Little Rock, Arkansas

The explorer Hernando de Soto first crossed the Mississippi into what is now Arkansas in 1541. Since the fabled gold he was looking for was not found, the Spanish soon lost interest in the area. The French explorer Bernard de la Harpe called attention to the area in 1722 with reference to the rock formations he called La Petite Roche and La Grande Roche on the banks of the Arkansas River. The area of the 'little rock' turned out to be a convenient area for crossing the Arkansas River, near a Quapaw Indian settlement. La Harpe built his trading post at this point on the river. The 'big rock,' a little further upstream, later became the site of an Army post. The 'little rock' can be seen today downtown in Riverfront Park. A trapper named William Lewis built his home at the Little Rock post in 1812. When Arkansas became a territory in 1819, the capital was at Arkansas Post, a site downriver. Two years later, it was moved to the bustling area of Little Rock. Little Rock was incorporated as a city in 1831 and became the state capital when Arkansas was admitted into the union in 1836. The territorial history of the city and the state is interpreted at the Arkansas Territorial Restoration, where living history portrayals and displays depict the period. This complex of buildings includes the territorial capital building, where the government met before Arkansas was made a state. Arkansas is unique in being the only state capital with three capital buildings still standing. The second is now known as the Old State House Museum, where the state's first governor was sworn into office in 1836. This was the seat of government until 1911. The present capital building was only partially completed when the general assembly started sessions there in 1911, and was completed in 1916.Header Banner Made with MyBannerMaker.com! Click here to make your own!