Wideman, Arkansas

From the name, you might think Wideman is a wide place in the road. You would be right.

Wideman is in Izard County, not far south of the Missouri state line. The town is not incorporated. U.S. Geological Survey has Wideman on the map sheet marked Pineville.

In 2010, Izard County’s population was 13,696. The highest ever population was 14,561 in 1910. In 1960, the population was down to 6,766.

Bear Creek runs into Indian Creek just north of Wideman, Arkansas. Explanation isn’t necessary as to how the creeks got their names. Bear Creek begins northeast of Wideman, runs into a lake, and then southeast for a few miles before turning just about due east. The creek bears slightly to the northeast before entering Indian Creek.

Indian Creek starts in the hills northeast of Wideman and flows southwest quite a few mils before joining Piney Creek just north of a quarry.

Bestplaces dot net has Wideman’s 2016 population as 336. That site says the median age is 19.9. The U.S. median age is 37.4. A questionable figure has the community’s 1990 population as 32. Marriage figures show 49.83% married; 50.17% never married. Two-third of married couples have children; one-third of single (women? Persons?) have children.

The Facebook page on “Things to do in Wideman” is blank. Not necessarily a bad thing.

The Uber website says the company needs drivers in Wideman, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

Here is a satellite photograph:

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1864568,-92.0109512,611m/data=!3m1!1e3

Wiseman, Arkansas

Wiseman is on the Strawberry River in Izard County.

Here is a satellite photograph: https://www.google.com/maps/@36.23497,-91.817087,695m/data=!3m1!1e3

There are some farm houses and outbuildings.

http://www.unitedstateszipcodes.org/72587/ sums up a lot of areas of North Arkansas: “The people living in ZIP code 72587 are primarily white. The number of middle aged adults is extremely large while the number of seniors is extremely large. There are also a large number of single adults and a small number of single parents. The percentage of children under 18 living in the 72587 ZIP code is small compared to other areas of the country.”

Population of the Zip Code is 134, with a median household income of $36,618 and median home value of $86,500. Of those 134 residents, 70 are male and 64 are women. One is “Black or African American,” but the gender is not identified.

Forty-two percent of the homes are paid for; 32% are still under mortgage. Forty-one percent of the residents do not have a high school diploma; 59% are high school graduates.

https://www.zip-codes.com/zip-code/72587/zip-code-72587.asp is at odds with the other link, stating the current population is 54, and the 2010 population was 134. If that’s the case, you wonder where the 80 people went. That’s the thing with government numbers – you never know which ones are correct. If any.

There is a cemetery: http://arkansasgravestones.org/cemetery.php?cemID=4009
There are veterans from World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam as well as those who served in peacetime.

Lawrence W. Moser is buried there. He was awarded the Silver Star while with the 6th Armored Division in World War II. Also, Staff Sgt. Boyd G. Smith, World War II, Korea and Vietnam with the Army Air Force and Air Force.

Sage, Arkansas

Sage is in Izard County, southeast of Calico Rock and due south of Violet Hill. Bluegrass music-sounding names.

In the 2010 census, Izard County’s population was 13,696. The 2000 census population was 13,249. Of those, 96.4% were white. Poverty-wise, 13.6% of families and 17.2% of the total population lived below the official poverty line, including 22.4% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those older than 65.

Townships in Izard County include: Barren Fork, Big Spring, Drytown, Gid, Mill Creek, Mount Olive, New Hope, Pleasant Hill, Strawberry and Union. Wikipedia says: “Gid is the name of Gid Bruce. The community received its name in 1888 when promoters of a post office couldn't agree on a name, and so decided to name it for whomever walked in next.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gid,_Arkansas

Not far northeast of Sage is Melbourne Municipal-John E. Miller Field. Across LaCrosse Road from the airport is Coopers Hawk Golf Club. Zion is a few miles northwest of Sage.

zipcodedownload.com has Sage’s population at 278. Arkansas.hometownlocater says the population is 401. That site also says the town has 31 vacant housing units. Local.niche.com gives Sage an overall grade of C+, with C in nightlife and C- in “diversity.” Niche says the “Most Represented Ethnicity” is 100%. That means “White.” Nightlife? C+ on “Access to Bars”; C- on “Access to Restaurants”; and 0.0% “Millennial Newcomers.”

Small town, close to the Ozarks. Lots of pasture, woods, creeks and hills.