Boone County

Boone County was formed April 9, 1869, the 63rd county formed in Arkansas and one of the first to be created after the Civil War. Harrison, the county seat, has been rated by Rand McNally's Places Rated Retirement Guide as one of the Top 10 most ideal retirement spots in the country for climate and terrain, housing, affordability, low crime, health-care facilities, and recreational opportunities. The landscape of the county is flat-topped mountains and rugged terrain of the Ozark Mountains. Once a zinc and lead mining area, Boone County depends more now on cattle and timber as its economic base. Shops featuring Ozark handmade arts and crafts, restaurants, homestyle cured meats, and mountain cooking are dotted along Scenic Highway 7 that stretches through Boone County. Both Bull Shoals and Table Rock lakes are well known for fishing and camping and picturesque Crooked Creek, an Ozark Mountain stream, is noted for its excellent smallmouth bass fishing. As of the 2000 census, Boone County had a population of 33,948 residents.