El Dorado, Arkansas

El Dorado, Arkansas
City
Jefferson Street in downtown El Dorado's Union Square District
Location of El Dorado in Union County, Arkansas.
El Dorado, Arkansas
Coordinates: 33°14′10″N 92°38′30″W / 33.23611°N 92.64167°W / 33.23611; -92.64167
CountryUnited States
StateArkansas
CountyUnion
Founded1843 (1843)
EstablishedMay 5, 1870 (1870-05-05)
Government
  TypeMayor–council
  BodyEl Dorado City Council
  MayorPaul Choate
Area
  City
16.21 sq mi (41.98 km2)
  Land16.20 sq mi (41.96 km2)
  Water0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation
226 ft (69 m)
Population
 (2020)
  City
17,755
  Density1,095.98/sq mi (423.16/km2)
  Metro
44,170 Arkansas census statistical areas
DemonymEl Doradoans
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
  Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
71730, 71731, 71768
Area code870
FIPS code05-21070
GNIS feature ID2403547
Highways

Websitegoeldorado.com

El Dorado (locally /ɛl dʌˈrd/ el durr-AY-doh) is a city in and the county seat of Union County, on the southern border of Arkansas, United States. According to the 2020 census, the population of the city is 17,755.

El Dorado is headquarters of the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission as well as Murphy USA, Deltic Timber Corporation and a DelekUS oil refinery. The city has a downtown arts district, the Murphy Arts District (MAD); a community college, South Arkansas College (SouthArk); and a multi-cultural arts center, South Arkansas Arts Center (SAAC). El Dorado is the population, cultural and business center of south central Arkansas.

The city was the heart of the 1920s oil boom in the area. During World War II, it became a center of the chemical industry, which still plays a part in the economy, as do oil and timber.