Judsonia

Formerly Prospect Bluff (1840) and founded by Erastus Gregory who had purchased the land 12 Aug 1935 at a cost of $1.50 per acre. At one time a thriving steamboat landing, port to such boats as the Des Arc and Hardcash (Chickasaw). After the Civil War, Northerners invaded the town in response to Judson University's recruitment program & settled in the northern side of town, close to the university. In 1872-73 the Cario & Fulton RR laid tracks and built the first depot in White County a half-mile out of town. There was no bridge so people had to cross the river by boat and board another train. On 15 Apr 1972 the name was changed toJudsonia and was incorporated to help promote the University. It has the unusual honor of having a Union Army Cemetery here because of all the Yankees who lived there during the war. (Evergreen Cemetery) In 1874 the first strawberries in White County were raised at Judsonia.

© 1996 by Bonnie Baker-Palmer; all rights reserved. This information may be used for research only. Commercial use of this information is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright notice must appear with the information. Any use via internet links or otherwise by the US GenWeb Project does not give them or any of their representatives the rights to this or any other of my written material , implied or otherwise
© That's Judsonia by W.E. Orr

Erastus Gregory built the first home on the high north bank of the Little Red at what became Prospect Bluff about 1835. On October 27, 1835 he was commissioned justice of the peace. Prospect Bluff was the first town to be laid out by a surveyor in White County and filed January 1, 1840. On April 7, 1874 the town of Prospect Bluff and Judsonia where Judson University (established in 1871) was located were merged into one and called Judsonia and is the only one in the world to bear that name.

From ©That's Judsonia, written by W.E. "Skinny" Orr in 1957 by White County Printing Company

Mayor: Rickey Veach (D)
POB 240, Judsonia, AR 72081-0240
City Clerk: LaJunta Whitener

City Council:

POLICE CHIEF: Ray Coffman, Officer, 729-3454, POB 306, Judsonia, 72081
judsonia@ipa.net

Judsonia boasts a strong, new infrastructure, according to Mayor Charles Buice, who said the city has recently made significant repairs on everything from streets to drainage.

"We spent $40,000 on paving this year," Buice said., adding that the city spent $70,000 on its streets last year, to make a noticeable improvement.

These improvements should facilitate growth both inside and out, according to Buice, who said he is interested in annexing to increase the physical size of the city. The last census set the population at 1,915.

"We are not in an abundance of vacant property," he said. "We need to expand geographically," to the east and northwest, he added.

Expansion means offering facilities such as police, fire water and sewer services to neighboring areas, according to Buice.

Buice said the city also has plans to "improve the looks of the downtown business area." This project would mean tearing down abandoned buildings and houses.

The city has already removed several such houses, Buice said, in an effort to "become the cleanest little town, the friendliest little town in Arkansas."

1,1 Jewel B. Spurlock (D)	2,1 Ronnie Schlem (D)	3,1 Wayne Edens (D)
1,2 Greg Bell (I)	2,2 Katherine "Kitty" Conley (D)	3,2 Jimmy Dale King (D)