Grant County

The first Reconstruction Legislature from territory taken from Hot Spring, Jefferson and Saline counties formed Grant County on February 4, 1869. It was named for Ulysses S. Grant who had been elected President of the United States in November 1868. The county seat is Sheridan. Grant County is a large, rural county of rolling, pine-covered hills owned by big timber companies. The pine-covered cutover land is a sanctuary for many bird species. The Saline River winds through Grant County and into the Quachita River in southern Arkansas. Fishing and hunting are extremely popular. Jenkins Ferry State Park, a Civil War battle site, features swimming, picnicking and a boat launch ramp into the Saline River. The Grant County Museum exhibits artifacts of area history going back to the Indian cultures. As of the 2000 census, Grant County had a population of 16,464 residents.