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Little Rock, Arkansas, is not only the capital of the state: it's also a lovely place to live and raise a family. Located in the center of the state on the south banks of the Arkansas River, it is a relatively small city with only just under two hundred thousand residents. As a result, it is a capital that has the unique distinction of having maintained a small town feel! It got its unusual name from a landmark used by those who navigated the Arkansas nearly 400 years ago: a small rock formation on the river's banks was called by the French name La Petite Roche (the small rock), and the city that grew around it kept the moniker. Archaeological evidence suggests that over eight different Native American peoples made this area their home for literally thousands of years before the arrival of any Europeans. Some of the indigenous populations included the Osage, Choctaw, and Cherokee nations. Although Spanish explorers traveled through the area as early as the 16th century, it was not settled by Caucasian populations until two centuries later, when a French explorer named La Harpe built a fort there and gave the site the name Little Rock. It took another hundred years for Little Rock to be named as the capital of the Arkansas Territory in 1821, and the town was not officially incorporated for another ten years. By then the city had 60 buildings and just 400 residents: their homes were made of wood and brick, and mainly logs. Being a frontier town meant that it had all of the rough and tumble reputations that go with that description. The settlers were tough men out of necessity, and they drank hard and carried knives for their own protection. Thanks to the completion of a railroad line into Little Rock following the end of the Civil War, the little community of 3,700 blossomed over just a few years to a thriving town of over 12,000. At the turn of the century, modern amenities came to this central Arkansas town as it did in the rest of the country: Little Rock now enjoyed access to electricity, telephones, a community water system, and even streetcars! Gone was the rough and tumble frontier town: this time period ushered in great changes for this capital. In the 1930's, the Great Depression brought the rapid growth of this city of 80,000 to a halt, but following WWII, city fathers made a concerted and successful attempt at luring more industry to their town. Little Rock was growing again, and most of its population moved to the suburbs thanks to the popularity of the automobile. In the late 1950's, Little Rock became a focal point for the battle over desegregating public schools, and thanks to the landmark decision of Brown versus the Board of Education, the city helped usher in a new era of race relations in the South. Of course, in recent history, the capital was made famous again by the election of native son and former governor Bill Clinton to the Presidency of the United States. Today, downtown Little Rock's River Market District is home to many upscale loft dwellings built right into renovated historic buildings, and living in the city has become the epitome of urban chic. The little outpost on the river has grown into a beautiful and forward looking city on the Arkansas.
Article Source: http://articlebridge.com
If you would like more information about living in Little Rock and other opportunities in purchasing Arkansas real estate, contact the experts at RE/MAX of Arkansas (www.remax-arkansas.com). Art Gib is a freelance writer.
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