Van Buren County was established on November 11, 1833, as the 29th county in the Arkansas Territory. It was named in honor of Martin Van Buren, who was serving as Vice President of the United States under President Andrew Jackson.

The county’s first seat of government was a small settlement called Bloomington, once known locally as Mudtown because heavy rains often turned its dirt roads to mud. As more families settled in the area, the county seat was moved to Clinton in 1844, where it remains today.

In the early years, life in Van Buren County centered on farming, timber, and livestock. The rolling Ozark landscape made large plantations impractical, so most families worked small farms and relied on trade within their communities.

The current courthouse on the square in downtown Clinton was built in 1934 and 1935 through the Works Progress Administration (WPA). It was constructed from native stone and replaced an earlier courthouse that was lost to fire.

From the first families who settled these hills to the people living here today, Van Buren County has carried on the same spirit of hard work, community, and faith that’s defined it for generations.