42-622: The King Opera House is a performance hall located on Van Buren, Arkansas 's Main Street. Since it was built in the late 19th century, the opera house 's stage has hosted many plays and performers. The King Opera House is a contributing property to the Van Buren Historic District , listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The Victorian-era structure first opened its doors in 1891. The ground floor
84-479: A female householder with no husband present, and 23.10% were non-families. 20.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.07. In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.20% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
126-580: A large trucking corridor which is currently not served by an Interstate highway. The proposed highway would utilize portions of I-49 which currently runs north from Van Buren toward the Missouri state line passing through Benton County, home of Walmart . The corridor was listed as the number-one high-priority corridor by transportation officials in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act . As of
168-561: A result of the U.S. Civil War in the 1860s. The Cherokee Nation was subsequently relocated to the west in the present-day state of Oklahoma . The violent arrest of Randal Worcester by two Crawford County sheriff's deputies and one Mulberry police officer took place in Mulberry, Crawford County, in August 2022. Crawford County is a longtime Republican stronghold, so much so that not even former governor and native Arkansan Bill Clinton
210-403: A year. December and January are the coldest months with an average high of 50.5 °F (10.3 °C) and an average low of 30 °F (−1 °C). Highs below 32 °F (0.0 °C) occur on average five times a year, with 0.2 nights per year dropping below 0 °F (−17.8 °C). The city's highest temperature was 113 °F (45.0 °C), recorded in 1936. The lowest temperature recorded
252-461: Is in the 5A/6A-West Division of Arkansas high school sports. Crawford County, Arkansas Crawford County is a county located in the Ozarks region of the U.S. state of Arkansas . As of the 2020 census , the population was 60,133. The county seat and largest city is Van Buren . Crawford County was formed on October 18, 1820, from the former Lovely County and Indian Territory , and
294-441: Is located in the northwest region of Arkansas . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 604 square miles (1,560 km ), of which 593 square miles (1,540 km ) is land and 11 square miles (28 km ) (1.8%) is water. Crawford County is included in an area designated for a planned extension of I-49 into Arkansas. The final project will connect New Orleans, Louisiana , to Kansas City, Missouri ,
336-615: Is that of Charles Tolson. Charles C. Tolson was born on December 25th, 1868 in Mississippi. He was the manager of a stock company and a vaudeville actor. During his time as an actor, he performed at the King Opera House. After one such performance, the daughter of practitioner Dr. William Parchman reportedly went up to Tolson to speak with him about the show. A friend told Parchman his daughter and Tolson were flirting with each other during this conversation. One night while Tolson
378-404: The 2020 United States census , there were 60,133 people, 23,958 households, and 17,082 families residing in the county. As of the 2000 census , there were 53,247 people, 19,702 households, and 15,150 families residing in the county. The population density was 35/km (91/sq mi). There were 21,315 housing units at an average density of 14/km (36/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county
420-461: The Interstate 40 – Interstate 540 junction. The city was incorporated in 1845 and as of the 2020 census had a population of 23,218, ranking it as the state's 21st largest city. According to 2023 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Van Buren’s population is 24,138. With a 4% growth rate from 2020 to 2023, Van Buren is Arkansas’s eighth-fastest growing city. The area
462-620: The St. Louis and San Francisco Railway , the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad , and the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway . Today the county is home to the intersection of two major interstate highways, Interstate 40 (I-40) and I-49 . Crawford County is part of the Fort Smith metropolitan area . As a dry county , alcohol sales are generally prohibited, though recent changes to county law provide for exemptions. Crawford County
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#1732781166976504-504: The United States Census Bureau . Of 6,947 households, 362 were unmarried partner households: 304 heterosexual, 12 same-sex male, and 46 same-sex female households. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.12. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.6% under
546-753: The Van Buren School District , USA Truck, and Baptist Health. Van Buren is home of the King Opera House , a Victorian -style performance hall from the late 19th century, part of the old downtown historic area. At the south end of the historical downtown is the Crawford County courthouse, the oldest functioning courthouse west of the Mississippi River . To the north is the Old Frisco Station which
588-490: The poverty line , including 19.30% of those under age 18 and 13.70% of those age 65 or over. Thousands of self-claimed "Western Band of Cherokee" (or Arkansas Cherokees ) fought for state and federal recognition as a political entity of Native Americans . Crawford County (specifically, that area known as " Lovely's Purchase ") was historically part of the Cherokee Nation , which lost its tribal sovereignty status as
630-603: The Arkansas River flooded near Van Buren, cresting at nearly 41 feet (12 m), which is 21 feet (6.4 m) above the flood stage. Significant rainfall in the South-central United States forced U.S. Army Corps of Engineers workers to release large amounts of water to ease flooding upstream. The river approached 41 feet (12 m) at the Van Buren gauge over the course of several days, and
672-684: The Northwest Edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette . Van Buren's location at the junction of Interstate 40 , Interstate 540 , and the Arkansas / Oklahoma border yields surprisingly large tourism and hospitality industries. The city is also located at the junction of several state and U.S. highways including Arkansas Highway 59 , US 64 , and US 71 . A private airport, Twin Cities Airport (code 39AR),
714-462: The age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 33,608, and the median income for a family was $ 37,198. Males had a median income of $ 28,798 versus $ 21,201 for females. The per capita income for
756-401: The area for US$ 11,000. They moved their business of supplying firewood for steamboats to this new location on higher ground. The courthouse was constructed on a lot of land donated by Drennen on the condition that Van Buren become the county seat. The Drennen Reserve is one of the town's existing historical sites from the 1830s. Van Buren was incorporated on January 4, 1845. Walker Institute
798-511: The building remained a storefront with the top floor being an apartment. In the 1960's, Malco Theaters bought the property, but retained the name as the Bob Burn's Theater. It closed in 1974. In 1979 it was purchased by the City of Van Buren Community Development Agency and restored to the King Opera House. Many areas of the interior, including structural beams, still retained fire damage. Much of
840-482: The city was $ 14,948. About 13.5% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over. Van Buren is home to many large corporations within the state and employs a great deal of the city's population within its Port and Industrial Park district. Manufacturing, food processing, and medicine are sustaining industries in Van Buren. Major employers include poultry processor Simmons Foods ,
882-475: The city was 87.37% White , 1.64% Black or African American , 1.96% Native American , 2.82% Asian , 3.17% from other races , and 3.03% from two or more races. 6.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 6,947 households, of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were classified as non-families by
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#1732781166976924-705: The flooding damaged 25 homes in the Crawford County area. While one Crawford County levee sustained damage, no levee breaches occurred in Van Buren. On April 21, 1996 , at 11:12 p.m., an F3 tornado hit the Fort Smith/Van Buren area causing extensive damage. The tornado, which spawned in Oklahoma and crossed into west Fort Smith near the confluence of the Arkansas and Poteau rivers, killed two, injured 89 and caused $ 300 million in damage. The fatalities were small children from Fort Smith. At its worst,
966-467: The front of the building, but the opera house was soon finished later that same year. The first show to be put on would be "Faust" on October 18th, 1901. The opera house would remain busy, hosting many different types of acts and sermons until 1914. On March 14th, 1914, a fire began in a dry-cleaning storefront. The flames took over the opera house and damaged the entire interior. Despite the damage, vaudeville acts remained booked. On November 11th, 1914, it
1008-473: The ground was 7 miles (11 km). In total, there were around 1,800 homes damaged, the majority of which were in Van Buren. Van Buren is located in the southwest corner of Crawford County with the Arkansas– Oklahoma state line just 2 miles (3 km) to the west. The Arkansas River forms the southern boundary of the city, separating it from Fort Smith of Sebastian County . Lee Creek flows through
1050-432: The high 90s and low 100s in August. The average annual temperature is approximately 60 °F. Average precipitation is about 41 total inches, with only six inches being snow. July and August are the hottest months of the year, with an average high of 93 °F (34 °C) and an average low of 71.5 °F (21.9 °C). Temperatures above 100 °F (37.8 °C) are not uncommon, occurring on average eleven times
1092-456: The opera house's basement, in contrast, has two small dressing rooms and two closets. The basement can be highly cramped in its relatively modest changing area and green room , particularly for productions with large casts. The stage measures 28 feet wide from curtain to curtain, has a depth of 26.5 feet, and a baton height of 20 feet. The King Opera house has been reported to be haunted by staff and many citizens of Van Buren. The main haunting
1134-506: The restoration done during this time can still be seen today. The project took place until 1991. The City of Van Buren operated the building until 2022, when they turned over management to Arts on Main (the arts-centered nonprofit next to the building). The auditorium of the opera house has 218 seats on the ground level, with about 96 seats in the balcony; all seats on the ground floor have an intricate, period-correct design. Built to accommodate large and well-sized performances on its stage,
1176-478: The tornado was one half mile across. After leaving the downtown area of Fort Smith, it traveled northeast through industrial and residential sections of north Fort Smith, then crossed the Arkansas River again into the Mount Vista area on the west side of Van Buren and damaged a highly residential area where no fatalities occurred, although this area was very populated at the time. The total distance it traveled on
1218-641: The western side of the city into the Arkansas River. According to the United States Census Bureau , Van Buren has a total area of 16.5 square miles (42.7 km ), of which 15.4 square miles (40.0 km ) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.7 km ), or 6.34%, is water. Van Buren lies within a humid subtropical climate area. The city also lies on the eastern edge of the region known as Tornado Alley . Average temperatures range from 36 °F in January, to as high an average of 81 °F in July with temperatures reaching
1260-416: Was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 32,871, and the median income for a family was $ 36,741. Males had a median income of $ 29,581 versus $ 20,352 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 15,015. About 10.90% of families and 14.20% of the population were below
1302-408: Was 92.19% White , 0.87% Black or African American , 2.01% Native American , 1.19% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 1.48% from other races , and 2.24% from two or more races. 3.27% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 19,702 households, out of which 37.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.20% were married couples living together, 10.90% had
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1344-711: Was able to carry it in either of his presidential victories. The last Democrat (as of 2024) to carry this county was Jimmy Carter in 1976. Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the United States census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city
1386-480: Was announced the opera house would be renovated into a moving picture house. In February 1919, the remodel was finished and the doors opened as the Van Buren Theater. June 3rd, 1919, Joe Huff bought the building. In April 1920, he announced it would undergo another remodel. By the 1930's, the building was renamed to be the Bob Burn's Theater after the famous actor and radio star of Van Buren. The front of
1428-510: Was established near Van Buren in 1857. Peter A. Moses was principal. On December 28, 1862, Union and Confederate forces clashed in and around Van Buren, resulting in a defeat for the Confederates, led by Major General T. C. Hindman , driving them south across the river with minimal casualties. Federal forces captured 100 prisoners, as stated in an official report by Major General Samuel R. Curtis . In late May to early June 2019 ,
1470-782: Was named for William H. Crawford , the United States Secretary of War in 1815. Located largely within the Ozarks, the southern border of the county is the Arkansas River , placing the extreme southern edge of the county in the Arkansas River Valley . The frontier county became an early crossroads, beginning with a California Gold Rush and developing into the Butterfield Overland Mail , Civil War trails and railroads such as
1512-604: Was operational to the southeast of the city, but has been closed for many years. Modern railroads in the city include the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad . Intercity bus service to the city is provided by Jefferson Lines . The Van Buren School District is the largest school district in Crawford County, consisting of six elementary schools (grades K-5), two middle schools (grades 6–8), one ninth grade academy (grade 9) and one high school (grades 10–12). The Van Buren High School
1554-532: Was originally a station on the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway , pictured at the top of this page. As part of the primary Fort Smith metropolitan area, many Fort Smith based television stations including KHBS and KFSM , whose radio mast is built in Van Buren, provide local news and weather. The city's major newspaper is the Van Buren Press Argus-Courier ; however many people also read Fort Smith's Southwest Times Record , as well as
1596-508: Was settled by David Boyd and Thomas Martin in 1818. After Arkansas became a territory in 1819, Daniel and Thomas Phillips constructed a lumber yard in the community to serve as a fuel depot for traffic along the Arkansas River . In 1831, a post office was constructed for the community, at the time known as Phillips Landing. This post office was named after newly appointed Secretary of State and future President Martin Van Buren . John Drennen, along with his partner David Thompson, purchased
1638-428: Was titled "The King Opera House: A Paranormal Documentary" and can be found on Amazon Prime Video. Van Buren, Arkansas Van Buren ( / v æ n ˈ b jʊər ə n / van BURE -ən ) is the second-largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area and the county seat of Crawford County , Arkansas , United States. The city is located directly northeast of Fort Smith at
1680-614: Was used partly as the Willard Billiard Parlor and the other half was the Wallace Saloon and Restaurant. The second floor was home to the Van Buren Press newspaper. This structure was at the time known as the "Wallace Block". In 1898, the building was purchased by Col. Henry P. King. On February 3rd, 1901, it was announced the building would be transformed into an opera house. Small storefronts remained at
1722-564: Was waiting for his train at the depot, Dr. Parchman shot him multiple times. There was also a Paranormal Documentary made in 2023 directed by trailblazing film-maker and Arkansas native Gavin Webb. It goes into the history of the Opera house and how it came to be so haunted. Even talking about the days before it was the famous "King Opera House" and shows that a lady in white appears in the men's restroom asking for her husband then disappears. This film
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1764-474: Was −15 °F (−26.1 °C), in 1899. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 23,218 people, 8,990 households, and 6,011 families residing in the city. As of the census of 2000, there were 18,986 people, 6,947 households, and 5,182 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,260.7 inhabitants per square mile (486.8/km ). There were 7,427 housing units at an average density of 493.2 per square mile (190.4/km ). The racial makeup of
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