Sevier County

Sevier County was created on October 17,1828, by the Territorial Legislature from parts of Hempstead and Miller counties and was named for Ambrose H. Sevier, a territorial delegate to Congress who was influential in winning statehood for Arkansas in 1836 and became Arkansas' first U.S. Senator. DeQueen is the county seat. The landscape of the county is rugged terrain in the extreme north and rolling hills in the south. The economic base of the county is made up of timber, poultry processing plants, livestock production, cattle, poultry, swine, and some light manufacturing. Sevier County is also known as the Land of the Lakes because it sits in the midst of a complex of reservoirs in both Arkansas and Oklahoma. DeQueen Lake is a clear, clean, mountain lake in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains and offers swimming, water-skiing, diving, camping and fishing. Lake Millwood is well known as one of the best fishing lakes. Dierks Lake has fishing, boating, picnicking, camping, swimming and sightseeing. The Cossatot River is well known for floating, kayaking, and bass fishing. The Historical Society's museum covers the county's early history from 1828 to 1940. As of the 2000 census, Sevier County had a population of 15,757 residents.