February 24, 1883

The town of Harrisburg in Poinsett County was officially incorporated after having served as the county seat since 1856. Named for the pioneer family of Benjamin Harris, who came to the area from Alabama by 1830, the town is supported primarily by agricultural interests—wheat, cotton, and soybeans being the main crops. It is the home of the Modern News, the oldest established weekly newspaper in Arkansas. Lake Poinsett State Park is three miles from the city limits, and the Parker Pioneer Homestead, five miles south of town, has a popular collection of buildings and artifacts from pioneer days.