 poinsett county is a county located in the u.s. state of arkansas. as of the 2010 census, the population was 24,583. the county seat is harrisburg. poinsett county is included in the jonesboro, ar metropolitan statistical area. ==history==  poinsett county was formed on february 28, 1838, and named for joel roberts poinsett, u.s. secretary of war. county business was initially conducted in the county judge's home until first court was held in bolivar upon completion of a courthouse in 1839. county government was moved in 1859 to harrisburg, a more central locale. poinsett county acquired its current boundaries in the years following this move. the northern portion became craighead county, the south portion became cross county. sunken lands were added to eastern poinsett county during this time, including lepanto and marked tree. the civil war devastated the county financially, and it wouldn't recover until the railroads gave farmers a new avenue to market their crops and the emergence of a timber industry. the texas and st. louis railway company completed track through weiner and the st. louis and iron mountain railway ran through the center of the county in 1882, with the [[kansas city, ft. scott, 
1838_establishments_in_Arkansas Arkansas_counties Jonesboro-Paragould_Combined_Statistical_Area Jonesboro_metropolitan_area Poinsett_County,_Arkansas Populated_places_established_in_1838