Paragould area Information

Welcome to Paragould, Arkansas!

We hope our hometown becomes your hometown! Paragould is a friendly and growing community that values its history yet works together toward a progressive future. We hope the information provided here will help you and your family become familiar and comfortable with Paragould. Please contact us if you have any questions or need additional information.

To begin our introduction to Paragould, let us step back in time to 1882 when two railroad companies brought their lines into northeast Arkansas. A town would be built at the junction of the two railroad lines. Paragould was incorporated March 3, 1883. The town's name was taken from the names of the two railroad presidents, J.W. Paramore and Jay Gould. It is believed to be the only city in the world with this name.

This uncultivated, timber-covered land with very few citizens has grown to an estimated population of 26,113, and is located approximately 88 miles from Memphis, TN, 153 miles from Little Rock, AR and 208 miles from St. Louis, MO. Paragould's industries employ over 8,000 people, making the city a manufacturing center of northeast Arkansas. Two Major League Baseball players were born in Paragould: Marlin Stuart (1918) and Weldon Bowlin (1940) and famed bank robber and Kansas City Massacre figure Frank "Jelly" Nash lived in Paragould and is entombed in Linwood Cemetary.

GOVERNMENT & SERVICES

Paragould is the county seat of Greene County. The county courthouse is a hub of activity with the circuit court, county judge, county clerk, tax assessor's & collector's offices and the Department of Revenue all housed there.
Our city has a mayor and city council form of government that oversees an annual budget of about $11 million. The city administration building is located at 301 West Court.
Paragould has a Class 3 fire rating. Emergency personnel are comprised of 25 full-time firemen, 10 fire trucks, and 4 stations.
Paragould Light, Water and Cable is locally owned and provides dependable and affordable utilities. If you plan on moving to Paragould and need information regarding new customers and hookup costs, call Paragould Light Water and Cable at 870-239-7700.
If you need information regarding Paragould, contact the Paragould/Greene County Chamber of Commerce for information about our city. The Chamber can provide you with a map of the city and answer practically any question you might have about the area. Contact their office at 870-236-7684.

EDUCATION

The Paragould School District is a consolidated district with more than 2800 students enrolled in 3 elementary schools (K-4), one middle school (5-6), one junior high (7-8), and one high school (9-12). About 170 students are also enrolled in a preschool program located at a former elementary school site and on other elementary campuses. From pre-kindergarten through high school, students receive an education using the newest materials and the latest technology. Schools in the district are:

School of the 21st Century (Preschool) 427 East Poplar Street Paragould, AR 72450 870-236-8064	Baldwin Elementary School (K-4) 612 West Mueller Street Paragould, AR 72450 870-236-6369
Oak Grove Elementary School (K-4) 5027 Highway 135 North Paragould, AR 72450 870-586-0439	Woodrow Wilson Elementary School (K-4) 900 West Emerson Street Paragould, AR 72450 870-236-6177
Oak Grove Middle School (5-6) 5097 Hwy. 135 North Paragould, AR 72450 870-586-0483	Paragould Jr. High School (7-8) 1713 West Court Street Paragould, AR 72450 870-236-7744
Paragould High School ( 9 – 12) 1701 West Court Street Paragould, AR 72450 870-236-7744

The Greene County Technical School District is comprised of the southern half of Greene County as well as portions of the City of Paragould and Craighead County. Over 3000 students are enrolled in grades K - 12. A Preschool/ Day Care Center on campus provides an educational experience for younger children. Schools in this district are:

Head Start (Preschool) 5201 West Kingshighway Paragould, AR 72450 870-215-4470	Greene County Tech Primary (K-2) 1300 South Rockingchair Road Paragould, AR 72450 870-215-4420
Greene County Tech Elementary (3-5) 5203 West Kingshighway Paragould, AR 72450 870-215-4430	Greene County Tech Intermediate (6-7) 5205 West Kingshighway Paragould, AR 72450 870-215-4440
Greene County Tech Jr. High (8-9) 5207 West Kingshighway Paragould, AR 72450 870-215-4450	Greene County Tech High (10-12) 5201 West Kingshighway Paragould, AR 72450 870-215-4460
Private Schools in Paragould include the following:
Crowley's Ridge Academy Preschool 606 Academy Drive Paragould, AR 72450 870- 236-6900	Crowley's Ridge Academy Elememtary 606 Academy Drive Paragould, AR 72450 870- 236-6909
Crowley's Ridge Academy High School 606 Academy Drive Paragould, AR 72450 870- 236-6908
St. Mary's Preschool 220 West Highland Street Paragould, AR 72450 870- 239-4898	St. Mary's School & Kindergarten 310 North Second Street Paragould, AR 72450 870- 236-3681

Arkansas State University

Opportunities abound for anyone interested in continuing their education. Technical schools, colleges and universities are practically at your doorstep or just a short drive away. Choices include:

Crowley's Ridge College at Paragould
Lyon College at Batesville
Arkansas State University at Jonesboro and Paragould
Harding University at Searcy
Black River Technical College at Pocahontas
Cotton Boll Technical Institute at Blytheville
Greene County Industrial Training Center at Paragould
Arkansas Northeastern College at Paragould

HEALTHCARE

Paragould is home to Arkansas Methodist Medical Center, a 129-bed facility serving northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri. AMMC is one of the area’s largest employers with more than 600 employees. The physicians on staff offer a variety of specialized health care from cardiology to pediatrics. Its health fairs, held throughout northeast Arkansas, have provided health information as well as care to numerous businesses, industries, and organizations. AMMC takes an active role in the community by either participating in or sponsoring many activities. These include the American Heart Association Heart Walk and the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. You will find Arkansas Methodist Medical Center at 900 West Kingshighway in Paragould.

CULTURE AND RECREATION

If you love the outdoors, you’ll love Paragould and the Northeast Arkansas region. If you’re an indoor person, we have plenty to make you happy, too! Paragould has three green-space parks. Paragould also has baseball, softball, and tennis complexes, two private/public golf courses, playgrounds, walking tracks and more. Rivers, lakes and streams abound in the area and are popular for fishing, swimming, and picnicking.

Within a short drive from Paragould are five state parks: Crowley’s Ridge State Park, Lake Frierson State Park, Lake Charles State Park, Powhatan Courthouse State Park, and Old Davidson State Park.
The Paragould Community Center, located on Highway 49 South hosts a variety of activities including basketball courts, racquetball courts, indoor walking tracks and an aerobics room. The Aquatic Center boasts two indoor heated pools, two outdoor pools and two children's pools.
Paragould's Capitol Theatre (now known as the Collins Theatre) hosted the 1941 world premier of The Man Who Came to Dinner starring Bette Davis and Paragould's own Bill Justice, known as Richard Travis in Hollywood. Today, the Collins Theatre brings many cultural events to our city throughout the year and the Greene County Fine Arts Council performs exciting musicals such as “The Sound of Music” and “CATS”.
Paragould is home to the Eastern Arkansas Ballet, whose young people always brighten the holidays with their presentation of The Nutcracker.
For a more informal type of entertainment, Paragould is home to a new Cinema 8 theater with all the newest movies for children and adults alike.
There are many events that take place during the year including the Loose Caboose Festival which takes place every Spring in historic downtown Paragould and celebrates the town’s rich railroad heritage. The Greene County Fair has been held annually for more than 100 years and is the largest county fair in the state. Twilight Jazz is held each Fall on the lawn of the 1888 Courthouse. This traditional gathering offers great food and music, as well as the opportunity to visit with friends and neighbors.