'Little Rock' is the
capital and the most populous city of the
State of Arkansas. It is also the
county seat of
Pulaski County and had a city population of 204,370 in the 2006 census estimates.
[ Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Arkansas ] It and
North Little Rock, Arkansas are co-principal cities of the six-county
Little Rock-North Little Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area, an area with a population of 652,834 people, according to 2006 census estimates. The MSA is in turn included in the
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff Combined Statistical Area, which had a population of 829,032 in the 2006 census estimates.
Located near the geographic center of Arkansas, Little Rock derives its name from a small rock formation on the south bank of the
Arkansas River called ''La Petite Roche'' (the "little rock"). The "little rock" was used by early river traffic as a landmark and became a well-known river crossing.
History
★ 1722 -
French explorer,
Jean-Baptiste Benard de la Harpe, lands near a small rock formation on the south bank of the
Arkansas River which he reputedly names ''La Petite Roche'' (the little rock).
La Harpe builds a trading post near the little rock. The
Quapaw Indians reside nearby.
★ 1812 - William Lewis, a
fur trapper, builds a home near the little rock.
★ 1820 - Little Rock is surveyed.
★ 1820 - Robert Crittenden, born 1797, and Chester Ashley, born 1791, enter into an agreement for a "Partnership in the Practice of Law" which lays the groundwork for the
Rose Law Firm, the oldest law firm west of the Mississippi River.
★ 1821 - Little Rock becomes the capital of the
Arkansas Territory formed in 1819.
★ 1831 - Little Rock is incorporated as a city.
★ 1833 - The Territorial Capitol (now the
Old State House) is built. Completed in 1842, it serves as the State Capitol until 1911.
★ 1836 -
Arkansas becomes the 25th state, and Little Rock became the official capital city.
★ 1861 -
Arkansas joins the
Confederacy.
★ 1863 - Union forces occupy Little Rock.
★ 1874 - The
Brooks-Baxter War takes place in Little Rock.
★ 1880 - General
Douglas MacArthur born on January 26 at the Little Rock Barracks. The birthplace is now the home of the
MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.
★ 1911 - The current State Capitol building is completed. It is the second building constructed to house the state government, after the
Old State House.
★ 1916 -
Pulaski Heights, one of Little Rock's earliest western suburbs, is annexed into the city, setting the stage for further westward expansion.
★ 1957 - The
Little Rock Nine are enrolled at Little Rock's Central High School after public protests and the Arkansas National Guard, under the direction of Governor
Orval Faubus, prevents their first attempt at enrollment. President Eisenhower dispatches federal troops to ensure the students' safety and enforce their right to attend school. These events are collectively referred to as the Crisis at Central High.
★ 1958 - All three public High Schools in Little Rock are closed for one year by Governor Faubus.
★ 1968 - Construction booms downtown, Worthen Bank Building at 375 feet and Union National Bank at 330 feet are under construction and replace the Tower Building as the city's tallest buildings. Both banks have been renamed.
★ 1974 - First National Bank building is under construction and becomes the city's tallest building at 454 feet and 30 stories. The building currently is headquarters for
Regions Bank.
★ 1978 -
Bill Clinton is elected Governor of Arkansas. At age 32, he is the youngest person to be elected Governor in the state's history.
★ 1986 - The
Capitol Tower is completed, and at 40 stories and 547 feet tall, is currently the tallest building in Arkansas. The
skyscraper name changed to the TCBY Tower later and became the Metropolitan National Bank as of October 2004. The Stephens Building is also completed and is 25 stories and 365 feet tall when finished. It was first known as the First South building and then the Rogers building.
★ 1992 - Bill Clinton is elected
President of the United States. He delivers an election night acceptance speech from the front steps of the historic
Old State House in downtown Little Rock. He is the first person from the state of Arkansas to be elected President. He is elected to a second term in 1996.
★ 1997 - The 40th anniversary of the Crisis at Central High is marked by the opening of a new
National Park Service visitor center.
★ 2000 - Little Rock's record high temperature of 111 degrees
Fahrenheit is recorded by the
National Weather Service in August.
★ 2003 - First
Little Rock Marathon is held. Counting the relays, 1615 runners participate in the 26.2-mile race, making it one of the top 25 races in the nation for 2003.
★ 2003 - Little Rock resident
Wesley Kanne Clark, a retired four-star general in the U.S. Army and former Supreme Allied Commander of the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), announces his intention to run in the presidential primary election for the Democratic Party nomination.
★ 2004 -
William J. Clinton Presidential Center opens with a host of dignitaries and celebrities, including President George W. Bush, and former presidents George H. W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.
★ 2005 -
Drew Pritt becomes the first openly gay person to run for statewide office when he announces his candidacy for Lt. Governor in the preferential primary in the State Capitol Rotunda beneath a portrait of former Governor and U.S. Senator
Dale Bumpers.
★ 2006 - The international charitable organization
Heifer International dedicates a $17.5 million world headquarters in downtown Little Rock. The organization announces plans to further develop the 33-acre location into the Heifer International Center campus.
★ 2006 - The Pulaski County Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge, better known as the
Big Dam Bridge, opens to the public. The Big Dam Bridge extends 3,463 feet across the
Arkansas River and is currently the world’s longest bridge specifically built for pedestrians/bicycles.
[ U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Programs and Project Management ]
★ 2006 - The five-year construction boom of mixed-use, high-rise buildings in downtown's historic
River Market district will produce over 60 stories of residential and retail property and 240 additional hotel rooms by the end of 2009. Among the major residential projects completed or planned are the
Capital Commerce Center (2002),
First Security Center (2004),
300 Third Tower (2006), and the
River Market Tower (2009).
★ 2006 - Former governor
Michael Huckabee announces his intention to seek the
Republican Party nomination in the
2008 Presidential election.
★ 2006 -
Kathy Webb local activist and owner of the restaraunt Lily's Dim Sum and Then Sum is elected to the
Arkansas State House of Representatives becoming the first member of the GLBT Community openly elected to a state level elected office in Arkansas.
★ 2007 -
Dickey-Stephens Park, home to the
Arkansas Travelers minor league baseball team, opens. The newly constructed ball park has a capacity of 7,000 and is situated on the Arkansas River in
North Little Rock, Arkansas, a city opposite downtown Little Rock.
Early origins and miscellaneous facts
Many artifacts have been found that suggest Native Americans inhabited Central Arkansas thousands of years before European settlers arrived. These original inhabitants may have included the
Folsom people, Bluff Dwellers,
Mound Builders,
Caddo,
Quapaw,
Osage,
Choctaw and
Cherokee. Arkansas was left untouched by European hands until 1541 when
Hernando de Soto of Spain traveled through the area.
Little Rock was actually named for a little rock. Early travelers used a stone outcropping on the bank of the
Arkansas River as a landmark. "La Petite Roche" marked the transition from the flat Mississippi Delta region to the
Ouachita Mountain foothills. Travelers would refer to the area as "the little rock" and the name stuck.
Citizens of Little Rock are commonly referred to by the appellation, "Little Rockers."
The city of
North Little Rock was once the 8th ward of Little Rock. An
Arkansas Supreme Court decision on February 6, 1904, allowed the ward to merge with the neighboring town of North Little Rock. The merged town quickly renamed itself Argenta (the local name for the former 8th Ward), but returned to its original name in October 1917.
Federal Express was founded in 1971 by
Frederick W. Smith in Little Rock, Arkansas, but moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1973 after
Little Rock National Airport officials would not agree to provide facilities for the fledgling airline. The company is now known as
FedEx Corporation.
Geography
Little Rock is located at (34.736009, -92.331122).
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 302.5
km² (116.8
mi²). 301.0 km² (116.2 mi²) of it is land and 1.6 km² (0.6 mi²) of it (0.52%) is water.
Little Rock is located on the south bank of the
Arkansas River in Central Arkansas. Fourche Creek and Rock Creek run through the city and flow into the river. The western part of the city is located in the foothills of the
Ouachita Mountains. Just northwest of the city limits is Pinnacle Mountain and Lake Maumelle, which provides Little Rock's drinking water. The city of
North Little Rock is located just across the river from Little Rock, but it is a separate city.
Government
The city operates under a city manager form of government. The city employs over 2500 individuals in 14 different departments including the Police department, the Fire department, Parks and Recreation and the Zoo.
Most Pulaski County government offices are located in the city of Little Rock and include among others the Quorum, Circuit, District, Juvenile Courts and the Assessor, County Judge, County Attorney and Public Defenders offices.
The U.S. Federal District Court (Eastern District) of the St. Louis 8th District and also the Circuit Federal Court of Appeals are located in Little Rock.
Climate data
Little Rock lies at the northern periphery of the
Humid subtropical climate zone, with hot, humid summers and cool to chilly winters.
'Meteorological Data for the Little Rock Greater Metropolitan Are'| averages for each month.]] |  Rainfall averages for each month. |
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 Humidity indices for each month. |  Wind speeds during the various months. |
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 Snowfall averages for each month. |  Average percentage of sun during the day. |
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Demographics
Old State House Museum
As of the 2000
census, there were 183,133 people, 77,352 households, and 46,488 families residing in the city. The
population density was 608.5/km² (1,576.0/mi²). There were 84,793 housing units at an average density of 281.7/km² (729.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 55.07%
White, 40.41%
Black (U.S. Census), 0.27%
Native American, 1.66%
Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander, 1.28% from
other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. 2.67% of the population is
Hispanic or
Latino.
There were 77,352 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were
married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,572, and the median income for a family was $47,446. Males had a median income of $35,689 versus $26,802 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $23,209. 14.3% of the population is below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 20.9% of those under the age of 18 and 9.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Metropolitan statistical area
The 2006 U.S. Census population estimate for the
Metropolitan Statistical Area of Little Rock-North Little Rock was 652,834. The MSA includes the following counties:
Pulaski,
Faulkner,
Grant,
Lonoke,
Perry, and
Saline. The largest cities include
Little Rock,
North Little Rock,
Conway,
Jacksonville,
Benton,
Sherwood,
Cabot,
Maumelle, and
Bryant.
The 2006 U.S. Census population estimate for the
Combined Statistical Area (CSA) of Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff was 829,032.
Economy/business
Major corporations headquartered in Little Rock:
Alltel,
Dillard's Department Stores,
Windstream Communications and
Acxiom.
Large companies headquartered in Little Rock:
Metropolitan National Bank,
Rose Law Firm,
Nuvell Financial Services,
Central Flying Service and
Stephens Inc.
Large companies headquartered in other cities but with a large presence in Little Rock:
Dassault Falcon Jet,
Raytheon Aircraft Company and
Fidelity National Information Services.
Non-profit organizations include
Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now,
Heifer International,
Lions World Services for the Blind,
William J. Clinton Foundation,
Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, and
Winrock International.
Associations include the
American Taekwondo Association,
Arkansas Hospital Association, and the
Quapaw Quarter Association.
Major employers in Little Rock include
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield,
Entergy,
Raytheon,
The Sharper Image,
Siemens, and
Timex.
One of the largest public employers in the state with over 9,400 employees, the
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and its affiliates —
Arkansas Children's Hospital and the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System — have a total economic impact in Arkansas of about $4.1 billion per year. UAMS receives less than 11% of its funding from the state. Its operation is funded by payments for clinical services (64%), grants and contracts (18%), philanthropy and other (5%), and tuition and fees (2%).
The Little Rock port is an intermodal river port with a large industrial business complex.
It is designated as
Foreign Trade Zone 14.
Little Rock was named 22nd out of 361 metropolitan areas as best places for business in 2005 by
Forbes Magazine.
Moody's Investor Services ranks Little Rock as the second most diverse economy in the nation.
Little Rock along with Louisville and Memphis are branches of the St. Louis
Federal Reserve district.
Museums
'William J. Clinton Presidential Center' Photo of the library in downtown Little Rock
★ The
William J. Clinton Presidential Center includes the Clinton presidential library and the offices of the
Clinton Foundation and the Clinton School of Public Service. The facility, designed by architect
James Polshek, cantilevers over the
Arkansas River, echoing Clinton's famous campaign promise of "building a bridge to the 21st century. The
archives and library contains 2 million photographs, 80 million pages of documents, 21 million e-mail messages, and nearly 80,000 artifacts from the Clinton presidency. The museum within the site showcases artifacts from Clinton's term and includes a full-scale replica of the Clinton-era
Oval Office.Opened on November 18, 2004, the
Clinton Presidential Center cost $165 million to construct and covers 150,000 square feet (14,000 m²) within a 28 acre (113,000 m²) park.
★ The
MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History opened in 2001, the last remaining structure of the original Little Rock Arsenal and one of the oldest buildings in central Arkansas, it was also the birthplace of General
Douglas MacArthur who would go on to be the supreme commander of US forces in the
South Pacific during
World War II.
★ The
Arkansas Museum of Discovery features hands-on exhibits in the fields of science, history and technology.
★ The
Old State House Museum is a former state capital building now home to a history museum focusing on Arkansas' recent history.
★ The
Historic Arkansas Museum is a regional history museum focusing primarily on the frontier time period.
Libraries
The
Central Arkansas Library System includes the main building downtown
and numerous branches throughout the city as well as branches in Sherwood,
Maumelle and Jacksonville.
Education
The city has two major universities that are part of the University of Arkansas System. The campuses of the
University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences are located within Little Rock.
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock was founded in 1927 as Little Rock Junior College, under the supervision of the city Board of Education. The first semester open, there were eight instructors and about 100 students. The college is currently accredited by the
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, a status it has kept since 1929. Housed originally in public school buildings, the college moved in 1949 to its present location between University Ave and Fair Park Blvd, North of Asher Ave, on land donated by Raymond Rebsamen, a Little Rock businessman. The college was also the sole beneficiary of a continuing trust established by former Governor
George W. Donaghey at the time. In 1957, the institution began a four-year degree program, became independent and privately supported under a separate board of trustees, and took the name Little Rock University.
'Dickinson Hall' at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock
In September 1969, The Little Rock University merged into the
University of Arkansas System, to create the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The University of Arkansas System merger began a period of steady growth, which saw UALR go from about 3,500 students and 75 full-time faculty members in 1969 to about 10,000 students and over 400 full-time faculty members in the 1998 academic year. The University's expanded offerings now include 54 undergraduate major programs, an extensive schedule of night, weekend, and off-campus classes, and a wide range of community educational services. UALR began offering graduate and professional work in 1975. Besides the
juris doctor offered at the
William H. Bowen School of Law, UALR now has three doctoral programs and 29 graduate and professional programs, as well as joint programs with other campuses of the University of Arkansas System.
The
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is part of the University of Arkansas System. UAMS has about 2200 students in six academic units: the Colleges of
Medicine,
Pharmacy,
Nursing, Health Related Professions, and
Public Health and the
Graduate School. UAMS also has more than 660 resident
physicians completing their training at UAMS or at one of the seven Area Health Education Centers around the state. UAMS combines the patient care resources of a state-of-the art hospital and outpatient center with the Arkansas Cancer Research Center, Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy, and Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neurosciences Institute. Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System are affiliates of UAMS.
The outreach efforts of UAMS include seven
Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) in
Fayetteville,
Pine Bluff,
El Dorado,
Texarkana,
Fort Smith,
Jonesboro, and
Helena, Arkansas.; networks of senior health centers and centers for young children with special health care needs; and interactive video education and medical consultation services to community hospitals around the state. UAMS is the state’s largest basic and applied research institution with internationally renowned programs in multiple myeloma, aging, and other areas.
Located in downtown is the specialized
Clinton School of Public Service, a branch of the University of Arkansas System, which offers a masters degree in public service.
The city is also home to two smaller, private
historically black colleges,
Philander Smith College and
Arkansas Baptist College.
The public schools in Little Rock are operated by the
Little Rock School District known by residents as LRSD. Currently, the district includes 64 schools with more school being built. As of the 2005-2006 school year, the district has enrollment of 26,524. It has 5 high schools, 8 middle schools, 31 elementary schools, 1 early childhood (pre-kndergarten) center, 2 alternative schools, 1 adult education center, 1 accelerated learning center, 1 career-techinal center, and about 3,800 employees. High schools in Little Rock include:
Public
★
Little Rock Central High School
★
J. A. Fair Science and Technology Systems Magnet High School
★
Hall High School
★
McClellan Magnet High School
★
Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School
Private
★
Little Rock Catholic High School
★
Little Rock Lutheran High School
★
Little Rock Christian Academy
★
Episcopal Collegiate School
★
Mount Saint Mary Academy
★
Pulaski Academy
★
Arkansas Baptist School System
Lions World Services for the Blind is the most comprehensive rehabilitation center in the world for the blind and visually impaired. Founded in 1947, the goal of the center is to enable the individual to become independent in society.
Medical
Hospitals in Little Rock include:
★
Arkansas Children's Hospital
★
Arkansas Heart Hospital
★
Baptist Health Medical Center
★
John C. McCellan Veterans Administration Complex
★
Arkansas State Hospital - Psychiatric Division
★
Pinnacle Pointe Hospital
★ St. Vincent Health System
★
★
St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center
★
★
St. Vincent Doctors Hospital
★
Southwest Regional Medical Center
★
University Hospital, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Cultural
★
Aerospace Education Center -
IMAX Theater &
EpiSphere Digital Dome Theater. The IMAX Theatre features a variety of science related items. Aviation exhibits on display are an original Sopwith Camel and a replica of the Wright Flyer.
★
Arkansas Arboretum - Located at Pinnacle Mountain, it has an interpretive trail with flora and tree plantings.
★
Arkansas Arts Center - the state's largest art museum, notable for its drawings, collections and children's theater productions. It features works by
Van Gogh and
Rembrandt among others. The museum has eight art galleries, a museum school, gift shop and restaurant.
★
Arkansas Repertory Theatre - The Rep is the state's only professional non profit theatre.
★
Arkansas Symphony Orchestra - In its 41st season, the orchestra performs over 30 concerts a year and many special events.
★
Ballet Arkansas - The state's only professional ballet company.
★
Heifer International - headquarters of the global hunger and poverty relief organization, located adjacent to the Clinton Presidential Center
★
Quapaw Quarter - Turn of the century Little Rock includes three National Register historic districts with over a hundred buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Tours are available showing the many Victorian and Antebellum homes.
★
Robinson Center Music Hall - The main performance center of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
★
Villa Marre - An 1881 home of Italianate and Second Empire styles refurbished in the 1960s and shown in the opening scenes of the television show "Designing Women."
★
Wildwood Center for the Performing Arts - The largest park dedicated to the performing arts in the South. It features year round performances of opera, cabaret, and jazz. Wildwood Festival in June features chamber music, film series, art exhibits, jazz and lecture series among others. It is home to the Young Artist Tour. The park also offers a summer music camp for children.
Attractions
Arkansas State Capitol
★
Arkansas State Capitol - a smaller scale replica of the U.S. Capitol building in
Washington D.C. completed in 1911.
★
Arkansas State Fair
★
Little Rock Marathon
★
Little Rock Central High
★
Little Rock Zoo - Arkansas' only zoo with over 725 animals and over 200 species.
★
Riverfront Park - a park located in downtown, hosts the annual Riverfest music festival, and is home to the La Petite Roche (the little rock).
★
River Market District - a refurbished former warehouse district and subset of downtown including an old-fashioned bazaar-style market hall, a farmers' market open from April to late October each year; and various shops, bars, restaurants and galleries.
★
Willow Springs Water Park - one the first water theme parks in the U.S. built in
1928.
★
Lake Nixon - another popular lakeside water park.
★
Pinnacle State Mountain Park
★
Arkansas River Trail
Shopping/retail
Some notable shopping locations in the city of Little Rock are:
Retailers in Little Rock include
JC Penney,
Sears,
Kmart,
Dillard's,
Wal-Mart,
Target,
Kohl's,
Parisian and
MM Cohn.
Sports
Little Rock was home to the
Arkansas Travelers. They are the
AA Professional Minor League Baseball affiliate of the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the
Texas League. The Travelers played their last game in Little Rock at
Ray Winder Field on September 3, 2006, and moved into
Dickey-Stephens Park in nearby
North Little Rock in April 2007. Little Rock is scheduled to be home to the
Little Rock Rivercatz of the
American Basketball Association for the 2007-2008 season.
A Little Rock suburb is also home to the
Arkansas Twisters of the
af2 arena football league and the
Arkansas RimRockers of the
NBA Development League. Both of these teams play at the
Alltel Arena in North Little Rock.
Little Rock is home to the
University of Arkansas at Little Rock Trojans. The majority of the schools athletic teams are housed in the new state-of-the-art
Jack Stephens Center. The Trojans play in the Sun Belt conference, where
Arkansas State University is their chief rival.
Little Rock's
War Memorial Stadium plays host to at least two Arkansas Razorback games each year. The stadium is known for being in the middle of a golf course. Each fall, the city closes the golf course on football weekends for fans to tailgate. War Memorial also hosts the Arkansas High School football state championships, and starting in the fall of 2006 hosts one game apiece for the
University of Central Arkansas and the
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Arkansas State University also plays at the stadium from time to time.
Little Rock will be a host of the First and Second Rounds of the
2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. It has also been a host of the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament.
The now defunct
Arkansas RiverBlades and
Arkansas GlacierCats, both
minor-league hockey teams, were located in the Little Rock area. The GlacierCats of the now defunct
Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL) played in Little Rock at
Barton Coliseum while the RiverBlades of the
ECHL played at the
Alltel Arena.
Hubert "Geese" Ausbie played basketball at
Philander Smith College in Little Rock, where he earned All-Conference and All-American honors. He later gained fame as a member of the
Harlem Globetrotters.
John Kocinski, 250cc and World Superbike
motorcycle racing champion, is from Little Rock.
World Champion Middleweight
Boxer Jermain Taylor and
National Basketball Association (NBA) players
Derek Fisher and
Joe Johnson were born and/or have roots in Little Rock.
Transportation
Road
Little Rock's downtown River Rail
Streetcar track.
A number of
highways converge near Little Rock.
I-40 passes through
North Little Rock to the north.
US 67 and
US 167 share the same route from the northeast before splitting, with
US 67 multiplexing with
Interstate 30 to the southwest and
US 167 multiplexing with
US 65 and
I-530 to the southeast.
US 65 shares the same route as
I-30 from the east. Other highways include
I-430,
I-440,
I-530, and
I-630.
I-530 terminates in Little Rock after originating in
Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
Air
Nine airlines serve 18 national/international gateway cities, e.g. St. Louis, Chicago, Dallas, Charlotte, etc. from
Little Rock National Airport. In 2006 they carried approximately 2.1 million passengers on approximately 150 daily flights to and from Little Rock.
Bus
Greyhound Lines serves Dallas, Memphis, and St. Louis, as well as intermediate points, with numerous connections to other cities and towns.
Jefferson Lines serves Fort Smith, Kansas City, and Oklahoma City, as well as intermediate points, with numerous connections to other cities and towns. These carriers operate out of the North Little Rock bus station.
Rail
Amtrak serves the city twice daily via the
Texas Eagle, with northbound service to
Chicago and southbound service to
San Antonio, as well as numerous intermediate points. Through service to
Los Angeles and intermediate points operates three times a week. The train carries coaches, a sleeping car, a dining car, and a Sightseer Lounge car. Reservations are required.
Public transport
Within the city, public bus service is provided by the Central Arkansas Transit Authority (CATA), with 16 regular daily routes and two express routes throughout the Little Rock area. Additional service includes four connecting routes originating in Little Rock serving North Little Rock daily excluding Sundays; morning and early evening Monday-Friday express routes to
Maumelle and
Jacksonville/
Sherwood; special events shuttle buses; and paratransit service for disabled persons.
Since November 2004, downtown areas of Little Rock and North Little Rock have been additionally served by the
River Rail Electric Streetcar system, also operated by CATA. At present, few middle-class commuters of Central Arkansas
depend on
public transit. As a result, the current riders of CATA are predominantly poor,
elderly, and/or disabled. Panhandling is common at bus stops. Most visitors to the city rely on car rental or taxicab for their transportation needs.
Taxicab service is readily available with Black & White Cabs, Yellow Cab, and Veterans Cab.
Limo service is also available with Little Rock Limousine Service, Central Limousine Service and over a dozen others.
Media
Print
The
Arkansas Democrat Gazette is the largest newspaper in the city, as well as the state. As of March 31, 2006, Sunday circulation is 275,991 copies, while daily (Monday-Saturday) circulation is 180,662, according to the
Audit Bureau of Circulations.
Daily legal and real estate news is also provided Monday through Friday in the
Daily Record. Entertainment and political coverage is provided weekly in
Arkansas Times and monthly in the
Little Rock Free Press. Business and economics news is published weekly in
Arkansas Business
In addition to area newspapers, the Little Rock market is served by a variety of magazines covering diverse interests. The publications include:
★
Little Rock Family
★
Little Rock Soiree
★
Inviting Arkansas
★
RealLIVING
★
At Home in Arkansas
Television
All major television networks have local affiliates in Little Rock, in addition to numerous independent stations and cable by
Comcast within the city proper. The suburbs have Comcast,
Charter or other cable companies.
Television stations in the Little Rock area include:
Radio
AM Radio Stations in the Little Rock area include:
| Call letters | Frequency | Format |
|---|
| KEWI | 690 | Variety |
| KMTL | 760 | Gospel |
| KGHT | 880 | Gospel |
| KARN | 920 | Talk |
| KJBN | 1050 | Religious |
| KAAY | 1090 | Christian |
| KCON | 1230 | Adult Contemporary |
| KPZK | 1250 | Urban/Hip Hop |
| KZTD | 1350 | Spanish |
| KDXE | 1380 | Total Sports |
| KTUV | 1440 | Gospel |
FM Radio stations in the Little Rock area include:
| Call letters | Frequency | Format |
|---|
| KABF | 88.3 | Community radio |
| KUAR | 89.1 | News and info |
| KLRE | 90.5 | Classical |
| KANX | 91.1 | Religious |
| KUCA | 91.3 | Classical |
| KIPR | 92.3 | Urban/Hip Hop |
| KKZR | 93.3 | Top 40 |
| KKPT | 94.1 | Classic Rock |
| KHLR | 94.9 | Urban Gospel |
| KSSN | 95.7 | Country |
| KHTE | 96.5 | Top 40 |
| KWLR | 96.9 | Religious |
| KURB | 98.5 | Adult Contemporary |
| KDIS | 99.5 | Children's |
| KDJE | 100.3 | Active Rock |
| KWBF | 101.1 | Easy Listening |
| KPZK | 101.7 | Gospel |
| KOKY | 102.1 | Adult R&B |
| KVLO | 102.5 | Gospel |
| KARN | 102.9 | News and Talk |
| KABZ | 103.7 | Talk |
| KMJX | 105.1 | Classic Rock |
| KOLL | 106.3 | Oldies |
| KHKN | 106.7 | Classic Country |
| KLAL | 107.7 | Top 40 |
Notable people
''See also: '
List of people from Little Rock'''
★
Danielle Evans (Born in 1986 - Little Rock) 2006 - Dani Evans (also known as Danielle Evans) is an American fashion model and television personality. Evans was the winner of Cycle 6 of America's Next Top Model (ANTM).
★
Jason Gammel (1969) Noted visual artist. Originally born in Crossett in South Arkansas, relocated and currently lives and works in Little Rock.
★
Brooks Robinson was born in Little Rock in 1937 and is generally believed to be the greatest third baseman in
Major League Baseball history. He played for the
Baltimore Orioles from 1955 to 1977.
★
Douglas MacArthur GCB (January 26, 1880 – April 5, 1964) was born in Little Rock and was an American general and
Medal of Honor recipient. He was Supreme Commander of
Allied forces in the
South West Pacific Area during
World War II. President
Harry Truman relieved General MacArthur of his military command in on April 11, 1951.
★
John Gould Fletcher (1886–1950) was a
Pulitzer Prize winning Imagist poet and author. He was born in Little Rock to a socially prominent family. Fletcher suffered from
depression and committed suicide by drowning in a pond near his home in Little Rock. Fletcher is buried at historic
Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock. The Fletcher Branch Library of the Central Arkansas Library System is named in his honor.
★
Frank Bonner (born 1942) in Little Rock, is an actor and television director best known for playing sales manager
Herb Tarlek on the classic TV sitcom ''
WKRP in Cincinnati''. He has also directed episodes of many TV sitcoms, including ''
Who's the Boss?'', ''
Head of the Class'', and ''
Evening Shade''.
★
Gil Gerard (born 1943) in Little Rock, he is most famous for his role as Captain William "Buck" Rogers in the 1979-1981 television series ''
Buck Rogers in the 25th century''. He was married to
Connie Sellecca (1979 - 1987).
★
Wesley Clark born in
Chicago, on December 23, 1944 under the name Wesley Kanne. He was a 2004 presidential contender and
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Commander. Clark is a graduate of
Hall High School in Little Rock.
★
Chelsea Clinton born February 27, 1980 in Little Rock, is the only child of President
Bill Clinton and U.S. Senator
Hillary Rodham Clinton. Chelsea's name was inspired by her parents' fondness for the
Judy Collins recording of the
Joni Mitchell song "Chelsea Morning".
★ Former President
Bill Clinton and U.S. Senator
Hillary Rodham Clinton lived in Little Rock when Bill Clinton was
Attorney General of Arkansas 1977-1979 and
Governor of Arkansas 1979-1981; and also returning as Governor 1983-1993.
★
Jerry Jones, an owner of the
Dallas Cowboys, and actresses
Mary Steenburgen and
Joey Lauren Adams are sometimes associated with Little Rock. All three went to North Little Rock High School (Ole Main) in
North Little Rock, Arkansas.
★
Sidney Moncrief is a former
Arkansas Razorback and
National Basketball Association (NBA)
Milwaukee Bucks basketball great was born in Little Rock.
★
Richard Thalheimer Founder, Chairman and CEO of the
Sharper Image Corporation was raised in Little Rock.
★
Helen Gurley Brown Editor-in-chief of ''
Cosmopolitan magazine'' for 32 years was raised in Little Rock.
★
Daniel Davis Best known as Niles the Butler on the television program ''
The Nanny'' lived in Little Rock.
★
Kevin McReynolds Born in Little Rock. Played
Major League Baseball for 12 years.
★
Houston Nutt Born in Little Rock. Coach of the University of
Arkansas Razorbacks football team.
★
E. Fay Jones Noted Architect, designer and an apprentice of
Frank Lloyd Wright. He was born in
Pine Bluff and lived in Little Rock for a time.
★
Thomas Marchand Renowned singer and songwiter known for his extravagant art.
★
Joe Johnson Born in
Little Rock where he played his AAU, High School basketball. Then attending
University of Arkansas Fayetteville where he played for two years before joining the NBA. After being drafted by the Boston Celtics, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he made a name for himself. Next the Atlanta Hawks signed him to be the "Player to build a team around".
★
Michael Odle An acclaimed ethnomusicologist and piano virtuoso.
★
Jermain Taylor By defeating then champion Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor became professional boxing's undisputed Middleweight Champion of the World on December 3, 2005. Jermain Taylor lives in Little Rock and has become one of the city's most visible supporters.
★
Amy Lee Lead singer for the band
Evanescence which won 2004 Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Hard Rock Performance.
★
John LeCompt(born March 10, 1973 Little Rock, Arkansas) musician who has been part of the Little Rock heavy metal music with bands like
Evanescence
Music
★
Ne-Yo was born in Camden, Arkansas, even though he was not raised there.
★
Evanescence and
Ho-Hum have their roots in Little Rock.
★
Richard B. Boone (February 24, 1930 – February 8, 1999) was an American jazz musician and
scat singer.
★
Art Porter, Sr., (February 8, 1934 - February 8, 1993) was an American jazz pianist. He was the father of jazz saxophonist
Art Porter, Jr.
★
Art Porter, Jr., (August 3, 1961 - November 23, 1996), was an American jazz saxophonist. He was the son of jazz musician
Art Porter, Sr.
★
Green Day's close friend and backup guitarist (particularly for the
American Idiot tour),
Jason White is from Little Rock.
★
Jason Truby, ex-guitarist for the band
P.O.D., is from Little Rock. Truby was also in the band
Living Sacrifice, also based in Little Rock.
★
Lil Rok Playaz is a hip hop group based out of Little Rock with hit singles "Mrs. Jones" and "Off Top". The group recently signed with
Universal Records.
★ Fat Pat's Water Rats are a Successful Teen Alternative Music Band from the Little Rock Metropolitan Area. They wrote such tracks as "Turn Our Heads"
Further reading
★ Greater Little Rock: a contemporary portrait, Letha Mills, 1990
★ The Atlas of Arkansas, Richard M. Smith 1989
★ Cities in the U.S.; The South, Fourth Edition, Volume 1, Linda Schmittroth, 2001
★ Redefining the Color Line: Black Activism in Little Rock, Arkansas, 1940-1970, John A. Kirk, 2002.
★ How We Lived: Little Rock as an America City, Frederick Hampton Roy, 1985
Sister cities
★
Kaoshiung, Taiwan 1983
★
Hanam City, South Korea 1992
★
Changchun, China 1994
★
Ragusa, Italy 1997
★
Mons, Belgium
★
Hidalgo,
Mexico
Friendship cities
★
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England 1999
★
La Petite-Pierre, France 1999
See also
References
★ Gailiano, Amanda. "Lets Get Historical - Early Arkansas." About.com Cities and Towns 19 April 2006.
[1]
★ City-Data.com. "Average Climate in Little Rock, Arkansas."
[2]
External links
Cultural
Other
★
Little Rock Chamber of Commerce
★
Little Rock City Government
★
History of Little Rock's Jewish community (from the
Institute of Southern Jewish Life)
★
Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau
★
Downtown Little Rock Partnership
★
Heart of Arkansas Tourism
★
Little Rock Metroplan
★
Little Rock Info
★
Online Little Rock
★
Metro Little Rock Alliance
★
Downtown Little Rock
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