Jonesboro, one of the state's most progressive cities, was established in 1859 among the rolling hills of Crowley's Ridge in northeast Arkansas. Downtown is filled with gift shops, restaurants, art galleries, a day spa and an active civic center called the Forum. Arkansas State University offers one of the mid-South's finest museums, a fine arts center and an indoor sports/entertainment complex. The Forrest L . Wood Crowley's Ridge Nature Center provides an interesting tour of the natural wonders of the region, plus serves as a stop along Crowley's Ridge National Scenic Byway.