Originally settled in the 1880s, pioneers were drawn to the Northeast Arkansas area not only for its beauty but also for the great abundance of fresh water, timber for cabins and fuel, natural fruits and nuts, wild game, and fish to nurture and feed growing families. Early settlers had to be craftsmen to make their own furniture, tools, clothing, leather goods and musical instruments. In Hardy, they found all they needed for a good life.

An official town was formed after the railroad came through the area along the river. The railroad needed supplies and services as the trains stopped en route and the town grew up to serve those needs. When a postoffice was established in 1883, a name was needed. The Federal government named the town for 25-year-old James A Hardy, Jr., a subcontractor for the railroad. It is said young Hardy had saved his boss’s life from a gang of angry railroad workers and in gratitude, the boss wrote Washington supporting the name "Hardy" for the community.

In the roaring ’20s and the Jazz-age ’30s, Hardy became a popular summer resort for the wealthy of nearby Memphis, Tennessee. Many built summer homes along the river’s banks or on the tall bluffs while others built resorts, scouting camps, and church camps for visitors to escape the Memphis heat in the cool mountains. Later, many of these developments became the striving retirement communities that ring the Hardy area.