Why visit Dumas
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 8 places to eat and 3 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Dr. J.D. Watts House and Dumas Commercial Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 35°F.
Weather in Dumas
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Dumas
Dumas is a city in Desha County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 4,001 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Dumas, Arkansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks6
Dr. J.D. Watts House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Arkansas, United States
Dumas Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic district in Arkansas, United States
McKennon-Shea House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
House in Dumas, Arkansas
Merchants & Farmers Bank
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Bank building in Dumas, United States of America
R.A. Pickens II House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Historic house at 1 Pickens Place in Pickens, Desha County, Arkansas
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes8
Where to stay3
History
In 1870, a planter, merchant and surveyor of French descent, William B. Dumas, bought acres of farmland from the Abercrombie Holmes family. The area was named Watson District and the town continued to develop. The district was renamed Dumas and was incorporated in 1904.
Dumas proudly proclaims itself as "Home of the Ding Dong Daddy", a reference to the vaudeville song "I'm a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas" by Phil Baxter. However, this is up for debate, as the city of Dumas, Texas, also lays claim, with some documentation, to the song being about them.
On February 24, 2007, Dumas was struck by a long-tracked EF3 tornado. Twenty-eight people were injured, and many homes and business were damaged or destroyed. Police said on CNN that "the feed mill was the local employer and now it is gone". Following the storm, U.S. Senator Mark Pryor criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency's response to the recovery and cleanup efforts.
On March 19, 2022, two gunmen killed one person and injured at least 26 others, including six children, at the Hood-Nic Festival, an annual car show held in the city. One suspect was later arrested and admitted to firing a gun at another man present at the festival. In 2023, the shooter, Brandon Knight, was sentenced to 60 years for 10 counts of aggravated assault.
From the History section of Dumas, Arkansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship8
Holy Child Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.4 mi
807 East Waterman Street, Dumas
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare1
Map of Dumas
36 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 35°F | 4.5 in | 0.2 in |
| Feb | 58°F | 38°F | 4.7 in | 0.3 in |
| Mar | 66°F | 45°F | 5.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Apr | 76°F | 54°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 83°F | 62°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 90°F | 70°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 72°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 91°F | 71°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 64°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 77°F | 53°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 64°F | 44°F | 4.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 56°F | 37°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Dumas (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Desha County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-05-21: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2025-04-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2023-04-04: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-08-27: Hurricane Laura (Hurricane)
- 2020-07-10: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds (Tornado)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
McGehee Municipal Airport (7M1) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Mitchellville 2 mi northwest, about 3 min by car
- Gould 8 mi northwest, about 14 min by car
- Gillett 17 mi north, about 28 min by car
- McGehee 18 mi south, about 30 min by car
- Star City 21 mi west, about 33 min by car
- Dermott 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- DeWitt 29 mi north, about 47 min by car
- Pine Bluff 38 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Greenville 43 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Cleveland 45 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- US 65 entering Dumas, Arkansas, Brandonrush, CC BY-SA 3.0
- McKennon-Shea House 001, Brandonrush, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dr. J.D. Watts House 001, Brandonrush, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Downtown Dumas 004, Brandonrush, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.