The City of Jonesboro had a big year in 2009 with the celebration of its 150th anniversary celebration. Several businesses and organizations took the occasion throughout the year to tie the Sesquicentennial theme into their events, and it all culminated in late September/early October with a week long series of city-sponsored events that included a free outdoor concert in downtown Jonesboro by the band Night Ranger.
“The Celebration Week was a tremendous success,” Mayor Harold Perrin said.“The way we came together as a community; to celebrate our faith, our unity and heritage was something in my tenure as mayor that I will never forget.”
Perrin credited the work on a large network of volunteers, elected officials and city staff who worked for several months to put it all together.The Sesquicentennial Commission was chaired by Alderman Tim McCall, and city staffer Jack Turner served as the liaison to the commission.“Tim and Jack and the Commission did an incredible job,” Perrin said.“Without them and the financial support of the Advertising & Promotion Commission, we could not have pulled it all off.”Perrin said the A&P Commission, which is charged with the limited use of monies it collects on hotel rooms for promoting events that attract visitors to the city, invested over $120,000 into the event.
When one looks at Jonesboro’s history, it’s easy to see why there was cause to celebrate.The city of Jonesboro was founded in 1859 as the nation was nearing the brink of civil war. Jonesboro started out as a nine-block town with a public square in the center for the courthouse.
By the 1880s, Jonesboro was gaining population, hotels, churches, and industry; a census counted approximately 250 residents within the city limits, and almost 8,000 within the county.
According to Danny Honnell, a local genealogist, historian, and researcher, “The population increased almost 10-fold from the 1880s to the 1890s and that was because of the railroads and the lumber industry. The city tried to be incorporated four times up until 1863 and none of them took until the railroads came through.”
Finally in February 1883 Jonesboro became an incorporated town, and in 1886 Jonesboro voted, for the first time, to become a dry county ... which closed nine saloons, according to Honnell’s research.
On April 1, 1909 Arkansas State University developed from an agricultural school founded by Act 100 of the 37th Arkansas General Assembly. It was created as one of four schools to be located in each part of the state to teach agriculture, horticulture and the art of textile manufacturing.
By 1930 Jonesboro’s population had risen to 10,309, the largest city in Northeast Arkansas and was home to two of the strongest banks in this area of the state.
Honnell says he attributes the success of the City of Jonesboro to three of the most influential institutions that started back in those early days: City Water & Light, St. Bernards Healthcare, and Arkansas State University. He says without those entities Jonesboro would probably not be what it is today.Perrin agreed.
“We didn’t get here on our own,” Perrin said.“We are a truly a blessed community to have the active participation of our citizens and such wonderful partners as Danny mentioned.These are the things that have made us successful.”
