Scott is a small unincorporated farming community on the Pulaski and Lonoke county line, north of the Arkansas River and east of Little Rock. It is known for open bottomland, oxbow lakes, plantation-era landmarks and the Plum Bayou Mounds state park.
The feel
Scott is farm country close to the city. The community is named for John Scott, who arrived in 1844, and the railroad depot was first called Scott's Station. The Cotton Belt railroad came through in 1871, and large cotton plantations followed. Today the area is flat, open and mostly agricultural, with a few historic buildings, churches and museums near the crossroads. The Census-designated place itself is tiny, about 100 residents in 2020, but the Scott area takes in a much wider stretch of rural land.
The homes
Expect rural properties: farmhouses, homes on several acres, and larger tracts of row-crop land, with only a handful of subdivisions. A few historic houses tied to the area's plantation era still stand, including Marlsgate on Bearskin Lake, now an event venue. Waterfront lots on Horseshoe Lake and other oxbow lakes come up from time to time. Buyers here should plan for well, septic, outbuilding and land survey questions that rarely come up in town.
Schools
On the Pulaski County side, Scott is in the Pulaski County Special School District, with students zoned to schools such as Harris Elementary, Mills Middle and Wilbur D. Mills High School. The old Scott Elementary building now houses a K to 6 charter school. Homes on the Lonoke County side may fall in a different district. Boundaries go by address and can change, so verify with the district for any specific property.
Getting around
US 165 runs through Scott, reaching Interstate 440 about four miles to the northwest and continuing southeast toward Keo and England. Arkansas Highway 161 follows the county line north to US 70. From I-440, downtown Little Rock and Clinton National Airport are a short drive. Expect two-lane rural roads and farm equipment traffic during planting and harvest seasons. There is no fixed-route public transit out here, so plan on driving for work, school and errands.
Life here
Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park preserves Native American mounds built more than 1,000 years ago beside Mound Pond, and it is a National Historic Landmark site with trails and a visitor center. The Plantation Agriculture Museum occupies a 1912 general store and includes a restored cotton gin. Scott Plantation Settlement gathers relocated historic buildings, including a Cotton Belt depot. Horseshoe Lake, Bearskin Lake and Willow Beach Lake offer fishing and lake views.
Owning here
Scott straddles two counties, so property taxes and assessments go through either Pulaski or Lonoke County depending on the parcel. The area is Arkansas River bottomland, and parts of it sit in mapped flood zones; pull the FEMA flood map and elevation data early. Farmland may carry existing leases, irrigation systems, or questions about water and mineral rights. Many homes rely on private wells and septic systems, so budget for testing and inspections.
