Izard
County Courthouse
Melbourne
72556 |
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(870) 368-4328
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Izard County was formed on October 17, 1825, as the 13th county of the Territory of Arkansas from parts of Independence County. It was named for George Izard, the second Governor of the territory. Melbourne is the county seat. The landscape of the county is rugged and mountainous. Izard County courthouse holds lots of history. It was built of brick and concrete faced with shaped, quarried native limestone and sits on a six-foot mound surrounded by a matching limestone retaining wall. A doughboy statue commemorating World War I county veterans, a historical marker, and a small hexagonal band shell sit on the courthouse ground. There still remains an original painting hanging in the courthouse warning “$5.00 fine to spit on floor, no exceptions.” The Ozark hill country is good for raising cattle, and timber, and silica sand is found in the rivers. Small manufacturing has boosted the economy. The White River forms the southwestern border and provides recreation and fishing. A world-famous trout fishing river, the White, brings cold water from the depths of Bull Shoals and Norfork lakes, gradually warming near Batesville. The Strawberry River is a good stream for floaters and on this river is located Horseshoe Bend, a resort retirement community featuring lakes, golf course, health spa, tennis facilities, and a shopping center. The rugged hill country offers hunting and natural Ozark beauty. Two highways, No 9 and No 58, both offer scenic beauty. Calico Rock, a quaint old town, sits on the bluffs above the White River and offers its small-town charm. Many tourists visit Izard County each year recognizing that the county has a fragile environment, easy to destroy but impossible to replace.
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