The History of Jonesboro, AR
The city of Jonesboro is located in the Delta region of Northeast Arkansas, about 130 miles northeast of Little Rock and 70 miles northwest of Memphis, TN. Originally chosen in 1859 to be the seat of the newly formed Craigshead County, Jonesboro was named after local legislator William A. Jones. The settlement’s early years were marked by trial and error; separate fires effectively destroyed the courthouse three times between 1869 and 1878 and the very first train to roll into Jonesboro in 1881 got stuck on the outlying hills with all of its cargo needing to be carried into town. Also, despite having incorporated Jonesboro shortly after its founding, residents allowed the first charter to lapse and showed disinterest in a formal government for many years before finally deciding to incorporate again in 1883.
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