Saline County was formed November 2, 1835 from parts of Hempstead and Pulaski Counties. It was named Saline because of the salt works which had been established a few years before its formation.Saline county was an early industrial center. The first industry was a salt factory and was established in the county in 1827. Price of salt then was $1.50 per bushel and the plant supplied all of Arkansas and parts of Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas. The county contains 690 square miles and population, according to the last census of 28,829.