JONESBORO, ARKANSAS

'Jonesboro' is a city in Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 59,358. Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Arkansas Jonesboro is the county seat, the largest city in northeast Arkansas, and the fifth most populous city in the state. It is the principal city of and is included in the Jonesboro, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Jonesboro metropolitan area had an estimated population of 113,830 and 153,427 in the Jonesboro-Paragould Combined Statistical Area in 2006.^[1]
Jonesboro is the home to Arkansas State University and is a regional center for manufacturing, agriculture, medicine, education, and trade.

Contents

History

Geography

Demographics

Education

Higher education

Notable natives & residents

Other facts

References

External links

History

Jonesboro was named after State Senator William A. Jones in recognition of his support in the legislature for the formation of Craighead County. Originally spelled Jonesborough, it was later shortened to its present day spelling.
The city was selected as the county seat in 1859 at the time of the formation of Craighead County.
On September 10th, 1931 Governor Harvey Parnell authorized the Arkansas National Guard to be deployed in Jonesboro to quell the Church War, a clash between the followers of Joe Jeffers and Dow H. Heard, the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jonesboro. Jeffer's adherents also attacked the Mayor and Police Chief resulting in front page coverage of the incident in the The New York Times.
The Cotton Belt Railroad established a line that reached Jonesboro in 1881.
The Jonesboro massacre occurred on March 24, 1998 in a nearby unincorporated area of Craighead County. Two young boys (aged 11 and 13 years) fired upon students at Westside Middle School while hidden in woodlands near the school. Four students and one teacher were killed and ten injured.

Geography

Jonesboro is located at (35.828067, -90.694048) atop Crowley's Ridge in northeastern Arkansas.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 207.2 km² (80.0 mi²). 206.3 km² (79.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.9 km² (0.4 mi²) of it (0.45%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 55,515 people, 22,219 households, and 14,353 families residing in the city. The population density was 269.1/km² (697.1/mi²). There were 24,263 housing units at an average density of 117.6/km² (304.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.37% White, 11.27% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.05% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. 2.34% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 22,219 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. There are 878 unmarried partner households: 776 heterosexual, 50 same-sex male, and 52 same-sex female households. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 16.6% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,196, and the median income for a family was $42,082. Males had a median income of $31,668 versus $21,633 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,884. About 12.9% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.4% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Jonesboro is served by the following school districts:

★ Jonesboro School District

★ Bay School District

★ Nettleton School District

★ Westside Consolidated School District

★ Valley View School District

★ Brookland School District

Higher education

★ Arkansas State University

Notable natives & residents

★ Earl Bell - former pole vault champion and current coach of top US men and women vaulters

★ Wes Bentley - actor

★ Rodger Bumpass - the voice of Squidward Tentacles on SpongeBob SquarePants

★ Hattie Caraway - first woman elected to the United States Senate

★ John Grisham - novelist

★ Julia Butterfly Hill - environmental activist

★ Dustin McDaniel - current Arkansas Attorney General

★ Pete Mead (1924-2007) - middleweight boxing champion of 1940s

★ Jon Olsen - Olympic gold medalist swimmer

★ David Ring - motivational speaker with cerebral palsy

★ John W. Snyder - former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under President Truman

★ Charley Thornton - sports figure

★ Jason Willett - former Chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party

Other facts

★ Debbye Turner, Miss America 1990, graduated from Jonesboro High School in 1983 and Arkansas State University in 1986.

★ Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin of the West Memphis 3 were tried and found guilty at Jonesboro's Craighead County courthouse in 1994 on a change of venue from Crittenden County.

★ The Mall at Turtle Creek, Jonesboro's new mall, developed by David Hocker & Associates, is a $100 million project. Completed in March of 2006, the mall is the largest in northeast Arkansas, and is expected to bring in $225 million in revenues yearly. In turn, $6 million of that revenue will be contributed to the city in tax money. Before the opening of the mall, the Indian Mall was the primary shopping destination in northeast Arkansas.

★ In May of 2006, Jonesboro began a major public transportation system known as the Jonesboro Economical Transportation System, or JETS. The system began running routes in May of 2006 to various places in Jonesboro. The system is made up of 5 buses that travel all over the city.

★ Jonesboro is serviced by several, local media markets as well. KAIT or K8 is the local ABC affiliate, the Arkansas Educational Television Network showcases educational shows and PBS material, and KVTN is a religious-based television network. There are also over half a dozen local radio stations as well. Northeast Arkansas is served by The Sun newspaper, more than 100 years old.

★ In the 1950s, Jonesboro was home to the Bartleby Clown College, an institution for the training of circus performers. The college ultimately proved unsuccessful and closed in 1959. The founding president, Steven Teske, went on to take a leadership position with Ringling Brothers Circus.

★ Jonesboro, is in a dry county, but does allow the consumption of alcohol via "members only" clubs that one can join up on the spot for typically $5. Local churches seek to put an end to all alcohol sales in Craighead County.

References

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_United_States_metropolitan_areas

External links

★ City of Jonesboro

★ History of Jonesboro's Jewish community (from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life)

★ Former Jonesboro Railroad Depot Photo

★ ''The Jonesboro Sun'', the local daily newspaper serving Northeast Arkansas

★ ''The Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce'', the local Chamber of Commerce

★ ''KAIT'' Local Television Station

★ ''Northeast Arkansas Business Today''

★ "Local Jonesboro Ar information" Information on Jonesboro, Arkansas, including maps and addresses

★ Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry: Jonesboro (Craighead County)