Little Rock

Overview

Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas . Much of Little Rock’s history and many of the important sights for travelers is encompassed by the Quapaw Quarter, a nine square mile area which includes Little Rock’s central business district and adjacent residential neighborhoods. "Quapaw Quarter" is a special name that since 1961 has been used to identify this oldest and most historic portion of Little Rock. (The word "Quapaw" was borrowed from the Quapaw Indians, who lived in central Arkansas before the arrival of white settlers in the early 19th century.)

Although it actually encompasses a much wider area, the Quapaw Quarter is most closely associated with the neighborhoods surrounding MacArthur Park and the Arkansas Governor's Mansion. It is in these two areas, formally known as the "MacArthur Park Historic District" and the "Governor's Mansion Historic District," that Little Rock's historic preservation efforts have been concentrated for the past 20 years.

Most of the city's oldest buildings, including some that date from before the Civil War, are found within the boundaries of the MacArthur Park Historic District. Visitors to the historic district may tour the Arkansas Arts Center which hosues one of the most significant collections of Works on Paper in the country, as well as an impressive collection of paintings by Monet, Degas and many more of the great masters. The nearby Decorative Arts Museum, which occupies the antebellum Pike-Fletcher-Terry House is another must see attraction. Another of the historic district's antebellum homes, Trapnall Hall, may be viewed by appointment. The...more

History