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Philips County was founded on May 1, 1820 along the eastern edge of Arkansas with the Mississippi River as its border. The first residents relied on fur-trading and hunting for their livelihood, but as time passed, the rich soil and lush forests produced an economy based on cotton and timber.
The county is often called the "gateway to the Mississippi Delta." The economy is still largely agrarian, but the largest employer is the school system. Towns are isolated, unemployment is high and poverty (38% according to the U.S. Census) is rampant. The population is 26,000; 59 percent of the residents are African American.
