Knobel

Tucked between Crowley’s Ridge and the Black River, Knobel’s rich bottomlands have contributed to its development as an agricultural community. Prior to the Civil War it was sparsely populated, though many people passed through on the road between Chalk Bluff in Clay County and Pocahontas in Randolph County. By 1874 a post office called Knobel was established, though the origin of the name is unknown. 

The town received a boost when the Iron Mountain Railroad came through in the late 1880s. The main line went east and west, while a spur going south to Helena branched off in the vicinity of what is now Knobel. Businesses grew up at the intersection, and a hotel called the Knobel House was built for railroad workers and passengers. 

The town incorporated in 1896, but its success was short-lived. Once the timber in the area was harvested, businesses began to close. By 1910 the population had dwindled significantly, though farming operations remained. Today the town has less than 200 people, but agriculture and agri-business have remained the lifeblood of the community. There is also good hunting and fishing in the area, which is about 40 miles north of Jonesboro and 100 miles northwest of West Memphis.