Thornton is a city in Calhoun County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 407 as of the 2010 census, down from 517 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Camden, Arkansas micropolitan area.
Thornton is located in northern Calhoun County at 33°46′36″N 92°29′23″W / 33.77667°N 92.48972°W / 33.77667; -92.48972 (33.776794, -92.489711).U.S. Route 79 passes through the city, leading northeast 6 miles (10 km) to Fordyce and southwest 26 miles (42 km) to Camden. U.S. Route 167 cuts across the southeast corner of the city limits, leading north to US 79 and Fordyce and south 16 miles (26 km) to Hampton, the Calhoun County seat.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Thornton has a total area of 1.9 square miles (5.0 km2), of which 0.02 square miles (0.04 km2), or 0.84%, is water.
As of the census of 2000, there were 517 people, 206 households, and 142 families residing in the city. The population density was 270.4 people per square mile (104.5/km²). There were 242 housing units at an average density of 126.6/sq mi (48.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 56.48% White, 41.78% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, and 1.55% from two or more races. 0.97% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Arkansas (i/ˈɑːrkənsɔː/) is a state located in the Southern region of the United States. Its name is of Siouan derivation, denoting the Quapaw Indians. The state's diverse geography ranges from the mountainous regions of the Ozark and the Ouachita Mountains, which make up the U.S. Interior Highlands, to the densely forested land in the south known as the Arkansas Timberlands, to the eastern lowlands along the Mississippi River and the Arkansas Delta. Known as "the Natural State", Arkansas has many diverse regions that offer residents and tourists a variety of opportunities for outdoor recreation.
Arkansas is the 29th largest in square miles and the 33rd most populous of the 50 United States. The capital and most populous city is Little Rock, located in the central portion of the state, a hub for transportation, business, culture, and government. The northwestern corner of the state, including the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers Metropolitan Area and Fort Smith metropolitan area, is also an important population, education, and economic center. The largest city in the eastern part of the state is Jonesboro. The largest city in the southeastern part of the state is Pine Bluff.
"Arkansas", written by Eva Ware Barnett in 1916, is one of the official state songs of Arkansas. It was first adopted as the state song in the early 20th century, but was removed in 1949 due to a copyright dispute. After the state settled the dispute by buying all claims to its copyright, it was restored as state song in 1963.
In 1987, the General Assembly elevated the song to "state anthem" in order to designate "Arkansas (You Run Deep In Me)" and "Oh, Arkansas", both written for the state's 150th birthday in 1986, as state songs; it also designated "The Arkansas Traveler", the state song from 1949 to 1963, as "state historical song".
Another 1987 law requires the Secretary of State to respond to all requests for copies of the "state song" with this song. However, this was done only to preserve the historical status of this song; all four songs are either copyrighted by the state itself or in the public domain. Today, the Secretary of State posts the lyrics to all four songs on its website.