Bauxite, Arkansas
| Bauxite, Arkansas | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
 Location in Saline County and the state of Arkansas |
|
| Coordinates: 34°33′33″N 92°30′51″W / 34.55917°N 92.51417°WCoordinates: 34°33′33″N 92°30′51″W / 34.55917°N 92.51417°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Saline |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.5 sq mi (6.3 km2) |
| • Land | 2.4 sq mi (6.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 344 ft (105 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 432 |
| • Density | 172.8/sq mi (68.6/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 72011 |
| Area code(s) | 501 |
| FIPS code | 05-04090 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0057342 |
Bauxite is a town in Saline County, Arkansas, United States. Located within Central Arkansas, the town is named for bauxite, the source ore for aluminum, which was found in abundant quantities in the area and became a source of aluminum refining. The town's population boomed during expanded aluminum production during World War II and shrank rapidly with output of the ore. Bauxite was incorporated as a town in 1973. The population was 487 at the 2010 census.
The ore for which the town is named was discovered in the area in the early 1890s and mined by the General Bauxite Company until 1905, when the Pittsburgh Reduction Company, a northeastern aluminum refining company, purchased vast tracts of land in Saline County after learning of the high-quality ore that was being shipped from the area. The company bought out the local producers of the ore, including the General Bauxite Company. Pittsburgh Reduction would go on to incorporate as the Aluminum Company of America, or ALCOA.
Production of the ore rose rapidly, growing from 200,000 short tons (180,000 t) in 1914 during World War I, to 560,000 short tons (510,000 t) by war’s end in 1918. With decreased demand and an expanded source base in South America, Arkansas production levels fluctuated with demand, dropping as low as 60,000 short tons (54,000 t) per annum in the mid-1930s.
World War I provided the greatest surge in growth for Bauxite, with multiple camps developing in and around the present-day city, often segregated by race or ethnicity, with such camp names as Italy Camp, Mexico Camp, Africa Camp, etc. Throughout the Great Depression, ALCOA provided a standard of living for its employees that was generally un-matched during that period of economic turbulence.
When World War II broke out, Bauxite was again called into martial action, with production rapidly increasing with the need for refined aluminum to produce airplanes and other materiel. Donald M. Nelson, the Chairman of the War Production Board, requested that ALCOA president, Arthur V. Davis implement a three-shift, 24-hour production schedule. Davis brought in miners from across the country to keep the mines running continuously. This rapid rise in output led to a 1943 annual production of 6,000,000 short tons (5,400,000 t) of ore.
...
Wikipedia