Dover, Arkansas
City
Main Street
Main Street
Location of Dover in Pope County, Arkansas.
Location of Dover in Pope County, Arkansas.
Coordinates: 35°23′28″N 93°06′51″W / 35.39111°N 93.11417°W / 35.39111; -93.11417
CountryUnited States
StateArkansas
CountyPope
Government
 • TypeMayor-council
 • MayorRoger Lee
Area
[1]
 • Total2.83 sq mi (7.32 km2)
 • Land2.83 sq mi (7.32 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
[2]
410 ft (120 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total1,337
 • Density472.94/sq mi (182.58/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
72837
Area code479
FIPS code05-19600
GNIS feature ID2403504 [2]
Websitewww.doverar.com

Dover is a town in Pope County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,378 at the 2010 census. Dover is located in the Arkansas River Valley, and is part of the Russellville Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Dover was either named by British aristocrats in the 1830s for Dover, Kent, England or by Stephen Rye in 1832 for Dover, Tennessee.[3] Incorporated December 31, 1852,[4] Dover was the county seat for Pope County from 1841 to 1887[5] with the county's brick courthouse on the square bounded by present-day Camp, Market, Water, and Elizabeth Streets.[6]

More than half of the businesses in the commercial part of town were lost to fire on February 15, 1930, as were at least 8 homes on two city blocks. At least 11 businesses were lost or badly damaged. A fire truck from neighboring Russellville helped in fighting the fire, but with no municipal fire water system, the truck had to draw water from a large well at a Dover business. Fighting the blaze, thought to have originated as a grass fire, was hampered by the lack of a water supply and high winds. The buildings lost were of wood frame construction.[7][8][9]

The Simmons massacre

On December 22 and 26, 1987, Ronald Gene Simmons, of near Dover, killed all fourteen members of his family during a Christmas reunion at the Simmons property 5 miles north of Dover. Two days later, he continued his killing spree in the county seat of Russellville, having targeted previous employers and co-workers, killing two and wounding two more.[10] Simmons was arrested without resistance, was sentenced to death on December 10, 1989,[11] waived mandatory appellate review,[12] and executed on June 25, 1990, the quickest sentence-to-execution time in the United States since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.7 km2), all land.

Ecologically, Dover is located within the Arkansas Valley Hills subregion within the larger Arkansas Valley ecoregion. The subregion is a thin transition area between the flat and fertile Arkansas Valley Plains to the south along the Arkansas River, and the steep and densely forested lands of the Boston Mountains in northern Pope County.

The mild hills historically supported oak-hickory forest or oak-hickory-pine forest. Elevation changes and soil types make the Arkansas Valley Hills largely unsuitable for row agriculture. Instead, forest has been cleared for pastureland, poultry farming or ranching. Logging remains an important land use where elevation or soil makes livestock farming unsuitable. Many of the smaller streams and watercourses are completely dry in summer.[13]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880368—
189052843.5%
1900373−29.4%
19103853.2%
19203880.8%
193051031.4%
1940493−3.3%
19505103.4%
19605252.9%
197066226.1%
198094843.2%
19901,05511.3%
20001,32926.0%
20101,3783.7%
20201,337−3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]

As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 1,329 people, 529 households, and 372 families residing in the city. The population density was 732.7 inhabitants per square mile (282.9/km2). There were 579 housing units at an average density of 319.2 per square mile (123.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.37% White, 0.23% Black or African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.60% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 529 households, out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.3% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,697, and the median income for a family was $33,879. Males had a median income of $25,625 versus $19,073 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,261. About 10.6% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Dover operates within the mayor-city council form of government. The mayor is elected by a citywide election to serve as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the city by presiding over all city functions, policies, rules and laws. Once elected, the mayor also allocates duties to city employees. The Dover mayoral election in coincidence with the United States midterm elections. Mayors serve four-year terms and can serve unlimited terms. The city council is the unicameral legislature of the city, consisting of six council members. Also included in the council's duties is balancing the city's budget and passing ordinances.

Education

Primary and secondary education is provided by the Dover School District, which leads to graduation from Dover High School.

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  2. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Dover, Arkansas
  3. ↑ Deane, Ernie (1986). Arkansas Place Names. Branson, Missouri: The Ozarks Mountaineer. p. 83.
  4. ↑ An act to incorporate the Town of Dover, in Pope County (Acts Passed at the Ninth Session of the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas ed.). Akrkadephia, Arkansas: R. L. Pegues, State Printer. 1853. pp. 280–283. Retrieved December 23, 2022. Approved 31st December, 1852
  5. ↑ "Election Abstract". Russellville Democrat. March 23, 1887. p. 3. Russellville's Majority 128
  6. ↑ "The Court House at Dover". The New York Herald. No. 275 Vol XXVII. New York: James Gordon Bennett. September 30, 1872. p. 5. Retrieved March 7, 2023. In the middle of the village, upon a square, stands the naked brick courthouse... It is fifty feet square, two stories high, and the roof rises from the four sides to the centre. In each side is a door, and from each of these doors the spectator can see four streets of the village, coming into the square at the corners.
  7. ↑ "Half of Dover Destroyed by Fire". The Star Progress. Berryville, Arkansas. February 20, 1930. Flames Cause $100,000 Loss in One-Time Pope County Seat
  8. ↑ "Fire Sweeps Whole Town of Dover". Harrison Daily Times. No. 116. Harrison, Arkansas. February 15, 1930. p. 1.
  9. ↑ "Entire Town of Dover, Arkansas Threatened by Fire". Fayetteville Daily Democrat. No. Vol 36, Num 73. February 15, 1930. p. 1.
  10. ↑ Fox, James Alan; Levin, Jack (November 1994). "Firing Back: The Growing Threat of Workplace Homicide". The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. Sage Publications, Inc. in association with the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 536 (536): 23. doi:10.1177/0002716294536001002. JSTOR 1048005. S2CID 144229494. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  11. ↑ Brown, Paul E. (Winter 1991). "Third Party Standing: "Next Friends" as Enemies: Third Party Petitions for Capital Defendants Wishing to Waive Appeal". The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. 81 (4): 982–984, 990–996. doi:10.2307/1143734. JSTOR 1143734. Retrieved March 7, 2023. I, Ronald Gene Simmons, Sr., want it to be known that it is my wish and my desire that absolutely no action by anybody be taken to appeal or in any way change this sentence. It is further respectfully requested that this sentence be carried out expeditiously
  12. ↑ Reske, Henry (February 1990). "Death Wish, Supreme Court Preview". ABA Journal. American Bar Association. 76 (2): 36. JSTOR 20760883. Retrieved March 7, 2023. The would-be waiverer in the case is Ronald Gene Simmons, the Arkansas mass murderer who was sentenced to death in 1988.
  13. ↑ Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from Woods, A.J., Foti, T.L., Chapman, S.S., Omernik, J.M.; et al. Ecoregions of Arkansas (PDF). United States Geological Survey.{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) (color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs).
  14. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  15. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
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