Drew County, Arkansas

Drew County is a county located in the southeast region of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,509, making it the thirty-ninth most populous of Arkansas's seventy-five counties. The county seat and largest city is Monticello. Drew County was formed on November 26, 1846, and named for Thomas Drew, the 3rd governor of Arkansas. Located on the edge of the Arkansas Timberlands and the Arkansas Delta, fertile soils brought early settlers prosperity through crops of corn and cotton as well as apples, peaches and tomatoes. Following the Civil War, the boundaries of Drew County changed and timber harvesting became an important industry. As a variety of industries began to move to the county, several colleges were founded in the county in the early part of the 20th century, one evolving into University of Arkansas at Monticello. Today the county has a diverse economy and is an economic focal point in southeast Arkansas.