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Jonesboro was founded in 1859 by Phasey Jones, a local landowner who sold right-of-way land to the Cairo and Fulton Railroad. The settlement was originally called “The Branch” before taking the Jones family name. During the Civil War, the city served as a strategic railway hub, and the infamous Battle of Jonesboro in 1867 further cemented its place in regional history.
The arrival of the railroad transformed Jonesboro into a commercial center for northeast Arkansas. The city was formally incorporated in 1873, and agriculture—particularly cotton and timber—drove the early economy. As the railroad expanded, Jonesboro became the commercial hub of Craighead County and the surrounding Delta region.
Arkansas State University was established in 1909 as an agricultural school and has grown into the city’s defining institution. The university’s presence brought cultural amenities, healthcare expansion, and a steady stream of young professionals. Over the 20th century, Jonesboro transitioned from a cotton-dependent economy to a regional healthcare and education center.
Today, Jonesboro is the fifth-largest city in Arkansas and the primary economic engine of northeast Arkansas. St. Bernards Medical Center and NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital rank among the state’s largest employers, reflecting the city’s emergence as a regional medical hub.
Downtown Jonesboro has undergone significant revitalization, with locally owned restaurants, boutiques, and entertainment venues filling historic brick storefronts along Main Street and other core blocks. The Greene County Courthouse and surrounding historic district showcase early 20th-century architecture.
The Walmart Museum in nearby Bentonville tells the story of Sam Walton’s retail revolution. Walton opened his first variety store in Newport, Arkansas, just northeast of Jonesboro, before launching the Walmart empire. The museum features artifacts, interactive exhibits, and the original Walton’s 5&10 variety store reconstruction.
Craighead Forest Park offers 500 acres of green space within city limits, centered around a 65-acre lake. The park includes walking trails, picnic areas, fishing docks, and a nature center. The Lake provides a surprising natural refuge in an otherwise agricultural landscape.
Lake Frierson State Park sits on the shores of a 25,000-acre reservoir, offering boating, fishing, camping, and hiking. The lake is known for crappie, bass, and catfish, drawing anglers from across the region. The surrounding Crowley’s Ridge terrain provides scenic hills unusual in the otherwise flat Delta.
The St. Francis National Forest lies just west of Jonesboro, protecting bottomland hardwoods along the Mississippi River. Wildlife management areas nearby provide waterfowl hunting opportunities during winter months, when concentrations of ducks and geese use the area’s flooded timber.
Crowley’s Ridge itself is a unique geological formation—a narrow spine of loess hills rising 200 to 300 feet above the surrounding Delta flatland. The Forrest L. Wood Crowley Ridge Nature Center interprets this distinctive landscape, with exhibits on the ridge’s formation, forests, and wildlife.
The Forrest L. Wood Crowley Ridge Nature Center is the primary interpretive facility for the region’s unique geography. Exhibits explain how the ridge formed from wind-deposited loess soil during the last Ice Age, creating a biological island of forests and wildlife distinct from the surrounding Delta farmland.
Lake Fleeman and Craighead Forest Lake provide freshwater fishing and kayaking opportunities close to town. The South Bank Fishing Dock on the St. Francis River offers access to some of the region’s best catfish waters.
The Apartment Gallery at Arkansas State University hosts rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, while the Whitman Hall performing arts center brings theatrical productions and musical performances throughout the year. The university’s red Wolves athletics draw regional crowds for college baseball and basketball.
Spring brings warm weather and vibrant green landscapes to the Delta. Temperatures range from the 50s to 80s, making it ideal for hiking at Lake Frierson and wildlife viewing along Crowley’s Ridge. Spring festivals populate the regional calendar, and college sports add energy to downtown.
Fall offers crisp air and colorful foliage on Crowley’s Ridge, contrasting with the harvested agricultural fields of the surrounding Delta. Temperatures in the 50s to 70s are comfortable for outdoor activities, and hunting seasons draw outdoors enthusiasts to wildlife management areas.
Summer brings heat and humidity typical of the Deep South, with temperatures regularly reaching the 90s. Early morning fishing trips and evening concerts at local parks are popular warm-weather pursuits. Indoor attractions like the Walmart Museum and nature center provide air-conditioned alternatives.
Winter is cold but mild compared to northern states, with temperatures ranging from the 30s to 50s. The area’s bald eagle populations concentrate near open water, drawing birdwatchers. Indoor attractions, shopping, and university events provide entertainment during the quieter season.
Here are some of our favorite things to do near Jonesboro. Select what you would enjoy!
Nestled at the southern edge of Jonesboro, the Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center offers an immersive introduction to the unique geology of Crowley’s Ridge, a rare loess soil formation that rises dramatically above the surrounding Mississ…