Jefferson
101 East Barraque Street
Pine Bluff
71601 |
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(870) 541-5360
http://www.jeffersoncountyark.com
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Jefferson County was created by the Territorial Legislature on
November 2, 1829, from parts of Arkansas and Pulaski counties and
was named for Thomas Jefferson, U.S. President. Pine Bluff is the
County Seat. Jefferson County’s new courthouse was constructed on
the spot where its predecessor, built in 1838, had stood until
destroyed by a fire in 1976. The 1838 courthouse is the only
courthouse known to have caused a river to be changed. During the
1908 flood of the Arkansas River, the Judges’ chambers, jury room,
part of the courtroom, and the Sheriff’s and Assessor’s offices were
purposely torn off and dumped into the river to keep the rest of the
building from caving into the river. After the flood, the course of
the river was changed to save the courthouse, and now channel Lake
Pine Bluff. The landscape of the western third is pine-covered,
rolling hills, and the eastern two-thirds is rich, fertile Delta
farmland. Jefferson County is known for the fertile quality of its
soil and has always been one of the leading cotton producers in the
state. Its economic development is strongly tied to railroads and
the Arkansas River. Its largest employers are International Paper
Company, Jefferson Regional Medical Center, and the Pine Bluff
Arsenal. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and two units of
the state prison system makes state government a heavy contributor
to the economy. The Arkansas River runs through the county and
provides great bass fishing anywhere in the county, attracting
several fishing tournaments. Jefferson County has an updated county
jail and juvenile detention center. Pine Bluff is the state’s fourth
largest city where a number of historically important homes can be
found. There are two museums, the Arkansas Railroad Museum and the
Pine Bluff-Jefferson County Museum. The Bayou Meto Wildlife
Management Area is flooded each fall to attract ducks. Hunting in
the county is a popular sport and attracts visitors from all around
the country. |