Located in northeastern Arkansas, Craighead County has an area of 717 square miles and a population of 107,115 according to the 2017 census.
The creation of Craighead County occurred on February 19, 1859, in the Arkansas Legislature in Little Rock, Arkansas. Senator William A. Jones, representing St. Francis and Poinsett Counties, sponsored an Act to create a new county from parts of Greene, Mississippi and Poinsett Counties. One of the Senators opposed to the creation of a new county was Senator Thomas B. Craighead who represented Crittenden and Mississippi Counties. Senator Craighead did not want to lose a large part of Buffalo Island. The loss of rich farmland and revenue from his section were the main reasons for Craighead’s non-support of the Act.
Senator Craighead was not in the chamber when Jones pushed the bill for final passage. When Craighead was informed of the passage of the bill, he was surprised to learn that Senator Jones had named the new county in honor of him. Senator Craighead followed Jones’ act with a resolution for the naming of Craighead County’s new county seat Jonesboro after Senator Jones.The original Craighead County Courthouse was a two-story frame building. This building was destroyed by fire on February 14, 1869. The fire was set by the Northern biased militia based in the courthouse.
A-frame building just west of Court Square was used to conduct county business until 1876. Craighead County moved its records back across Union Street to a new frame Courthouse. Then, two years later, another fire destroyed the Courthouse, its records and eight other businesses in downtown Jonesboro. Due to these fires, Craighead County’s records are only continuous back to March 28, 1878.
In 1886 a new Courthouse was completed. This building stood until 1934 and was torn down to make room for the present main portion of the Courthouse.The present Courthouse was dedicated on April 3, 1935. The new Craighead County Courthouse Annex was added to the main Courthouse and was dedicated November 5, 1995.This new annex to the Craighead County Courthouse marks a new chapter in the history of Craighead County. It was built on the site of the old Malone Theater and where a Civil War skirmish occurred over 133 years ago.
In 1883, an Act to establish a second county seat in Lake City was put into effect. A courthouse was erected in 1901, and this facility presently serves persons in that area. As the two locations are approximately 16 miles apart, these two locations provide convenient services for all residents of Craighead County.
Craighead County’s industry is strong and well-diversified. Some of the County’s most important products are bricks, chemicals, clothing and shoes, concrete products, dairy products, feed and fertilizer, electric motors, furniture, lumber, wood products, and food products.Southeast of Jonesboro is St. Francis Floodway, which offers fishermen and duck hunters ample sport, as do the rivers, creeks, and bayous in the County.
Arkansas State University, the second-largest state-supported institution of higher education in the state, is located at Jonesboro. From a small agricultural college founded in 1909, Arkansas State has grown into a major University. Its beautiful 800-acre campus is designed so that students of the University can walk from one academic building or service area to another in 10 minutes or less.
2021 | County Ordinances | ||
---|---|---|---|
2021-1 | ![]() | Ord Setting Rules of Procedure for the Quorum Court | Read More |
2021-2 | ![]() | App Ord, Correct certain salaries & Pros Attny budget | Read More |
2021-3 | ![]() | Ord Setting forth Prof Services to include Tech needs | Read More |
2021-4 | ![]() | App Ord, Add Fund 3555 to 2021 budget | Read More |
2021-5 | ![]() | App Ord, Add Funds 3591 & 3548, Rural Community Grants | Read More |
2020 | County Ordinances | ||
2020-1 | ![]() | Appropriation for Court transfers incurred in 2019 | Read More |
2020-2 | ![]() | App Ord, Fund 3581, Y20 Acct Court Grant Mental Health | Read More |
2020-3 | ![]() | App Ord, Fund 3579, 2020 Juvenile Officer Grant Fund | Read More |
2020-4 | ![]() | Budget amendment for Sheriff's Office vehicles | Read More |
2020-5 | ![]() | Employment policy DOT Drug and Alcohol Use | Read More |
2020-6 | ![]() | App Ord, add 3009 Early vote workers | Read More |
2020-7 | ![]() | App Ord, add 3009 Medical services | Read More |
2020-8 | ![]() | Fund 3577 CY20 Accountability Grant | Read More |
2020-9 | ![]() | Clean up Ordinance | Read More |
2020-10 | ![]() | Policy for Vacation-Paid Time Off | Read More |
2020-11 | ![]() | Emp policy, Ann date, Exempt Non-exempt | Read More |
2020-12 | ![]() | Travel policy | Read More |
2020-13 | ![]() | Amend Ordinance 2014-3 Exempt Employee Leave | Read More |
2020-14 | ![]() | Ordinance Amending 2020 Budget for Blue & You Grants | Read More |
2020-15 | ![]() | App Ord, Covid Preparedness Grant Fund | Read More |
2020-16 | ![]() | App Ord, add Dept 128, Fraud Recovery | Read More |
2020-17 | ![]() | App Ord, add Fund 3550 & 3551 for CR 312 & 780 | Read More |
2020-18 | ![]() | App Ord, add Fund 3555, CTCL Covid-19 Response Grant | Read More |
2020-19 | ![]() | App Ord, Add Fund 3553, Y20 Acct Grant Veterans | Read More |
2020-20 | ![]() | App Ord, Add Fund 3549, STAR Court Grant | Read More |
2020-21 | ![]() | Establish the rates of taxation | Read More |
2020-22 | ![]() | App Ord, 2021 Annual Operating Budget | Read More |
2020-23 | ![]() | App Ord, Add Fund 3547, Veterans CARES Act grant | Read More |
2020-24 | ![]() | Ord for Fire Districts Reporting to the QC | Read More |
2020-25 | ![]() | Ord to Establish Protocols for Dept Internal Controls | Read More |
2019 | County Ordinances | ||
2019-9 | ![]() | Allowable Activities at Bono Lake | Read More |
2019-13 | ![]() | Subdivision Ordinance | Read More |
New Years Day, January 1, 2021
Martin Luther King Day, January 18, 2021
Presidents Day, February 15, 2021
Memorial Day, May 31, 2021
Independence Day, July 5, 2021
Labor Day, September 6, 2021
Veteran’s Day, November 11th, 2021
Thanksgiving, November 25-26, 2021
Christmas Holidays, December 23-24, 2021