| City of Little Rock, Arkansas | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — City — | |||
|
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| Nickname(s): The Rock, Rock Town, LR, San Francisco of the South | |||
| Location in Pulaski County, Arkansas | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Arkansas | ||
| County | Pulaski | ||
| Founded | 1821 | ||
| Incorporated | 1831 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Council-Strong Mayor | ||
| • Mayor | Mark Stodola | ||
| Area | |||
| • City | 116.8 sq mi (302.5 km2) | ||
| • Land | 116.2 sq mi (300.9 km2) | ||
| • Metro | 4,090.34 sq mi (10,593.94 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 335 ft (102 m) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • City | 193,524 | ||
| • Metro | 699,757 | ||
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) | ||
| Area code(s) | 501 | ||
| FIPS code | 05-41000 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0083350 | ||
| Website | www.littlerock.org | ||
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census. The MSA is in turn included in the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area, which had a population of 877,091 in the 2010 census, making it the 47th largest combined statistical area in America. As of the 2010 US Census, Little Rock had a population of 193,524, making it the 118th largest city in America.[1][2] It is the county seat of Pulaski County.
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. The "little rock" is across the river from "big rock", a large bluff at the edge of the river, which was once used as a rock quarry.
There have been two ships of the United States Navy named after the city, including USS Little Rock (LCS-9).[3]
Archeological artifacts provide evidence of Native Americans inhabiting Central Arkansas for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. The early inhabitants may have included the Folsom people, Bluff Dwellers, and Mississippian culture peoples who built earthwork mounds recorded in 1541 by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto's expedition. Historical tribes of the area included the Caddo, Quapaw, Osage, Choctaw, and Cherokee.
Little Rock was named for a stone outcropping on the bank of the Arkansas River used by early travelers as a landmark. La Petite Roche (French for "the Little Rock"), named in 1721 by French explorer and trader Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe, marked the transition from the flat Mississippi Delta region to the Ouachita Mountain foothills. Travelers referred to the area as "the Little Rock", and the landmark name stuck.
Little Rock is located at (34.736009, -92.331122).[7]
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 are 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.[8]
Little Rock lies in the humid subtropical climate zone, with hot, humid summers and mild winters. It has experienced temperatures as low as −12 ºF (−24.4 ºC), which was recorded on February 12, 1899, and as high as 114 ºF (45.6 °C), which was recorded on August 3, 2011.[9]
| Climate data for Little Rock (Little Rock Nat'l Airport), 1981-2010 normals | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 83 (28) |
87 (31) |
91 (33) |
95 (35) |
98 (37) |
105 (41) |
112 (44) |
114 (46) |
106 (41) |
97 (36) |
86 (30) |
80 (27) |
114 (46) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 50.8 (10.4) |
55.4 (13.0) |
64.4 (18.0) |
73.4 (23.0) |
81.3 (27.4) |
89.1 (31.7) |
92.5 (33.6) |
92.6 (33.7) |
85.5 (29.7) |
74.7 (23.7) |
63.0 (17.2) |
52.5 (11.4) |
72.93 (22.74) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 31.8 (−0.1) |
35.3 (1.8) |
43.1 (6.2) |
51.2 (10.7) |
60.4 (15.8) |
68.7 (20.4) |
72.5 (22.5) |
71.5 (21.9) |
63.9 (17.7) |
52.2 (11.2) |
42.4 (5.8) |
33.9 (1.1) |
52.24 (11.25) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −8 (−22) |
−12 (−24) |
11 (−12) |
28 (−2) |
39 (4) |
46 (8) |
54 (12) |
52 (11) |
37 (3) |
27 (−3) |
10 (−12) |
−1 (−18) |
−12 (−24) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 3.55 (90.2) |
3.66 (93) |
4.68 (118.9) |
5.14 (130.6) |
4.87 (123.7) |
3.64 (92.5) |
3.27 (83.1) |
2.59 (65.8) |
3.18 (80.8) |
4.91 (124.7) |
5.28 (134.1) |
4.97 (126.2) |
49.73 (1,263.1) |
| Snowfall inches (cm) | 1.7 (4.3) |
1.8 (4.6) |
0.3 (0.8) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.2 (0.5) |
4.0 (10.2) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.9 | 9.1 | 9.8 | 9.4 | 11.1 | 8.7 | 8.2 | 6.4 | 7.3 | 8.2 | 8.9 | 9.7 | 105.7 |
| Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 2.1 |
| Source no. 1: NOAA [10] | |||||||||||||
| Source no. 2: Wunderground.com (extremes)[11] | |||||||||||||
Inside Little Rock's city limits, there are 36 different neighborhoods. They are Apple Gate, Breckenridge, Broadmoor, Brodie Creek, Capitol View/Stifft's Station, Chenal Valley, Cloverdale, Colony West, Downtown, East End, Fair Park, Geyer Springs, Granite Mountain, Gum Springs, Hall High, The Heights, Highland Park, Hillcrest, John Barrow, Mabelvale, Mushroom Pass, Otter Creek, Pinnacle Valley, Pleasant Valley, Quapaw Quarter, Riverdale, Robinwood, Rosedale, St. Charles, South End, South Little Rock, Southwest Little Rock, Stagecoach, Sturbridge, Wakefield, and West End.
Capitol View/Stifft's Station is a neighborhood in Little Rock, located in the west central portion of the city encompassing approximately 1500 homes. Roughly, its boundaries include the area south of West Markham, north of Interstate 630, east of Pine, and west of Summit, as well as south of Riverview between Park and Summit. Capitol View/Stifft's Station is just west of Downtown, north of the Central High School Historic District, Southeast of Pulaski Heights and uses the 72205 ZIP code. The Capitol View/Stifft's Station neighborhood is the result of Little Rock's early 20th century westward growth. Located west of the Arkansas State Capitol, Capitol View and Stifft's Station were the combined result of numerous additions to, what was at the time, western Little Rock.
The architecture of the neighborhood is predominantly Craftsman, Craftsman Bungalow, and Bungalow with modest Tudor or Colonial Revival detailing. One may also find Shotgun Houses, Queen Anne or American Foursquare-styled homes, as well as various period revival influences including Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture. The dominance of these styles in the neighborhood reflects its principal growth period of 1920 to 1929, with roughly 40% of building stock constructed within this decade. Combined with construction undertaken in the 1930s, this period accounts for the majority of housing stock built within the neighborhood. Although construction of Interstate 630 in the 1970s dramatically altered the southern edges of the area, the neighborhood is largely intact and much of the original housing stock remains.
There are architecturally and historically significant structures and sites which merit preservation and protection within the area. Two structures in the area are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the T.R. McGuire House and Lamar Porter Field. The neighborhood also contains two historic districts, The Capitol View Historic District and the Stifft Station Historic District. As of 1996, approximately two percent of the City of Little Rock's residents called the Capitol View/Stifft's Station area home. The racial distribution within the neighborhood is similar to that of the city: approximately 34 percent black and just under 65 percent white. However, also like the city, the neighborhood is subdivided geographically into different socio-economic zones. An example of this stratification is that almost 52 percent of the households in the area are classified as low and moderate income; however, the westernmost quarter of the neighborhood is over 61 percent low and moderate income, while 60 percent of the "Johnson – Woodrow area" households are higher income.
Over 53 percent of the Capitol View/Stifft's Station area households were at an income level, in 1990, between $10,000 and $30,000.[4] This compares to 38.1 percent of the households in Little Rock while, at the upper end, only 9.6 percent of households in the area had incomes over $50,000. The citywide percent of households with incomes over $50,000 was 22.2 percent in 1990.
The population profile of the neighborhood, in 1996, showed an area more middle-aged than that of Little Rock (residents aged over 65 and less than 18 both represented a lesser percentage than that of the overall city population). In addition, the female population is slightly larger in the area than citywide (54.4 to 53.6 percent). Single parent households also account for a greater percentage of neighborhood households than citywide. All of the increases in single parent households come from female headed households. For the city, 11.4% of households are single parent homes.Family and household sizes are generally smaller in Capitol View/Stifft's Station than compared with the rest of the city. This is due in part to the high percentage of one person households (41.8 percent compared to 32 percent city wide). The neighborhood is overwhelmingly single family at over 63 percent.
The Central Arkansas Transit Authority provides bus service in and through the neighborhood. One Downtown to West Little Rock route travels Markham Street to Kavanaugh Boulevard providing residents access to both Downtown and the Rodney Parham Road area. Bus routes along 7th Street and Capitol Avenue provide access to the West Markham Street area and the Otter Creek Neighborhood. The bus system is radial, downtown to the outskirts and back, much like the spokes of a wheel. Therefore, to go east, north, or south, the rider must first go downtown and transfer. The Capitol View/Stifft's Station neighborhood has a service level as good as any residential area in metropolitan Little Rock.
Capitol View/Stifft's Station has no fire stations, either historic or modern, within its boundaries. One surmises that this area’s fire protection needs were served, initially, by either Fire Station #3, which was opened at 3515 12th in 1911, or Fire Station #7, in operation by 1916 at Beechwood and Prospect (now Kavanaugh).
Predominantly industrial in development, East Little Rock generally refers to most portions of Little Rock located east of Interstate 30. The low-lying easternmost end of Arkansas' capital city is marked by distribution facilities and warehouses, Little Rock National Airport and its environs, the Port of Little Rock, and various manufacturers. A small amount of residential areas can also be found dispersed throughout East Little Rock, progressing towards census-designated places including College Station and Sweet Home.
Physically and economically, East Little Rock often contrasts sharply with the newest, westernmost neighborhoods of Little Rock. The two parts of the city are linked via Interstate 630, which has its first west-bound access near East 15th Street.
Part of East Little Rock has received tremendous attention since the late 2004 opening of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park near the banks of the Arkansas River. Development and subsequent opening of the facility and its adjoining Clinton School of Public Service, affiliated with the University of Arkansas, has served as a catalyst in plans to further improve its immediate area along the riverfront and downtown's River Market District. The next major addition for East Little Rock, the new headquarters of Heifer International adjacent to the Clinton library campus, opened on January 30, 2006.
Mabelvale was a small, unincorporated train station town in southwestern Pulaski County until being annexed into Little Rock in the late 1970s or early 1980s. The area today is part of Little Rock's seventh ward, while retaining a separate postal designation and ZIP code from most of the rest of the city. The neighborhood is currently represented on Little Rock's City Board of Directors by Brenda "B.J." Wyrick. The neighborhood is generally defined as the homes and businesses in the immediate area surrounding the intersection of Mabelvale Main Street and the Union Pacific railroad line. Its location on the south-central fringe of Little Rock proper — as well as proximity to unincorporated communities, neighborhoods in Southwest Little Rock and adjoining towns such as Shannon Hills which share the ZIP code — often leads to varying definitions of Mabelvale's boundaries.
The Heights and Hillcrest are neighborhoods in the north-central portion of Little Rock. Although distinct today, they were once part of the same Little Rock suburb called Pulaski Heights. Pulaski Heights first developed in the 1890s, was incorporated in 1903, and was annexed by Little Rock in 1916.
Today, The Heights is a upper-middle-income residential neighborhood. It is marked by boutiques and restaurants along Kavanaugh Boulevard, St. John's Seminary, and the Country Club of Little Rock. Hillcrest likewise centers around a section of Kavanaugh Boulevard. It is sometimes described as the "funkier" cousin of The Heights. Its landmarks include Mount St. Mary Academy, several major churches, and restaurants and bars.
A sizable and more recently developed section of the city, Chenal Valley is in the west-central section of Little Rock, known as West Little Rock. Its name is derived from the area's Shinall Mountain, but Deltic Timber Corporation, a major early developer of the area, opted to alter the name to mimic French language as part of a strategy (known as foreign branding) to orient the residential and commercial development toward upper-class population segments. Chenal Valley is one of the more expensive residential areas in Little Rock with typical homes in the $200,000- $2,000,000 price range.
The main thoroughfare is Chenal Parkway, mostly a divided four-lane path chiefly connecting Highway 10 to west Little Rock's Financial Centre business district. Chenal Parkway's northwestern terminus is just north of Arkansas 10 at Highway 300, near the Pinnacle Valley neighborhood. The southeastern terminus lies at Autumn Road at a transition to Financial Centre Parkway, with continuation to a conversion into Interstate 630 at Shackleford Road.
Chenal Valley is known for its rapid development since 1990, when Chenal Country Club was established and some of the earliest of the area's current crop of homes were built. Those and other residences, including a limited number of apartment and condominium complexes, can be found scattered throughout a part of Little Rock that has for now retained much of its pre-development wooded areas.
Several mass-market retailers populate Chenal's eastern commercial corridor near the Financial Centre area, including industry leaders Wal-Mart, Kroger, Target, Home Depot and Barnes & Noble. Chenal is also home to the headquarters of the Nuvell unit of GMAC Financial Services, an important employer for the city overall.
The Quapaw Quarter of Little Rock is a section of the city including its oldest and most historic business and residential neighborhoods. The name of the area was first given in 1961, honoring the Quapaw Indians who once lived in the area centuries ago.
As many as fifteen separate National Historic Register Districts make up the Quapaw Quarter, including more than 200 separate homes and buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Trapnall Hall, situated along East Capitol Avenue, was among the first of the homes built in 1843 as the home of early state legislator Frederic Trapnall and his wife, Martha. Structures housing businesses on Main Street and Broadway south of Interstate 630 are among this group as well.
Throughout the Quapaw Quarter, many small and large homes from the Antebellum and Victorian eras can be found, in addition to several examples of Craftsman-style architecture. Scott, Center and Spring streets, in particular, are where many such homes stand today. The exterior of the Villa Marre, one such home, was known nationally as the outside of the home containing the office of Sugarbaker Designs, the fictional Atlanta-based interior design firm on the CBS sitcom Designing Women. The actual home is located along Little Rock's Scott Street, and has been a former home for the office of the Quapaw Quarter Association, the chief organization that sponsors historic preservation efforts in the area.
Along with the Villa Marre, the exterior of the Arkansas Governor's Mansion was also featured on Designing Women, shown as the home of Suzanne Sugarbaker. The mansion and its grounds comprise a city block, dividing Center Street in its 1800-numbered block, and anchor the city's Governor's Mansion Historic District, encompassing many homes and businesses along and around lower Broadway. The first official residence of Arkansas's governors opened on January 10, 1950, to a week-long open house for all Arkansans. The Georgian Colonial Revival home was renovated and expanded from 2000 through 2002, reopening for the inauguration of Mike Huckabee's second full term as governor in early 2003.
The MacArthur Park Historic District, dedicated in 1981, adjoins the city's MacArthur Park along East 9th Street, including the Arkansas Arts Center and the circa-1840 Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal. This building in the district contains the birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur, a foremost commander of American forces in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
The South Main Residential Historic District — nicknamed SoMa by some area locals — was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007 according to the Department of Arkansas Heritage. The district which runs along South Main Street between 19th and 24th streets is notable for its assortment of quality late-nineteenth and early twentieth century residential architecture, including specifically the Queen Anne, Craftsman and Colonial Revival styles.
Located adjacent to the Arkansas River, Riverdale is a neighborhood of Little Rock situated in the north-central area of the city. It lies to the northeast and at a lower elevation from Pulaski Heights, and to the northwest of downtown.
Riverdale contains a considerable amount of warehouses in the eastern part of the neighborhood, served by Union Pacific rail lines that travel through the area. The warehouse section is flanked on the east by the corporate headquarters of Dillard's Department Stores, and noted for the landmark restaurant and bar, Cajun's Wharf, one of many such businesses with a long presence in Little Rock.
The neighborhood progresses westward toward shopping areas, office complexes, and upscale residential communities. Part of the lure to Riverdale in recent years for shoppers has been an increased emphasis on design-oriented businesses, with retailers offering antiques, ceramics, fine fabrics, plants and specialty lighting fixtures. Accompanying these shops is a popular mix of restaurants skewing toward Southern and Italian cuisine.
Beyond shopping venues, soccer fields and corporate towers inch the neighborhood toward the riverfront. Regional headquarters for telecommunications providers Verizon Communications and Windstream Communications, as well as the non-profit service organization Winrock International, are among the companies whose executives broker deals here. A combination of gated communities, apartments and condominiums buffer the corporate corridor from Rebsamen Golf Course, the city's largest public golf course, and Murray Park to the far west along Riverfront Drive.
The city operated under a city manager form of government until 2007. Voters elected to convert the city to a strong-mayor form of government, making the mayor's position a full-time position with veto power. The city also retains the city manager position. The city employs over 2,500 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, including the Quorum, Circuit, District, and Juvenile Courts; and the Assessor, County Judge, County Attorney, and Public Defenders offices.
Both the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit have judicial facilities in Little Rock.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 2,167 |
|
|
| 1860 | 3,727 | 72.0% | |
| 1870 | 12,380 | 232.2% | |
| 1880 | 13,138 | 6.1% | |
| 1890 | 25,874 | 96.9% | |
| 1900 | 38,307 | 48.1% | |
| 1910 | 45,941 | 19.9% | |
| 1920 | 65,142 | 41.8% | |
| 1930 | 81,679 | 25.4% | |
| 1940 | 88,039 | 7.8% | |
| 1950 | 102,213 | 16.1% | |
| 1960 | 107,813 | 5.5% | |
| 1970 | 132,483 | 22.9% | |
| 1980 | 159,151 | 20.1% | |
| 1990 | 175,795 | 10.5% | |
| 2000 | 183,133 | 4.2% | |
| 2010 | 193,524 | 5.7% | |
| source:[12] | |||
As of the 2005–2007 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, White Americans made up 52.7% of Little Rock's population; of which 49.4% were non-Hispanic whites. Blacks or African Americans made up 42.1% of Little Rock's population; of which 42.0% were non-Hispanic blacks. American Indians made up 0.4% of Little Rock's population while Asian Americans made up 2.1% of the city's population. Pacific Islander Americans made up less than 0.1% of the city's population. Individuals from some other race made up 1.2% of the city's population; of which 0.2% were non-Hispanic. Individuals from two or more races made up 1.4% of the city's population; of which 1.1% were non-Hispanic. In addition, Hispanics and Latinos made up 4.7% of Little Rock's population.[13][14]
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 1,576.0 people per square mile (608.5/km²). There were 84,793 housing units at an average density of 729.7 per square mile (281.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55.1% White, 40.4% Black, 0.3% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.28% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. 2.7% 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.
The 2010 U.S. Census population for the Metropolitan Statistical Area of Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway was 699,757. 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 2010 U.S. Census population for the Combined Statistical Area (CSA) of Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff was 877,091.
Major corporations headquartered in Little Rock include Dillard's Department Stores, Windstream Communications and Acxiom.
Additional large companies headquartered in Little Rock include Metropolitan National Bank, Bank of the Ozarks, Rose Law Firm, Nuvell Financial Services, Central Flying Service and large brokerage Stephens Inc..
Large companies headquartered in other cities but with a large presence in Little Rock include Dassault Falcon Jet and Raytheon Aircraft Company near Little Rock National Airport in the eastern part of the city, and Fidelity National Information Services in northwestern Little Rock.
Non-profit organizations include Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, Heifer International, Lions World Services for the Blind, Clinton Presidential Center, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, FamilyLife, Audubon Arkansas, The Nature Conservancy, and Winrock International.
Associations include the American Taekwondo Association, Arkansas Hospital Association, and the Quapaw Quarter Association.
Major employers throughout Little Rock include Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Baptist Health Medical Center, Entergy, Dassault Falcon Jet, Raytheon, Siemens, AT&T Mobility, Kroger, Euronet Worldwide, L'Oréal Paris, Timex, and UAMS.
One of the largest public employers in the state with over 10,552 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 $5 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. International corporations such as Danish manufacturer LM Glasfiber have established new facilities adjacent to the port in recent years.
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.
Along with Louisville and Memphis, Little Rock houses one of three branches of the St. Louis Federal Reserve district.
In addition, early in the 20th century, Little Rock was home to brass era automobile maker Climber.[15]
The Brookings Institution ranks Little Rock as the 7th best metropolitan economy in the United States in 2009 with the second best overall growth from 2008 to 2009 after Des Moines.
Little Rock was named the 2nd cleanest city in America in 2011 by Forbes magazine.[16]
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 city also is home to a pair of smaller, historically black colleges, Philander Smith College, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, and Arkansas Baptist College.
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.
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 2,200 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 Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, 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 melanoma, 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 master's degree in public service.
There is a Missonary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock. The school began as Missionary Baptist College in Sheridan in Grant County. When the college closed in 1934, the seminary opened in Little Rock. It awarded the clergyman L. L. Clover his Bachelor of Theology degree.[17]
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 schools 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.
LRSD public high schools include:
The Pulaski County Special School District serves parts of Little Rock as well. PCSSD high schools in the city include:
The Central Arkansas Library System includes the main building downtown and numerous branches throughout the city as well as branches in Jacksonville, Maumelle, Perryville, and Sherwood. The Pulaski County Law Library is located at the William H. Bowen School of Law.
Hospitals in Little Rock include:
| Club | League | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Travelers | Texas League | Dickey-Stephens Park | 1895 | 9 |
| Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans | NCAA–Sun Belt Conference | Jack Stephens Center | 1927 | 3 |
| Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans | NCAA–Sun Belt Conference | Gary Hogan Field | 1927 | 0 |
| Arkansas Rhinos | North American Football League | Mills High School | 2000 | 1 |
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.
Little Rock was also home to the Arkansas Twisters (later Arkansas Diamonds of Arena Football 2 and Indoor Football League and the Arkansas RimRockers of the American Basketball Association and NBA Development League. Both of these teams played at the Verizon 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 University of 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 Razorback football weekends for fans to tailgate. It is estimated that over 80,000 people are present for the tailgating actitivities on these weekends. 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 was 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 Verizon 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, 250 cc and World Superbike motorcycle racing champion, is from Little Rock.
World Champion Middleweight Boxer Jermain Taylor and NBA players Derek Fisher and Joe Johnson were born and/or have roots in Little Rock.
A number of highways converge near Little Rock. I-40 passes through North Little Rock to the north. US 70 parallels I-40 into North Little Rock before multiplexing with I-30 at the Broadway exit (Exit 141B). US 67 and US 167 share the same route from the northeast before splitting. US 67 and US 70 multiplex with Interstate 30 to the southwest. US 167 multiplexes with US 65 and I-530 to the southeast. Other highways include I-430, I-440, I-530, and I-630. I-530 terminates in Little Rock after originating in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
Nine airlines serve 18 national/international gateway cities, e.g. St. Louis, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, etc. from Little Rock National Airport. In 2006 they carried approximately 2.1 million passengers on approximately 116 daily flights to and from Little Rock.
Greyhound Lines serves Dallas, Memphis, Houston, 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.
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.
Within the city, public bus service is provided by the Central Arkansas Transit Authority (CATA). As of January 2010, CAT operates 23 regular fixed routes, 3 express routes, as well as special events shuttle buses and paratransit service for disabled persons. Of the 23 fixed route services, 16 offer daily service, 6 offer weekday service with limited service on Saturday, and one route runs exclusively on weekdays. The three express routes run on weekday mornings and afternoons. 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.
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:
All major television networks have local affiliates in Little Rock, in addition to numerous independent stations. As for cable TVservices, Comcast has a monopoly over Little Rock and the majority of Pulaski County. Some suburbs have the option of having Comcast, Charter or other cable companies.
Television stations in the Little Rock area include:
| Call letters | Number | Network |
|---|---|---|
| KETS/AETN | 2 | PBS |
| KARK | 4 | NBC |
| KATV | 7 | ABC |
| KATV-DT2 | 7.2 | RTN |
| KATV-DT3 | 7.3 | The Local AccuWeather Channel |
| KTHV | 11 | CBS |
| KTHV-DT2 | 11.2 | THV2 |
| KLRT | 16 | FOX |
| KLRT-DT2 | 16.2 | TheCoolTV |
| KVTN | 25 | VTN |
| KASN | 38 | The CW |
| KASN-DT2 | 38.2 | The Country Network |
| KKAP | 36 | Daystar |
| KARZ | 42 | MyNetworkTV |
| KARZ-DT2 | 42.2 | Bounce TV |
Founded in 1976, the Arkansas Repertory Theatre is the state's largest nonprofit professional theatre company. A member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT D), The Rep has produced more than 300 productions, including 40 world premieres, in its historic building located in downtown Little Rock. Producing Artistic Director, Robert Hupp leads a resident staff of designers, technicians and administrators in the creation of eight to ten productions for an annual audience in excess of 70,000 for MainStage productions, educational programming and touring. The Rep produces works that range from contemporary comedies and dramas to world premiers and the classics of dramatic literature.
AM radio Stations in the Little Rock area include:
| Call letters | Frequency | Format |
|---|---|---|
| KETS | 620 | Top 40 |
| KEWI | 690 | Variety |
| KMTL | 760 | Gospel |
| KLRT | 850 | Children's |
| KLRG | 880 | Gospel |
| KARN | 920 | Talk |
| WLR | 950 | Community radio |
| KJBN | 1050 | Religious |
| KAAY | 1090 | Christian |
| KCON | 1230 | Adult Contemporary |
| KPZK | 1250 | Urban/Hip Hop |
| KZTD | 1350 | Bright A/C-Talk |
| 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-FM | 90.5 | Classical |
| KANX | 91.1 | Religious |
| KUCA | 91.3 | Classical |
| KIPR | 92.3 | Mainstream Urban |
| KASR | 92.7 | Sports |
| KKSP | 93.3 | Rock |
| KKPT | 94.1 | Classic Rock |
| KHKN | 94.9 | Adult Hits |
| KSSN | 95.7 | Country |
| KHTE-FM | 96.5 | Top 40 |
| KWLR | 96.9 | Religious |
| KURB | 98.5 | Adult Contemporary |
| KDIS-FM | 99.5 | Children's |
| KDJE | 100.3 | Active Rock |
| KZTS | 101.1 | Mainstream Urban |
| KVLO | 101.7 | Gospel |
| KOKY | 102.1 | Urban Adult Contemporary |
| KPZK-FM | 102.5 | Gospel |
| KARN-FM | 102.9 | News and Talk |
| KABZ | 103.7 | Sports Talk |
| KMJX | 105.1 | Country |
| KOLL | 106.3 | Adult Contemporary |
| KHLR | 106.7 | Urban Adult Contemporary |
| KLAL | 107.7 | Top 40 |
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