Van Buren Arkansas Map

About Van Buren, Arkansas

Van Buren is a locality in Crawford County, Arkansas, United States. It has a population of 23,763. The population density is 587.2 people per km². Van Buren is located at 35.4368°N, 94.3483°W. It observes the Central Time (America/Chicago) timezone. ZIP code: 72956.

Van Buren unfolds along the broad, sinuous curve of the Arkansas River, its landscape a gentle, rolling terrain where verdant fields surrender to the patient embrace of ancient Ozark foothills. It lies 4.5 miles north-east of Fort Smith, AR (from Fort Smith, AR: bearing 39°T), and is situated 7.7 miles west-south-west of Alma. The air here, especially in the languid afternoons of late spring, carries the scent of damp earth and the faint, sweet perfume of wild honeysuckle, a fragrance that clings to the humid breeze. Sunlight, when it breaks through the frequent cloud cover, possesses a peculiar, diffused quality, softening the edges of the weathered brick buildings that line the historic downtown and lending a pearlescent sheen to the slow-moving waters of the river. Streets, lined with mature trees whose branches arch overhead like sheltering arms, are often quiet, the occasional rumble of a passing truck or the distant call of a bird the dominant sounds. This place, Van Buren, has long been a crossroads, its fortunes shaped by the very river that defines its character. For generations, the Arkansas River was the lifeblood of commerce, carrying timber, cotton, and manufactured goods, a constant thrum of activity that once pulsed through its docks and warehouses. Today, while the river still flows with its undeniable power, the economy of Van Buren has diversified, with a growing presence in manufacturing and a steady stream of visitors drawn to its preserved historic district, a testament to its past as a significant steamboat port. The echoes of its frontier days, of traders and travelers who navigated these waters, seem to linger in the very stones of the old courthouse and the quiet dignity of the antebellum homes that still stand, whispering their stories to anyone who pauses to listen.

About This Van Buren Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Van Buren, Arkansas — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: 35.436756, -94.348268. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service, with current observations and a 7-day forecast also powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while a Wikipedia summary or an editorially written description provides background on Van Buren and Crawford County.

Detailed location data for Van Buren includes the ZIP code (72956), telephone area code (479), county seat of Crawford County (Van Buren), and school district assignment (Van Buren School District). These are among the most commonly searched location details for any US city or town.

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Van Buren is identified even where the name is shared across multiple counties or states. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.