This county is situated immediately south of "the jog" in the northern boundary line of the state. It is therefore bounded on the north by the State of Missouri; on the east by the Mississippi River, from which it takes its name; on the south by Crittenden County, and on the west by the counties of Craighead and Poinsett. It has an area of 792 square miles, alluvial soil, and is one of the banner agricultural counties of the state. Cotton, corn, wheat, alfalfa and sweet potatoes are the principal, crops.

The county was created by the act of November 1, 1833, from the northern part of Crittenden County. It was also directed by the act that the seat of justice should be at the house of Peter G. Reeves, until such time as a permanent county seat should be established. In 1836 John G. Davis, John Buckner, Edwin Jones, Lasty McLang and Frederick Weller were appointed commissioners to locate a county seat, and the result was the selection of Osceola. Subsequently Blytheville, in the northeast corner, was made a seat of justice for the northern district, and fine courthouses have been erected in both places. The one in Blytheville was completed about July 1, 1921, at a cost of $150,000.

The first county officers were: Edwin Jones, judge; J. \V. Whitworth, clerk; E. F. Loyd. sheriff ; J. C. Barfield, surveyor; S. McLung, coroner. Uriah Russell, elected in 1836, was the first treasurer. Among the early attorneys who practiced in this county were Thomas B. Craighead, for whom Craighead County was named; Thomas J. Blackmore, John B. Finley and Elliott H. Fletcher.

    Mississippi County is divided into the following townships: Big Lake, Bowen, Burdette, Canadian, Carson Lake, Chickasawba, Clear Lake, Fletcher, Golden Lake, Hector, Hickman, Little River, McGavoek, Monroe, Neal, Pecan, Scott, Swayne, Troy and Whitton. The population of the county in 1920 was 47,320, an increase of 16,852 in ten years.

The county is well supplied with railroads, the St. Louis & San Francisco, the Jonesboro, Lake City & Eastern, the St. Louis Southwestern, the Blytheville, Burdette & Mississippi River and the Blytheville, Leachville & Arkansas touching practically all parts. Three towns—Blytheville, Luxora and Osceola— each have a population of over one thousand.  Manila, incorporated on July 3, 1901, is a town of 971 inhabitants. It is located on the Jonesboro, Lake City & Eastern Railroad in the northwestern part, has a bank, sawmill, cooperage plant, the usual line of mercantile establishments, etc. Burdette and Dell are also incorporated towns. Armorel, Bardstown, Barfield, Butler, Hickman. Pecan Point, Wilson and Yarbro are flourishing villages.