St. Francis County

St. Francis County was formed in October 1827, by the legislature of the Arkansas Territory, taking a part of Phillips County. It was named for the St. Francis River that flows across it. The landscape of the county is rich, flat farmland in the eastern and western halves and rolling hills in the center. The county seat is Forrest City. St. Francis County dependent on rural agriculture now has light manufacturing to help its economy. Crowley’s Ridge that runs through the county is noted for growing peaches and other fruit crops. The Arkansas Community College and the Crowley’s Ridge Vo-Tech both are located in the county and are continuously working toward upgrading the skills of the work force. St. Francis County is at the crossroads of eastern Arkansas. Both railroads and major highways lead east to Memphis, west to Little Rock, north to Jonesboro and south to Helena. Village Creek State Park has become the region’s top recreational place with almost 7,000 acres on the St. Francis-Cross County line. Facilities include two fishing lakes, rental boats, trails, campsites, tennis courts, ball fields, swimming, and duck hunting. The courthouse is a 1972 contemporary structure and is located on the hill that was the site of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s camp while he was in charge of building the railroad from Little Rock to Memphis. The courthouse is known for its extensive use of large seals. The great seal of St. Francis County and the seal of the centennial of Forrest City, 1870-1970, both of which are three feet in diameter, are located in the foyer of the courtroom wing of the building. A three-foot brass seal of Arkansas dedicated to Judge R. B. MCCullough, Sr., by his son, Judge Richard McCullough, is filed above the bench in the Chancery courtroom. A three-foot Great Seal of the County Court of St. Francis County hangs over the bench in the Circuit courtroom.