Conway, Arkansas

Not to be confused with Conway County, Arkansas.

Conway, Arkansas
City
Part of Conway's historic downtown
Nickname(s): City of Colleges
Motto: Unto the Whole Person
Location of Conway in Faulkner County
Conway, Arkansas Location in the United States
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	Faulkner
Founded	1872
Incorporated	October 16, 1875
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
• Mayor	Tab Townsell
Area
• City	60.20 sq mi (91.32 km2)
• Land	59.99 sq mi (90.77 km2)
• Water	0.21 sq mi (0.55 km2)
Elevation	312 ft (95 m)
Population (http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/0515190.html)
• City	64,490
• Density	1,075/sq mi (710.5/km2)
• Metro	729,135 (Little Rock - North Little Rock - Conway MSA 2,014 Estimate)
Demonym(s)	Conwegian
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	72032, 72033, 72034, 72035
Area code(s)	501
FIPS code	05-15190
GNIS feature ID	0076661
Website	www.cityofconway.org www.conwayarkansas.org

Conway is a city in and the county seat of Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 58,908 at the 2010 census and 64,490 at the 2014 population estimate, making Conway the seventh most populous city in Arkansas. It is a principal city of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had 729,135 people in 2014 and with 902,443 people in the Combined area. Conway is home to three post-secondary educational institutions, earning it the nickname "The City of Colleges."

History

The city of Conway was founded by Asa P. Robinson, who came to Conway shortly after the Civil War. Robinson was the chief engineer for the Little Rock-Fort Smith Railroad (now the Union Pacific). Part of his compensation was the deed to a tract of land, one square mile, located near the old settlement of Cadron. When the railroad came through, Robinson deeded a small tract of his land back to the railroad for a depot site. He laid off a town site around the depot and named it Conway Station, in honor of a famous Arkansas family. Conway Station contained two small stores, two saloons, a depot, some temporary housing and a post office. Despite being founded as a railroad town, there currently exists no passenger service. The disappearance of passenger rail service in the region is attributed to the emphasis placed on the automobile.

In 1878, Father Joseph Strub, a priest in the Roman Catholic Holy Ghost Fathers, arrived in Arkansas. A native of Alsace-Lorraine, Strub was expelled from Prussia during the Kulturkampf in 1872. He moved to the United States, settling in Pittsburgh where he founded Duquesne University in October 1878. Difficulties with Bishop John Tuigg led Strub to leave Pittsburgh in late October 1878 to travel to Conway, Arkansas. In 1879, Strub convinced the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad to deed 200,000 acres along the northern side of the Arkansas River to the Holy Ghost Fathers in order to found the St. Joseph Colony. This included land on which Father Strub founded and built St. Joseph Catholic Church of Conway. As part of the land deal, the railroad offered land at 20 cents per acre to every German immigrant. In order to attract Roman Catholic Germans to Conway and the surrounding areas, Father Strub wrote The Guiding Star for the St. Joseph Colony. In addition to extoling the qualities of Conway and the surrounding area, Father Strub provided information on how best to travel from Europe to Conway. By 1889, over 100 German families had settled in Conway, giving the town many its distinctively German street and business names.

Conway was long the home of the late Arkansas Supreme Court Associate Justice James D. Johnson (1924- 2010), who ran unsuccessful races for governor in 1956 against then fellow Democrat Orval Eugene Faubus and in 1966 against the Republican Winthrop Rockefeller. Johnson, a leading segregation activist during the confrontation over forced integration at Little Rock Central High School, went on to switch affiliation to the Republican Party in the 1980s, after the death of his nemesis Rockefeller. Johnson also lost an important race in 1968 for the United States Senate against the incumbent James William Fulbright. His wife, the late Virginia Johnson (1928- 2007), ran for governor in 1968, while he was running for U.S. Senator.

The late country singer Conway Twitty, originally named Harold Lloyd Jenkins, took the first part of his professional name by looking at a map and seeing the town of Conway.

Geography

Conway is located at .

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 60.20 square miles (155.9 km²), of which 59.99 square miles (155.4 km²) is land and 0.21 square miles (0.5 km², 0.60%) is water.

Districts

Conway has two designated historic districts: the Asa P. Robinson Historic District and the Hendrix Addition Historic District.

Since 2000, downtown Conway has seen tens of millions of dollars in public and private investment. The revitalization has brought new retail, office, restaurant and residential construction to the historic downtown.

File:EM Downtown shot.jpg

Downtown Conway at the intersection of Oak and Chestnut

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	1,028		—
1890	1,207		17.4%
1900	2,003		65.9%
1910	2,794		39.5%
1920	4,564		63.4%
1930	5,534		21.3%
1940	5,782		4.5%
1950	8,610		48.9%
1960	9,791		13.7%
1970	15,510		58.4%
1980	20,375		31.4%
1990	26,481		30.0%
2000	43,167		63.0%
2010	58,908		36.5%
Est. 2014	64,490		9.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 2014 Estimate

As of the census of 2000, there were 43,167 people, 16,039 households, and 10,168 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,231.7 people per square mile (475.5/km²). There were 17,289 housing units at an average density of 493.3 per square mile (190.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.0% White, 12.1% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 1.25% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.98% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. 3.47% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 16,039 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 22.4% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there are 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,063, and the median income for a family was $47,912. Males had a median income of $35,021 versus $25,418 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,509. About 9.3% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Conway is home to the following colleges and universities:

• Central Baptist College
• Hendrix College
• University of Central Arkansas
• OBU at New Life Church

More than 36 percent of Conway's adult workforce holds a baccalaureate degree or higher, making it the third best-educated city in Arkansas with a population greater than 10,000, after Maumelle and Fayetteville.

UCA offers more than 100 undergraduate courses of study, 33 master's degree programs, and four doctoral programs for students to explore. More than 11,000 students from 66 different countries and 39 states are part of UCA’s community.

Conway is also home to two private schools: Conway Christian School and St. Joseph Catholic School.

Conway Public Schools

With more than 9,400 students, Conway Public School District is the eighth largest in Arkansas. The district has 16 schools: one high school (grades 10-12), one junior high school (grades 8-9), four middle schools (grades 5-7), nine elementary schools (grades K-4) and a pre-K center. In fall of 2012, Conway Public Schools opened a new elementary school and completed the construction of the new Conway High School campus. Conway High School's mascot is the Wampus Cat, a fierce, fictional creature with six legs: "Four to run at the speed of light, two to fight with all its might."

Pre-K Center:

• Sallie Cone Pre-School Center

Elementary Schools:

• Carolyn Lewis
• Ellen Smith
• Ida Burns
• Julia Lee Moore
• Florence Mattison
• Marguerite Vann
• Jim Stone
• Theodore Jones
• Woodrow Cummins

Middle Schools:

• Raymond and Phyllis Simon
• Ruth Doyle

Construction of Conway High School

• Bob Courtway
• Carl Stuart

Junior High School:

• Conway Junior High School

High School:

• Conway High School

Statistics

• In 2011, 13 Conway High Graduates were National Merit Scholars. (3rd in the state)
• Conway finished 2nd out of the state's 40 largest school districts on the statewide benchmark exams. Conway ranked 14th out of all 247 Arkansas school districts.
• Of the more than 500 public elementary schools in Arkansas, Conway has three campuses in the top 15.
• More than half of the teaching staff at Conway Public Schools have at least a master's degree.
• The district has 35 National Board certified teachers
• The ACT composite score for the 2011 graduating class was 22.6 (national average is 21)

Cultural Activities

Part of Conway's historic downtown

The Conway Symphony Orchestra performs many times throughout the year, and Conway Community Arts Association has been presenting theatre and other art opportunities to the community for over forty years. The Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre is the state's only professional Shakespeare theater and it is based in Conway with an annual summer festival held in June.

There are also art, music and theater opportunities provided by Conway's three colleges. The University of Central Arkansas's Public Appearances program provides dance, music, and theater offerings each year.

Conway Public Schools has theater and music programs, with large concert and marching bands that consistently receive high marks in regional competitions.

One of the city's largest annual events, Toad Suck Daze, has been held since 1982. The three day community festival incorporates live music, food and craft vendors, and amusement rides during the first weekend of May. Proceeds from the festival fund college scholarships for local students.

Conway is a popular sport-fishing destination and is home to largest man-made Game and Fish commission lake in the United States. Lake Conway, home to largemouth bass, crappie, gar, catfish, bream, bowfin, etc. The Arkansas Crappie Masters state tournament is held here every year.

The city held its first ever EcoFest September 12, 2009, in Laurel Park. EcoFest included exhibits and events relating to "green" and sustainable initiatives, including a cardboard car derby and an alleycat bicycle ride. According to organizers led by Debbie Plopper, the event was a success. Mayor Tab Townsell said the event indicated to him that “interest in sustainability is flourishing in this community.”

Business and Industry

Downtown Conway

Conway was home to one of the world's largest school bus manufacturers, IC Corporation. The Conway plant was one of only two IC manufacturing plants; the other is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. IC Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Navistar International Corporation of Illinois. IC was previously known as American Transportation (AmTran) Corporation and Ward Body Works. The company was originally founded in 1933. IC Corporation closed its plant and moved all bus manufacturing operations to their Tulsa, OK plant in 2010, largely due to incentives offered by the City of Tulsa.

R. D. “Bob” Nabholz founded Nabholz Construction in Conway in 1949. It currently employs over 800 people company wide and it has been listed by Engineering News Record (ENR) magazine as one of the Top 400 General Contractors every year since 1986, currently the company is ranked #161.

Conway Corporation handles the local utilities (cable TV, Internet, and telephone services, in addition to electricity and water) for the city of Conway.

Acxiom Corporation, a global interactive marketing services company that uses consumer data, analytics, information technology, data integration, and consulting solutions to help companies conduct direct marketing programs, was founded in 1969 in Conway. Though it has its corporate headquarters in Little Rock, a large presence in Conway still remains.

On June 19, 2008, Hewlett-Packard announced it would be opening a 150,000 sq ft (14,000 m²) facility with 1200 employees in 2009. The building, which will be owned by the Conway Development Corporation and leased to HP, will be located in The Meadows Office and Technology Park - on the southern outskirts of town, and is built by Nabholz Construction.

Largest Employers

• Acxiom Corporation 1,800
• University of Central Arkansas 1,500
• Conway Regional Health System 1,330
• Conway Human Development Center 1,200
• Southwestern Energy Company 1,200
• Conway Public School System 1,100
• Hewlett Packard Enterprises 900
• Walmart (Three Stores) 825
• Kimberly Clark 700
• Virco Manufacturing 600
• Snap-On 550
• Nabholz Companies 500
• City of Conway 415
• Independent Living Services 375
• Hendrix College 350
• Home BancShares/Centennial Bank 329
• TOKUSEN 315
• Kroger (Two Stores) 300
• WestRock Co. 300
• Faulkner County 250
• Conway Corporation 200
• First Security Bank 200

Notable people

• Kris Allen, winner of American Idol Season 8
• George Washington Donaghey, former Arkansas Governor from 1909 to 1913
• Gil Gerard, actor known for title role in the TV series Buck Rogers
• Max Frauenthal, Civil War hero, leading Conway merchant, and founding father of Heber Springs
• Peyton Hillis, NFL football running back; Arkansas Razorbacks 2004–07, Denver Broncos 2008–10, Cleveland Browns 2010–2011, Kansas City Chiefs 2012, New York Giants 2013–present
• V. E. Howard, Church of Christ minister who founded the radio International Gospel Hour; was a clergyman early in his career in Conway
• Elijah Pitts, NFL football running back; Green Bay Packers 1960s, rushed for two TDs in Super Bowl I
• James D. Johnson (d. 2010), late Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court and 1966 Democratic gubernatorial nominee; resided in Conway with wife Virginia Morris Johnson, his legal secretary and an unsuccessful 1968 candidate for Governor of Arkansas
• William Andrew "Andy" Long, killed in the 2009 Little Rock military recruiting office shooting
• David Meeks, Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Conway
• Bryce Molder, PGA Tour Professional golfer
• Scottie Pippen, NBA professional basketball player; attended the University of Central Arkansas
• Marvin Delph, Arkansas Razorback basketball player; one of the famed "Triplets" who led Hogs to 1978 NCAA Final Four
• Les Eaves, state representative for White County since 2015; born in Conway
• Orval Faubus, 36th Governor of Arkansas, resided in his later years in Conway
• Hiroyuki Nishimura, founded the Japanese website 2ch while studying at the University of Central Arkansas
• Ray Thornton, former U.S. Congressman and former justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court

National Recognition

Conway and the surrounding MSA has been recognized nationally for its quality of life and growing economy.

• Named a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists (2011)
• 7th Best Value for a City for 2011 - Kiplinger (2011)
• 14th Best City for Young Professionals - Forbes (2011)
• 6th "Geekiest" City in America - OnlineUniversities.com (2011)
• 14th Cheapest City in the U.S. - Forbes (2011)
• 25 Best Places to Retire - CNNMoney (2011)
• 100 Leading Locations: Desirable Places for Doing Business - Area Development Online (2011)
• 40 Strongest Metro Economies - Bloomberg BusinessWeek (2012)
• 10 Cheapest Cities in the Country - Yahoo! Homes (2012)
• Best Places for Business and Careers, Metro Areas - Forbes (2012)
• 13 Highest Percentage of Job Growth in the United States, county - CNNMoney (2012)
• 25 Best Places to Retire - CNNMoney (2012)

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Conway has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

External links

• Access Conway, the official government website of the City of Conway
• Conway Area Chamber of Commerce official website