[4] The area where the town of Arp now sits was occupied by Caddoan peoples in pre-Columbian periods and was a part of the Treaty of Bowles Village in 1836 that granted Smith and Cherokee counties along with parts of Rusk, Gregg and Van Zandt counties to the Texas Cherokee and twelve associated tribes.

However, the area was again occupied by Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Creek Indians after 1845.

The descendants of these people formed the Mount Tabor Indian Community and a number continue to reside in Smith and Rusk counties today.

Supposedly, the three-letter name was also chosen for its brevity, which allowed local strawberry producers to spend less time hand-marking their crates.

[5] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.3 km2), all land.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 892 people, 383 households, and 292 families residing in the city.