Sharp County was formed in 1868, from a part of Lawrence County and was named for Ephraim Sharp who was a member of the State Legislature representing Lawrence, Randolph and Greene counties when the new county was formed. The population is about 17,000. Ash Flat is the county seat. The landscape of the county is rolling hills in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The economic base of the county is agriculture; cattle, broilers, hay, and watermelons, and some light manufacturing with tourism being number one. Cities in Sharp County include Ash Flat, Cave City, Cherokee Village, Evening Shade, Hardy, Highland, Sidney and Wiliford.