Jonesboro, Arkansas<\/h3>
Jonesboro is a city located on Crowley's Ridge in the northeastern corner of the U.S. State of Arkansas. Jonesboro is one of two county seats of Craighead County. According to the 2010 Census,[3] the city had a population of 67,263 and is the fifth-largest city in Arkansas. In 2010, the Jonesboro metropolitan area had a population of 121,026[4] and a population of 163,116 in the Jonesboro-Paragould Combined Statistical Area.[5]<\/p>
The Jonesboro area was first inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples. At the time of European encounter, historic tribes included the Osage, the Caddo, and the Quapaw.[6] The name of the state of Arkansas comes from the Quapaw language.[6] French and Spanish traders and trappers had relations with these groups.\n<\/p>
After the United States acquired this territory in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, American settlers eventually made their way to the area where Jonesboro is located. They began exploring, hunting, trapping, and trading with the local Indian tribes. A permanent settlement of Jonesboro was set up shortly after 1815.\n<\/p>
In 1859, land was taken from nearby Greene, Mississippi, and Poinsett counties and was used to form Craighead County. Jonesboro was designated as the original county seat. As the population increased in the west of the county, Lake City was named as the second seat.[7] Jonesboro had 150 residents in 1859. It was named after State Senator William A. Jones[8] in recognition of his support for the formation of Craighead County. Originally spelled Jonesborough, the city name was later shortened to its present-day spelling.\n<\/p><\/div>\n