Beginnings

Little Rock in 1871

Archeological research has shown that the sites of modern Little Rock were inhabited by Indians thousands of years earlier, before Europeans reached them. The local population was dominated by the Kaddo, Quapaw, Osage, Choctava and Chirokee tribes. Among the first settlers were probably representatives of the Folsom, Bluff Dwellers and Mississippi, who were responsible for all sorts of earth works, leading the construction of mines. They were discovered in 1541 by a Spanish expedition led by Hernando de Soto.

The city has gained its name due to the small stones found on the southern banks of the river Arkansas. This place was used by early travelers as a landmark. In 1721, the French explorer and merchant Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe used the term "la Petite Roche" (Small Stone) to describe the transition from the region of flat areas of the Mississippi delta to the foothills of the Ouachita mountains. Over time, the name became popular with other travelers and it stuck to this area.

Calendar

• 1722 - French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe reaches the formation of small stones on the southern shore of the Arkansas river; it describes the place as "la Petite Roche" and builds a shopping area.
• 1812 - The first residential houses are built in the area.
• 1820 - Robert Crittenden (b. 1797) and Chester Ashley (b. 1791) conclude a partnership agreement in legal activities, providing the foundation for Rose Law Firm, the oldest law firm on the western side of the Mississippi river.
• 1821 - Little Rock becomes the capital of the Arkansas Territory, established in 1819.
• 1831 - Little Rock is officially gaining city rights.
• 1833 - Construction of the Arkansas Territory Capitol begins; The building, which was put into service in 1842, is the Capitol of State until 1911
• 1836 - Arkansas is recognized as the 25th American state, and Little Rock its capital.
• 1861 - Arkansas joins the Confederation.
• 1863 - Union forces occupy Little Rock.
• 1874 - Brooks-Baxter War.
• 1880 - In Little Rock comes general of the army Douglas MacArthur; currently in his former home is the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, and the surrounding area has been named MacArthur Park.
• 1911 - The new State Capitol is put into service.
• 1916 - The city "absorbs" the hitherto suburban district of Pulaski Heights, which initiated the expansion of urban areas to the west.
• 1957 - Little Rock Central High School starts attending the first group of black students in history, so-called. "Nine of Little Rock." In response to public protests (Arkansas is then the third most racially segregated state in the United States, after Mississippi and Alabama), President Dwight Eisenhower sends members of the National Guard to the city to ensure the "Nine" security and allow them to exercise their right to study.
• 1958 - All three public secondary schools in Little Rock are closed for a year by the state authorities.
• 1968 - The city center is experiencing a boom in the real estate market; Worthen Bank Building (114 m) and Union National Bank (100 m) remain in the construction phase
• 1974 - The first National Bank is being established in Little Rock; its headquarters becomes the highest facility in the city (138 m).
• 1986 - Capitol Tower is put into service; thanks to the height of 167 m, it becomes the highest building in the city.
• 1992 - Bill Clinton holds the post of President of the United States; on election night, after announcing the results, speaks on the stairs in front of the historic Old State House in Little Rock. Clinton is the first person in history from the state of Arkansas to become the head of the American state.
• 2004 - William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park is opened; the ceremony will be attended by Governor Mike Huckabee, President George W. Bush, and former presidents: George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.
• 2006 - Heifer International, an international charity, spends 17.5 million dollars building its headquarters in Little Rock.
• 2006 - The Pulaski County Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge is opened, commonly known as the Big Dam Bridge; thanks to the length of over a thousand meters, at the time of opening it was the largest bridge in the world, built specially for pedestrians/cyclists.

According to data from the United States Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of 302.5 km², of which 300.9 km² is land and 1.6 km² (0.52%) is water.

Little Rock lies on the southern shore of the Arkansas river in the center of Arkansas. Fourche Creek and Rock Creek run through the city, entering the river. The western side of Little Rock is located at the foot of Ouachit Mountains. North of the administrative borders of Little Rock is located the mountain of Pinnacle and also Lake Maumelle, where most of the drinking water is taken.

On the other side of the river Arkansas is located the town of North Little Rock, which is sometimes mistakenly considered as part of Little Rock. It was originally one of Little Rock's districts, called Argenta. Arkansas Supreme Court allowed this district to be included in the neighboring North Little Rock in 1904.

Climate

Little Rock is located in a humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen classification - Cfa). Summer periods are hot and wet, and winter periods are mild, with little snow.

Little Rock's highest recorded temperature was 46 °C (114 °F) on August 3, 2011 and its lowest temperature was -12 °C (25 °F) on February 12, 1899.

According to the 2000 census, Little Rock was inhabited by 183 133 people, 46 488 families and 77 352 households. The population density at the time was 608.5/km² and the density of 84 793 houses was 281.7/km². According to the racial criterion, the 2005-2007 study showed that 52.7% of the population was white (down from 74.1% in 1970), 42.1% black, 4.7% were Latino, 0.4% Indians, 2.1% were Asian And 0.1 percent of them were Pacific Island newcomers. 1.2% of the population was of a different race and another 1.4% was of at least two breeds.

77,352 households were in the city, 28.6% of whom were children under 18, 40.5% were marriages living together, 16.1% were women (without their husband) and 39.9% were non-family. 33.8% of all households were inhabited by individuals, of which 9.1% by single people over the age of 65. The average household size was 2.3 and the family size was 2.98.

Taking into account the age breakdown, 24.7% of the city's population was under 18, 10% were between 18-24, 31.7% between 25-44, the population between 45-64 was 22% and 11.6% of the population was at least 65 years old. The average age oscillated around 34 years. Every 100 women had 89.2 men, and every 100 women over 18 had 85 men.

The average household income was $37,572 and the family $47,446. Men generated income of 35,689 dollars, and women generated 23,209 dollars. 14.3% of the population lived below the relative poverty line.

Metropolitan area

In 2011 the population of the metropolitan area Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway was 709 901 inhabitants. This area includes counties: Pulaski, Faulkner, Grant, Lonoke, Perry and Saline. The largest cities, apart from Little Rock, include: North Little Rock, Conway, Jacksonville, Benton, Sherwood, Cabot, Maumelle and Bryant.

Religion

According to the 2010 census, the largest religious groups in the agglomeration were:

• South Baptist Convention: 125,653 members in 234 churches
• United Methodist Church: 44,865 members in 101 churches
• Dominant Protestantism: 42,482 members in 114 churches
• Catholic Church: 31,635 members in 21 churches
• American Baptist Association: 22,052 members in 90 churches
• Churches of Christ: 14,958 members in 80 churches
• The churches of God: 12,921 members in 50 churches
• US National Baptist Convention: 12,476 members in 24 churches
• Nazarenic Church: 6785 members in 25 churches
• Church of Jesus Christ of the Saints in the Last Days: 6346 members in 11 churches
• US Presbyterian Church: 5185 members in 14 churches
• Episcopal Church: 4,675 members in 11 churches
• African Methodist-Episcopal Church: 4091 members in 21 churches
• Church of God in Christ: 3,586 members in 20 churches
• Lutheran Church of the Missouri Synod: 3420 members in 15 churches
• The Pentecostal Church of God: 2065 members in 19 churches

Little Rock Center

Little Rock has its headquarters in several large corporations, including Dillard's Department Stores, Windstream Communications and Acxiom. Dassault Falcon Jet and Raytheon Aircraft Company also have a significant share in the local economy, although their headquarters are located in other cities.

Metropolitan Bank Tower, Metropolitan National Bank

Local non-profit organizations include: Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, Heifer International, Lions World Services for the Blind, Clinton Presidential Center and Winrock International.

The most important employers in the region are: Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Baptist Health Medical Center, Entergy, Dassault Falcon, Raytheon, Siemens, AT&T Mobility, Kroger, Euronet Worldwide, L'Oréal Paris and Timex. One of the largest public employers, providing 10,552 jobs, is the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and its centers—Arkansas Children's Hospital and the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System. The economic impact it has on Arkansas UAMS every year is estimated at around $5 billion.

Little Rock has a river port around which an industrial complex of business buildings, known as the International Trade Area, was created. In the complex, 14 foreign companies run their offices, including, among others, the Danish Wind Power LM, which is the world's largest manufacturer of wind turbine blades.

The city has one of three branches of the United States Federal Reserve System for St. Louis the other two are located in Louisville and Memphis.

In 2005, Forbes magazine placed Little Rock at the 22nd place of the list of best to develop metropolitan business on a national scale. In turn, Moody's Investor Services considered Little Rock to be the 2nd most economically diverse city in the United States. In 2009, the Brookings Institution awarded Little Rock the title of the 7th best metropolitan economy in the country. In 2011, Forbes recognized Little Rock as the 2nd cleanest city in the United States, taking into account criteria such as water or air quality.

Bill Clinton Presidential Library at William J. Clinton Presidential Center

• Arkansas Arts Center, a museum and art center, is the largest cultural institution in Arkansas.
• The Arkansas Museum of Discovery presents exhibitions on science, technology and history.
• William J. Clinton Presidential Center is a science, culture and education center, hosting the president's library Bill Clinton, the seat of the Clinton Foundation, and the Clinton School of Public Service. The archives and library have over 2 million photographs, 80 million pages of documents, 21 million e-mails recorded, and nearly 80,000 artifacts during Clinton's presidency. The museum also includes a full-size replica of Clinton's Oval Cabinet.
• The historic Arkansas Museum is a museum devoted to the history of the region, and especially the beginning of its development.
• The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History is one of the oldest buildings in the central Arkansas and the birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur.
• The Old State House Museum now houses a museum devoted mainly to the latest history of Arkansas; in the past, state caps were here.

Little Rock City Hall

Little Rock has a form of mayor-city council rule, with a very strong position of the former (including veto rights). Until 2007, the division of the city's government was based on the system of the city's manager and council, which was however transformed by a referendum. The manager's function has been maintained but no longer has such extensive competence.

More than 2,500 people are employed in 14 departments of the city office.

In Little Rock, most of the authorities of the county of Pulaska and the state of Arkansas have their headquarters.

Roads

A number of motorways pass through or in the vicinity of Little Rock, including: I-40 (heading north, via North Little Rock), I-430, I-440, I-530 and I-630, as well as express roads US 70, US 67, US 167 and US 67.

Air

Little Rock airport offers fixed connections to 18 US cities; there are approximately 116 incoming/outgoing flights each day. In 2006, the port handled more than 2 million passengers.

Buses

Greyhound Lines bus lines offer direct connections to, among others: Dallas, Memphis, Houston and St. Louis. In turn Jefferson Lines provide connections to cities such as: Fort Smith, Kansas City and Oklahoma City.

Urban, retro-style trams

Rail

The Texas Eagle line of the Amtrak carrier offers two fixed rail connections, to Chicago and to San Antonio. Three times a week, a train going to Los Angeles passes through the city.

Urban transport

The city bus network is operated by the Central Arkansas Transit Authority (CATA). In 2010, she operated on 16 daily routes, 6 business day lines (with a limited number of Saturday courses) and one weekend line. In the morning and afternoon of working days, three additional bus lines are put into service. Since 2004, Little Rock and North Little Rock are also supported by retro-style trams.

Little Rock has seven partner cities.

•   Kaohsiung, Taiwan
•   Hanam, South Korea
•   Changchun, China
•   Ragusa, Italy
•   Mons, Belgium
•   Pachuca, Mexico
•   Samsun, Turkey

In addition, in 1999 Little Rock concluded agreements on enhanced cooperation with two additional cities.

•   Newcastle upon Tyne, England
•   La Petite-Pierre, France

• Wikivoyage: Little Rock ()
• Little Rock official site (pl)
• Little Rock at city-data.com (ang)