El
Dorado (pronounced to rhyme with tornado (IPA:
[εl doˈreɪdoʊ] or [εl dəˈreɪdə])) is a city in Union
County
, Arkansas
, USA
.
According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the
city is 20,467. The city is the
county
seat of Union County, and home to the headquarters of
Murphy Oil Corporation,
Deltic Timber Corporation, and
Lion Oil Refinery. The city hosts a
community college,
South Arkansas Community
College ("Southark"), as well as a symphony and an arts center.
Most recently, El Dorado has become a community of education with
the January 2007 announcement by Murphy Oil Corporation of the El
Dorado Promise, a scholarship program that allows all El Dorado
High School graduates who have been at the school since at least
the ninth grade to attend any college in the country of their
choice.
Geography
El Dorado is located at (33.213521, -92.662553).
According to the
United
States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
16.3 square miles (42.3 km²), of which, 16.3 square
miles (42.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles
(0.1 km²) of it (0.31%) is water.
Major highways
Demographics
As of the
census of 2000, there were 21,530
people, 8,686 households, and 5,732 families residing in the city.
The
population density was
1,323.3 people per square mile (510.9/km²). There were 9,891
housing units at an average density of 607.9/sq mi
(234.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 53.66%
White, 44.18%
Black or
African American, 0.20%
Native American, 0.71%
Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander, 0.39% from
other races, and 0.86%
from two or more races. 1.04% of the population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race.
There were 8,686 households out of which 30.7% had children under
the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were
married couples living together, 19.1% had a female
householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families.
Of 8,686 households, 304 are unmarried partner households: 243
heterosexual, 19 same-sex male, and 42 same-sex female. (Note:
Stigmatization of
homosexuality may
prevent
same-sex couples from
reporting themselves as such on the US Census, especially in more
conservative areas.) 30.7% of all
households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living
alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city, the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age
of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to
64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was
38 years. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males. For every
100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,045, and the
median income for a family was $34,753. Males had a median income
of $30,876 versus $19,211 for females. The
per capita income for the city was
$16,332. About 20.0% of families and 24.6% of the population were
below the
poverty line, including 36.3%
of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.
Historical figures
Year |
Population |
1900 |
500 |
1940 |
15,900 |
1950 |
23,100 |
1960 |
25,300 |
1970 |
25,300 |
1980 |
26,700 |
1990 |
23,100 |
2000 |
21,530 |
Climate data
Education
According to the 2000 Census, 22.5% of the population age 25+ had
an Associates Degree or higher. As of 2000, there were 1,172
students enrolled in public high schools. Starting with the class
of 2007, children who continuously attend El Dorado High School and
reside in the school district are eligible for a college
scholarship through a program called the El Dorado Promise.
Points of interest
- South Arkansas
Arboretum
- South Arkansas Arts
Center
- South Arkansas
Symphony Orchestra
- Courthouse Square (including public artwork)
- Historic Main Street Pizza
- Rialto Theatre (one of the oldest theaters in Arkansas,
considered "haunted", currently closed due to sale by owner)
- Bodenhamer Skate Park
- Murphy Oil Corp. Headquarters located in downtown El
Dorado
- Memorial Stadium
- 6 City Parks
- Shopping Areas such as: Madison Square Shopping Center, The
Commons, Northwest Village Shopping Centre, and a fully revived
downtown area including coffee shops, diners and more.
- Nostalgic local eateries such as: The Spudnut Shop, Shipley's,
The Townhouse, JJ's BBQ and many more.
- South Arkansas
Municipal Auditorium: Full service Auditorium featuring musical
acts on tour.
- Showdown at Sunset (A play that occurs in the summer and gives
detail about the city's history)
Annual Events
El Dorado is the site for several annual events, including the
Mayhaw Festival hosted by the South Arkansas
Historical Foundation the first Saturday of each May (with a
crawfish boil the same weekend), a Fantastic Fourth Celebration
during July (including a 5k run, an antique car show, and
fireworks), the SouthArk Outdoor Expo in September, the two-day
MusicFest: a beer festival in October (with pop, rock, blues, and
country performers, among other events), and various winter holiday
events, including the largest
Christmas
parade in the state. The above mentioned Crawfish Boil has become
so much more. It now hosts a "Battle of the Bands", a Bike show/one
day motorcycle rally, a motorcycle parade, a Pool tournament, and
much more. The official name of the event is
"Bugs, Bands and Bikes".MusicFest El Dorado
takes place the first weekend in October each year. MusicFest XXII
took place October 2 and 3, 2009.The event takes up eight city
blocks and features over 30 acts on five stages. 2009 headliners
included Blues Traveler, Jack Ingram, Joe Nichols, Patrice Pike and
Trout Fishing in America. The event received the coveted Festival
of the Year Award in 2009 by the Arkansas Festival & Event
Association in 2008. Past headliners include Toby Keith, the
Charlie Daniels Band, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Tracy
Lawrence, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, John Anderson, Eddie Money and
more.
Airport
El Dorado is home to two airports, one commercial and one small
General Aviation only airport. Both are owned by the city.
The
South Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin
Field
, which offers mostly private aircraft, but also
commercial service on one airline carrier. El Dorado's
second airport is located within the city limits and closer to the
downtown area. The
El Dorado
Downtown Airport has flights in and out for local industries
including
Fortune 500 oil and gas
companies. People who own small private planes have the option to
lease or own their own
hangar here.
Media
El Dorado is home to one public radio station and seven commercial
radio stations which are operated by two ownership groups,
Noalmark Broadcasting
Corporation, and El Dorado Broadcasting.
- KIX
103, KIXB
([15748]) is also known
as The Country Leader. The format is Country.
- Mix
96.1, KMRX
([15749]) is
also known as The Continuous Hit Music Station. The format
is Hot Adult
Contemporary.
- "The
Eagle", KAGL
93.1 FM
([15750]) carries a Classic
rock format.
- KELD AM 1400, "The Fan" ([15751])
is Noalmark Broadcasting Corporation's only AM station in El
Dorado. The format is Sports Talk. KELD
is a 24 hour station.
- KELD-FM ([15752],
licensed to Hampton,
Arkansas
in Calhoun
County
. This is Union County's only News Talk radio station with personalities like
Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Laura Schlesinger, Paul Harvey, and Laura
Ingraham
- KMLK
101.5 FM
([15753]) is The Touch. The format is Urban Adult Contemporary.
- Red River Radio
([15754]) is a four station public radio network and
NPR affiliate based out of Shreveport, LA. As part of the
network, local station KBSA 90.9 FM became is the first HD Digital
Radio broadcaster in the South Arkansas region. he station and
network is supported primarily through listener and corporate
contributions.
El Dorado Broadcasting owns two and
Noalmark Broadcasting
Corporation owns and operates five radio stations:
- El Dorado Broadcasting owns KLBQ, also
known as Q99 Today's Best Music. The format is Hot Adult
Contemporary. In 2007, program director Dan Murphy was recognized
as the Top 40 PD of the year by the New
Music Awards. Murphy was arrested in 2008 for allegedly selling
copyrighted syndication programs online, for which he did not have
permission.
- KDMS 1290 AM is a Southern Gospel station.
El Dorado is also served by
All three
transmitters are located east of El Dorado, in Huttig,
Arkansas
. While KTVE no longer considers El Dorado
their primary newsroom, the station is licensed to El Dorado by the
FCC.
The
station moved primary operations to Monroe, Louisiana
in 1988.
El Dorado is also served by the El Dorado News-Times, one of the
oldest newspapers in South Arkansas as well as a free community
newspaper The South Arkansas Leader which is owned and operated by
broadcasters Noalmark Broadcasting Corporation.
Oil discoveries

El Dorado during the oil boom of the
1920s.
*Known as Arkansas's boomtown because of oil discoveries in the
1920s and in 1937. Several oil refineries are based or started in
El Dorado.
[15755]
Murphy Oil, a S&P 500 company, has
its corporate headquarters in El Dorado.
Notable natives and residents
- Donna Axum, 1964 Miss America
- Benito Bagoce, former dancer for
M.C. Hammer and current solo R&B performer
- Lou Brock, member
of the Baseball
Hall of Fame

- Reese Cates,
PBR bull rider and 2008 PBR Rookie of the Year;
currently lives in Carthage, Texas
.
- Charlie Daniels,
Arkansas politician
- Candice Earley, actress
- Michael G. Fitzgerald, film historian and
author
- David Frizzell, country music
singer
- Lefty Frizzell, country music
singer
- Dave Gibson, country music
singer
- Hogan Gidley, former Executive
Director of the South Carolina Republican Party. Gidley previously
served as Press Secretary to the David Beasley for Senate campaign
and Karen Floyd for Superintendent of Education. Gidley served on
the campaign committee of former U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina
.
- Walter John Giller, III,
Deputy Surgeon General of the Air Force
- Gerry Haner, singer, song writer and
guitarist for Kcor
- Glen Ray Hines, professional
football player
- Lamar Hunt, sports
promoter and member of Pro Football Hall of Fame

- E. Fay
Jones, architect & student of Frank Lloyd Wright
- Charles Portis, author
- William Ragsdale, actor
- Albert Rust, former U.S. Representative
- Adam Setliff, two time Olympic
discus thrower
- George W. Shannon, journalist
- Reece Tatum, of the Harlem Globetrotters
- Theresa A. Thomas - Waller, writer
- Dave Whitlock, light heavyweight professional prize
fighter who fought Floyd Patterson
in September 1955
- Leon "Pee Wee" Whittaker, African American trombonist lived in El Dorado in the early
1950s.
Notes
- http://www.populstat.info/Americas/usas-art.htm
- US Census Bureau Quick facts Sheet accessed 1 February 2007 at
http://censtats.census.gov/data/AR/1600521070.pdf
- American fact finder, US Census Bureau. Accessed 1 February
2007 at
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/QTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=16000US0521070&-qr_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U_QTP19&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U&-redoLog=false
- Press Release from the El Dorado School district accessed 1
February 2007 at
http://www.eldoradopromise.com/pdf/EDP_Press_Release_012207.pdf
- Promise FAQ accessed 1 February 2007 at
http://www.eldoradopromise.com/faq.html
- FlightAware > Resources > Airport > S Arkansas
Regional Airport (El Dorado, AR) [KELD/ELD]
References
External links