Bono, Arkansas

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Bono is a city in Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,512 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Jonesboro, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Bono is located at 35°54′38″N, 90°47′48″W (35.910612, -90.796788)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.7 km² (1.4 mi²), all land.

Bono's most prominent landmarks are the locally notorious Bono Bridge and the quaint, charming Bono Cemetery (brutally vandalized in 1987).

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 1,512 people, 574 households, and 435 families residing in the city. The population density was 405.4/km² (1,052.5/mi²). There were 634 housing units at an average density of 170.0/km² (441.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.69% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.66% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. 1.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 574 households out of which 42.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the city the population was spread out with 31.1% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,307, and the median income for a family was $33,618. Males had a median income of $25,063 versus $18,426 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,764. About 13.6% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

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Bonnerville was established at the time of the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railroad began operation in Craighead County in 1883. The railroad company wanted to establish a station to serve the large Big Creek Farming community.

Mr. Alfred Bonner, a well-to-do farmer, offered to donate land for the railroad station and post office if the town was named after him. Since Mr. Bonner also owned a good deal of the virgin timber in the Cache River Valley he realized the importance of locating a railroad station in the area.

When the town first started, it consisted of a small grocery store, a depot, several churches, section houses, a few small houses, tents, and a sawmill. The town became one of Craighead County's most important business centers for the time. The first stores were located in the Jim Rains building, where a saloon was conducted, and W.R. Benix commissary.

The Bonnerville post office which had been in operation unofficially since October 4, 1883, was discontinued on February 5, 1884 after the application to establish the post office was denied by postal authorities in Washington, D.C. The application was denied due to confusion caused by the other similarly named towns of Banner and Booneville. In the official notice from the Postal Department there was reference to the "late Bonnerville" and in the same handwriting the name Bono had been written in. After much discussion by local residents, the town's name was changed from Bonnerville to Bono. Postal authorities approved of the new name and the Bono post office was established on November 20, 1884 with Mr. James M. Fisher in charge as postmaster. The railroad continued to use the name of Bonnerville to identify the station until the railroad lines were acquired by Frisco lines in 1901, and in 1909 the station name was changed to Bono. Bono was later incorporated in 1916.

Elvis Presley came to the Bono school district's gym to play a concert in the 1950's. The show was organized by Barbara Smith and Betty Craft, both of whom were high school students at the time. Rumor has it that the concert was so wild that Elvis stomped a hole in the gym floor with his boot.