Little Rock is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas and the county seat of Pulaski County. The Metropolitan Statistical Area, had a population of 675,069 people, according to 2008 census estimates. The MSA is in turn included in the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area, which had a population of 850,561 in the 2008 census estimates. As of 2008, according to the US census, Little Rock had a population of 189,515.
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 (French: "the little rock"). The "little rock" was used by early river traffic as a landmark and became a well-known river crossing.
History
Origins
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 first explored by Europeans in 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" (French for "the Little Rock"), so named in 1722 by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe, 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.
Timeline
See also: List of tallest buildings in Little Rock
- 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 in the The Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal. The building is now the home of the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History and the surrounding is area is called MacArthur Park.
- 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 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 Dwight 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 (114 m) and Union National Bank at 330 feet (100 m) are under construction and replace The Tower Building as the city's tallest buildings. Union National Bank subsequently merged into Worthen, which eventually would become part of Bank of America.
- 1974 – First National Bank building is under construction and becomes the city's tallest building at 454 feet (138 m) and 30 stories. The building currently is Arkansas headquarters for Regions Bank.
- 1986 – The Capitol Tower is completed, and at 40 stories and 547 feet (167 m) tall, is currently the tallest building in Arkansas. The skyscraper's name changed to the TCBY Tower later and became the Metropolitan Tower as of October 2004. The Stephens Building is also completed and is 25 stories and 365 feet (111 m) 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 42.195-kilometre (26.219 mi) 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 then-Governor Mike Huckabee, then-President George W. Bush, and former presidents George H. W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.
- 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 (1,056 m) across the Arkansas River and is currently the world’s longest bridge specifically built for pedestrians/bicycles.
- 2006 – The five-year construction boom of mixed-use, high-rise buildings in downtown's historic River Market district began construction on over 60 stories of residential and retail property and 240 additional hotel rooms slated to be completed 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).
- 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, opposite downtown Little Rock.
Geography
Little Rock is located at 34°44′10″N 92°19′52″W / 34.73611°N 92.33111°W / 34.73611; -92.33111 (34.736009, -92.331122).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 116.8 square miles (302.5 km²), of which, 116.2 square miles (301.0 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) 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. 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.
Crime
Little Rock has a well above average crime rate for a city with about 200,000 people. Most of the city of Little Rock's homicides occur in the 12th street area near I-630, the Asher Avenue area and the notorious but gentrifying Southwest Little Rock, which was reported to have about 17 killings in 2008.
Crime Stats for 2008: (As of late December 2008
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