Brinkley was laid out in 1869-70 on lands belonging to the Little Rock and Memphis Railroad Company. At a point along the fifteen mile section of tracks completed across the northern portion of Monroe County in 1871, the town, first called Lick Skillet, was incorporated in 1872 as Brinkley. It was named for Robert C. Brinkley, president of the railroad company. M. B. Park Co. was the first store, operated by M. B. Park and H. A. Carter, former Clarendon merchants. Mr. Hoskins was the first mayor and Rev. T. H. Howard is said to have preached the first sermon and organized the Methodist Church, both in 1870.

      Brinkley, later a crossroads of railroads leading in all directions, increased in size from 325 persons in 1880 to 1,648 in 1900. Early in the 1890's the business district was rebuilt after being destroyed by fire, but the greatest disaster struck in 1909 when over 60 persons were killed and hundreds injured at the hands of a cyclone which destroyed virtually all of Brinkley. Only one church and six or eight homes were left standing, but the determined citizens rebuilt their city and it is today the largest city in Monroe County. Brinkley is located on Highway 70 and Interstate 40.