Pocahontas

Pocahontas, c.1595-1617, Native North American woman, daughter of Chief Powhatan. Pocahontas, meaning "playful one" (her real name was said to be Matoaka), used to visit the English in Virginia at Jamestown. According to the famous story, she saved the life of the captured Capt. John Smith just as he was about to have his head smashed at the direction of Powhatan. In 1613, Pocahontas was captured by Capt. Samuel Argall, taken to Jamestown, and held as a hostage for English prisoners then in the hands of her father. At Jamestown she was converted to Christianity and baptized as Rebecca. John Rolfe, a settler, gained the permission of Powhatan and the governor, Sir Thomas Dale, and married her in Apr., 1614. The union brought peace with the Native Americans for eight years. With her husband and several other Native Americans, Pocahontas went to England in 1616. There she was received as a princess and presented to the king and queen. She started back to America in 1617 but was taken ill and died at Gravesend, where she was buried. Pocahontas bore one son, Thomas Rolfe, who was educated in England, went (1640) to Virginia, and gained considerable wealth.

(born circa 1596, near present-day Jamestown, Va. [U.S.]—died March 1617, Gravesend, Kent, Eng.) Powhatan Indian woman. Daughter of the powerful chief Powhatan, Pocahontas helped maintain peace between English colonists and Native Americans by befriending the settlers at Jamestown, Va. By the account of colonial leader John Smith, Pocahontas intervened to save his life after he had been taken prisoner by her father's men. She subsequently converted to Christianity and wedded the colonist John Rolfe, which furthered efforts toward peace. She traveled to England, where she was received at court, but soon afterward she died, probably of lung disease.

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Pocahontas is a city in Randolph County, Arkansas, United States, along the Black River. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 6,765. The city is the county seat of Randolph County.

Pocahontas has a number of historic buildings, including:

• Old Randolph County Courthouse (1871), still defining the center of town
• St. Mary's AME Church and Pocahontas Colored School (1918), now home to the Eddie Mae Herron Center

Pocahontas is the home of Black River Technical College.

In How Few Remain, an alternative history novel by Harry Turtledove, the town is mentioned as the only Confederate town taken by the US during the Second Mexican War.

Geography

Pocahontas is located at (36.263560, -90.973349).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.6 square miles (19.6 km²), of which, 7.3 square miles (19.0 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (2.78%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,518 people, 2,693 households, and 1,742 families residing in the city. The population density was 886.6 people per square mile (342.4/km²). There were 2,924 housing units at an average density of 397.7/sq mi (153.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.27% Caucasian, 1.10% Black or African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. 0.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,693 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 84.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,450, and the median income for a family was $29,525. Males had a median income of $26,382 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,529. About 15.6% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.9% of those under age 18 and 16.5% of those age 65 or over.

Noted natives

• Edwin Bethune- A former member of the United States House of Representatives, Bethune graduated from Pocahontas High School but left the community permanently in 1972. He did not represent Randolph County in Congress.
• Wear Schoonover, Pocahontas native, was the first University of Arkansas athlete in any sport named to an all American team. Schoonover starred as a wide receiver for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in 1927-1929. He was named All American in 1929. Schoonover was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1967. All Southwest Conference in basketball, he also excelled at college baseball and track and field and achieved the highest GPA (pre-law) of any Arkansas athlete through the 1980s. His name is reflected by the title of the local high school basketball court (Schoonover Fieldhouse) as well as the high school football field (Schoonover Stadium).

Other facts

• Pocahontas is home to the Pocahontas Public Schools, which are made up of Alma Spikes Elementary School, M. D. Williams Intermediate School, Pocahontas Junior High School and Pocahontas High School. Pocahontas' school mascot is the redskin.
• Pocahontas is also home to KPOC/KRLW AM/FM Radio stations. The stations "better known names" are as follows: KPOC-FM is better known as Lite 104.1 FM; KPOC is News Sports Talk 1420 AM; KRLW-FM is Country 106.3 FM; and KRLW is Oldies 1320 AM. While the KRLW radio stations are broadcast centrally to the Walnut Ridge/Hoxie area (a neighboring community roughly 15 miles away), the actual broadcasting location as well as main offices are centered with KPOC inside of Pocahontas. The stations are operated by Combined Media Group, Inc.

References

External links

• Ozark Acres Weather
• Randolph County Heritage Museum
• Downtown Art Association of Pocahontas
• Eddie Mae Herron Center - Museum of African American History and Heritage and Community Center
• Randolph County Tourism Association
• Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry: Pocahontas (Randolph County)