Madison County Arkansas Landlord-Tenant Law: A Man Who Voted Alone, Two Governors’ Hill, and Ozark Ozarks Landlording in a Dry County
On March 4, 1861, the Arkansas Secession Convention convened at Little Rock to consider whether the state should leave the Union. When the final vote was taken, the result was 69 to 1 in favor of secession. The single dissenting vote came from Isaac Murphy, who represented Madison County. Murphy refused to change his vote even when fellow delegates shouted him down and threatened him. He was the only delegate to vote against secession at every opportunity the convention offered. Murphy was a lawyer who had settled in Huntsville, Madison County’s county seat, in 1854. After the war reshaped the political landscape, the Union-controlled Arkansas government appointed him provisional governor in 1864, and he was later elected governor statewide, serving until 1868. He is buried, as it happens, on the same hill east of Huntsville where Orval Faubus built his home a century later: Governor’s Hill.
That one hill outside a small Ozark county seat produced two Arkansas governors represents a statistical improbability that Madison County wears with quiet distinction. Orval Faubus grew up in the Combs community near Greasy Creek in the county, was elected governor in 1954, and served six consecutive terms — longer than any governor in Arkansas history. He is most remembered nationally for ordering the Arkansas National Guard to block the integration of Little Rock’s Central High School in 1957, precipitating a constitutional confrontation with President Eisenhower that became one of the defining moments of the Civil Rights era. In Huntsville, his legacy is more complex and more local: his 12,000-square-foot home on Governor’s Hill, designed by celebrated Arkansas architect E. Fay Jones, stands east of town as a reminder of how deeply Arkansas political history is rooted in its smallest counties.
A Dry County Since 1946
Madison County has been a dry county since 1946, when local voters prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages. This remains in effect throughout the county today. Landlords should include this information in their operational knowledge of the market: tenants who wish to purchase alcohol will need to travel to neighboring Washington County (Springdale, Fayetteville) or Carroll County. The dry status is relevant to lease drafting in the sense that any nuisance, intoxication-related, or illegal activity lease clauses operate against a backdrop where alcohol purchased locally is not an issue — though residents may bring it from neighboring counties. For STR operators, the dry county status means guests cannot be offered alcoholic beverages in the county and may seek accommodations in the NW Arkansas metro for that reason.
Ronnie Hawkins and George Fullerton: Unlikely Cultural Exports from the Ozarks
Madison County’s cultural contributions extend well beyond its governors. Ronnie Hawkins, the rockabilly singer and musician born in the county, built his early career on the Southern circuit before relocating to Canada, where he assembled a backing band he called The Hawks. The Hawks backed Bob Dylan on his controversial 1965–66 electric tour and later, recording under their own name as The Band, released some of the most critically acclaimed albums of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Music from Big Pink (1968) and The Band (1969) are considered landmarks of the Americana genre. George William Fullerton, also born in Madison County, made a different kind of history: he is credited with design contributions that led to the manufacture of the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar at Fender in the early 1950s — a contribution to modern music as profound in its way as anything The Band recorded.
Kings River, War Eagle Creek, and the Ozark Recreation Economy
The Kings River in Madison County holds the distinction of being the first stream in Arkansas to receive state legislative recognition and protection. Clear-flowing over a gravel-and-limestone bed through the Boston Mountains, the Kings River is prized by canoeists, kayakers, and smallmouth bass anglers as one of the finest float streams in the Ozarks. War Eagle Creek, flowing northwest toward the White River east of Springdale, offers additional fishing, canoeing, and camping opportunities. The Sweden Creek Falls Natural Area in the Boston Mountains protects an 80-foot waterfall whose spray creates a permanently moist environment supporting natural fern communities rare in Arkansas. Withrow Springs State Park, four miles north of Huntsville, offers camping, swimming, and hiking for families.
The War Eagle Craft Fair, held twice a year at the historic War Eagle Mill near Rogers (Washington/Benton county line), draws tens of thousands of visitors to the War Eagle Creek valley each spring and fall — one of the largest and most popular craft fairs in the mid-South. Properties near War Eagle Creek within Madison County benefit from proximity to this major tourism draw. For landlords interested in short-term rental potential, the combination of Ozark float streams, Withrow Springs, the Ozark National Forest, and the War Eagle fair creates a legitimate STR market for outdoor recreation visitors who prefer the quiet of the Madison County hills to the busier accommodations in the NW Arkansas metro.
Screening in Madison County: Poultry, Cattle, and the NW Arkansas Commuter
The dominant income profiles in Madison County reflect its agricultural character and its position at the edge of the NW Arkansas metro. Poultry processing employment is the largest single employment category, with plants in the broader region drawing workers from across the county. Processing workers are W-2 hourly employees; use base hourly rate at 40 standard hours for qualifying income, not overtime-inflated gross. Cattle farming is the other major agricultural income source: beef operations across the county’s open valleys should be documented with two years of Schedule F federal tax returns, using net farm income rather than gross livestock receipts. A one-time herd liquidation can inflate a single year’s Schedule F dramatically; the two-year average is essential for accurate income assessment. Contract poultry growers who own the farm and raise birds under processing company contracts should also use Schedule F net income.
The NW Arkansas commuter represents a growing segment of the Madison County rental market. The combination of Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville employment opportunities — Walmart corporate, Tyson Foods, the University of Arkansas, and dozens of major suppliers — within 28–45 miles of Huntsville has made Madison County attractive to workers who want rural Ozark living at a fraction of the cost of NW Arkansas suburban housing. These tenants typically have W-2 income from institutional employers in the metro; verify with consecutive pay stubs. Note that US-412 between Huntsville and Springdale includes mountain grades that can create challenging winter driving conditions.
Arkansas Landlord-Tenant Law in Madison County
All residential rental relationships in Madison County are governed entirely by statewide Arkansas law — A.C.A. §§ 18-16-101 through 18-16-108 and the Arkansas Residential Landlord-Tenant Act of 2007, A.C.A. §§ 18-17-101 et seq. There is no local rent control, no just-cause eviction requirement, and no landlord licensing requirement in Huntsville or Madison County.
For nonpayment of rent, serve a written 3-day notice to vacate after rent is at least 5 days past due. For lease violations other than nonpayment, serve a 14-day notice to cure or quit. Month-to-month tenancies require 30 days’ written notice to terminate; week-to-week require 7 days. Security deposits are capped at two months’ rent for landlords with six or more rental units and must be returned with written itemized deductions within 60 days of lease termination. Arkansas does not impose a default implied warranty of habitability; tenants have no repair-and-deduct remedy. Abandoned property may be disposed of after lease termination. Self-help evictions are prohibited.
All evictions in Madison County are filed with Circuit Clerk Tiffany McDaniel, P.O. Box 626 / 201 W. Main St., Huntsville, AR 72740, (479) 738-2215. Madison County is a dry county.
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Arkansas landlord-tenant law is governed by the Arkansas Code Annotated and applies statewide, with no local rent control or just-cause eviction requirements in Madison County. Consult a licensed Arkansas attorney or contact the 4th Judicial Circuit Court Clerk at (479) 738-2215 for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
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