Saline  County

Saline County was formed on November 2, 1835, from parts of Pulaski and Hempstead counties. Its name comes from early salt works in the area that supplied salt to all of Arkansas and shipped salt to Tennessee, Louisiana, and east Texas. The salt sold for $1.50 per bushel. The county seat is Benton. The landscape of Saline County is hilly terrain in the north and rolling hills in the south. At one time Arkansas accounted for 97% of the country’s production of bauxite, used to make aluminum and most of that came from Saline County. The ore was discovered in 1887. Ups and downs in the aluminum industry have caused more diversification in the recent years and small manufacturing and service companies have added to the economy of the county. Benton, the county seat, is geographically in the center of the state and within minutes of metropolitan amenities, enjoys the small town comfort along with national forest recreation and natural beauty. The Saline River runs through the county offering good fishing. The Gann Museum of Saline County is composed of large bauxite boulders and contains a collection of antiques and memorabilia on the county’s history. The county courthouse, a stately southern building, has been the setting for several scenes from the 1972 movie “White Lightning” starring Burt Reynolds and using many local residents at extras in the film.

200 North Main Street
Benton 72015

5013035600
www.salinecounty.org

County Officials   Phone   Fax   E-Mail
County Judge   Lanny Fite   (501) 303-5640   (501) 303-5682   lfite@salinecounty.org
County Clerk   Freddy Burton   (501) 303-5630   (501) 776-2412   darlena@salinecounty.org
Circuit Clerk   Dennis Milligan   (501) 303-5615     dennismilligan@salinecounty.org
County Sheriff   Bruce Pennington   (501) 303-5609   (501) 303-5747   bpennington@scsosheriff.org
County Collector   Joy Ballard   (501) 303-5620   (501) 303-5619   joy.ballard@salinecollector.org
County Treasurer   Sandra McPherson   (501) 303-5633   (501) 303-5634   sandram@salinecounty.org
County Assessor   Jim Crawford   (501) 303-5622   (501) 303-5714   jim@salineassessor.org
County Coroner   Will Bearden   (501) 303-1559   (501) 303-1560  
Justice of the Peace   Pat Bisbee      
Justice of the Peace   Doug Curtis      
Justice of the Peace   Allan Dabbs      
Justice of the Peace   Larry Dale Gann      
Justice of the Peace   Sherry Lynn Gilbert      
Justice of the Peace   Barbara Howell      
Justice of the Peace   Mel Kirby      
Justice of the Peace   Mark Kizer      
Justice of the Peace   Tom Lish      
Justice of the Peace   Justin Meeks      
Justice of the Peace   Greg Thomas      
Justice of the Peace   J.R. Walters      
Justice of the Peace   Buster Warrick