Altheimer

History

The city was named for brothers Joseph and Louis Altheimer, two Pine Bluff merchants. Louis, who was born in Eberstadt in 1850, read stories by German adventurer Frederick Gerstacker telling of the rich natural resources in Arkansas, and left for America as a teenager, eventually settling in Pine Bluff. Louis brought his brother Joseph with him to the land that would eventually bear their name. Joseph's son, Benjamin, became a successful attorney, establishing the prominent Chicago law firm of Altheimer, Mayer, Woods, and Smith (later known as Altheimer & Gray), and serving twice as president of Chicago's Iroquois Club, the city's oldest Democratic Party political club. Benjamin owned of land in Arkansas. His foundation, the Ben J. Altheimer Foundation, provided scholarships and funding for projects throughout the state and continues today as the Ben J. Altheimer Charitable Foundation, Inc. Altheimer is home to many restored pioneer-era log cabins, Victorian era plantation houses and museums. One of the most prominent locations is The Elms, a former plantation house on the Collier Estate built in 1886, renovated by Ben Altheimer in the 1930s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Elms is open to the public for retreats, family reunions and tours. Lake Dick is an oxbow lake located south of Altheimer. This area formerly held farmsteads of eighty white American families who were moved into the area in 1936 as part of the Farm Security Administration. Lake Dick was added to the register in 1975.

Geography

Altheimer is part of the Timberlands Region, an area rich in natural resources that was discovered by pioneers from the eastern states in the early 19th century. Deer hunting, bass fishing, timber and oil are plentiful in this area. Altheimer is in northeastern Jefferson County, northeast of Pine Bluff, the county seat. U.S. Route 63/79 runs along the northwestern edge of the city, leading southwest to Pine Bluff and northeast to Humphrey. Little Rock, the state capital, is to the northwest by road. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Altheimer has a total area of , of which are land and , or 3.22%, are water. Flat Bayou winds through the center of the city, flowing north toward Wabbaseka Bayou, which in turn flows southeast via a succession of names to the Arkansas River.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,845
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,253
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  2,977
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,602
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,539
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,050
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,962
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,930

Most recent

• M 2.93 — 2021-11-18
  3 km SW of Prattsville, Arkansas
• M 2.57 — 2017-01-12
  9 km E of Leola, Arkansas
• M 3.2 — 2010-06-28
  11 km NW of Garner, Arkansas
• M 3.3 — 2010-06-26
  10 km NW of Garner, Arkansas
• M 2.6 — 2009-10-18
  9 km SE of Redfield, Arkansas
• M 2.7 — 2008-11-02
  8 km NNW of Magnet Cove, Arkansas