trees were downed in Ashdown, Arkansas with many roads blocked. Damage was in a divergent pattern...indicative of a downburst and confirmed by National Weather Service storm survey teams. Many roads were blocked by fallen trees across town. |
| March 2010 | Funnel Cloud | Ashdown | - | Emergency Manager and Storm Spotter reported a rotating storm and funnel cloud over Ashdown, Arkansas. |
| May 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Several trees were downed in town. |
| January 2008 | Hail | Ashdown | - | Hail was reported by a convenience store employee on the north side of town. |
| January 2007 | Flash Flood | Ashdown | - | Locally heavy rainfall resulted in the closure of Davis Street in town. |A woman tried to cross a flooded stretch of road at the Wilton Landing when her pickup truck was submerged in high water. The woman was rescued just below U.S. 71 at Wilton Landing. She suffered no injuries. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Trees were blown down in White Cliff Park. Reported by the COE at Millwood Dam. |
| April 2004 | Hail | Ashdown | - | Hail fell at Millwood Lake State Park. |
| March 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Trees downed. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Trees downed throughout the county. |
| August 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Trees downed along Hwy 32. |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Numerous trees down along US 71. |
| December 2001 | Flash Flood | Ashdown | - | U.S. Hwy 71 closed from high water. Numerous cars stalled out in the flooded roads. |
| November 2000 | Flash Flood | Ashdown | - | Flooding reported on County Roads 3, 18, 19, 56, 58, 63, 95, and 133 and US 41 and 71. Driving impossible in many locations. |
| September 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Several large trees down. |
| September 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Numerous trees down. |
| November 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Few trees and power lines down. |
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Thunderstorm winds downed numerous trees and power lines. |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ashdown | - | Several trees were blown down which fell across Highway 108. |
| April 2011 | Hail | Ashdown | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Ashdown | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Ashdown | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Ashdown | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Ashdown | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Ashdown | - | no account filed |
| May 2010 | Hail | Ashdown | - | no account filed |
| April 2009 | Hail | Ashdown | - | no account filed |
| February 2008 | Hail | Ashdown | - | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Hail | Ashdown | - | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Hail | Ashdown | - | no account filed |
| May 2006 | Hail | Ashdown | - | no account filed |
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 | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rankin (historical) | 2.8 miles | 11 | |
| Peytonville | 3.1 miles | 11 | |
| Hicks | 3.1 miles | 11 | |
| Wilton | 4.7 miles | 11 | |
| Pine Prairie | 4.7 miles | 13 | |
| Richmond | 4.8 miles | 11 | |
| Jacks Isle | 4.9 miles | 11 | |
| Long | 5.6 miles | 11 |
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 Ashdown | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q80080 | The 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 76204. 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.





