Little Rock, Arkansas: Difference between revisions
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==Miscellaneous facts== |
==Miscellaneous facts== |
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Citizens of Little Rock are commonly referred to by the appellation, "Little Rockers." |
Citizens of Little Rock are commonly referred to by the appellation, "Little Rockers." The city is referred to as "The Rock Town" or simply "The Rock". |
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The city of [[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. |
The city of [[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. |
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Revision as of 05:05, 6 March 2008
City of Little Rock | |
|---|---|
| File:Littlerock.jpeg | |
| Nicknames: The Rock, Rocktown, Capital City | |
 Location in Pulaski County, Arkansas | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Pulaski |
| Founded | 1821 |
| Incorporated | 1831 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-manager |
| • Mayor | Mark Stodola |
| Area | |
• City | 116.81 sq mi (302.55 km2) |
| • Metro | 4,090.34 sq mi (10,593.94 km2) |
| Elevation | 335 ft (102 m) |
| Population (2006) | |
• City | 184,422 |
| • Metro | 652,834 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 501 |
| FIPS code | 05-41000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0083350 |
| Website | http://www.littlerock.org |
Little Rock is the capital and the most populous city of the State of Arkansas. It is also the county seat of Pulaski County and had a city population of 184,422 in the 2006 census estimates.[1] It and North Little Rock, Arkansas are co-principal cities of the six-county Little Rock-North Little Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area, an area with a population of 652,834 people, according to 2006 census estimates. The MSA is in turn included in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff Combined Statistical Area, which had a population of 829,032 in the 2006 census estimates.
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 (the "little rock"). The "little rock" was used by early river traffic as a landmark and became a well-known river crossing.
History
Origins
Many artifacts have been found that suggest Native Americans inhabited Central Arkansas thousands of years before European settlers arrived. These original inhabitants may have included the Folsom people, Bluff Dwellers, Mound Builders, Caddo, Quapaw, Osage, Choctaw and Cherokee. Arkansas was left untouched by European hands until 1541 when Hernando de Soto of Spain traveled through the area.
Little Rock was actually named for a little rock. Early travelers used a stone outcropping on the bank of the Arkansas River as a landmark. "La Petite Roche" (French for "The Little Rock"), so named in 1722 by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe, marked the transition from the flat Mississippi Delta region to the Ouachita Mountain foothills. Travelers would refer to the area as "the Little Rock" and the name stuck.
Timeline
- 1722 - French explorer Jean-Baptiste Benard de la Harpe lands near a small rock formation on the south bank of the Arkansas River which he reputedly names La Petite Roche (the little rock). La Harpe builds a trading post near the little rock. The Quapaw Indians reside nearby.
- 1812 - William Lewis, a fur trapper, builds a home near the little rock.
- 1820 - Little Rock is surveyed.
- 1820 - Robert Crittenden, born 1797, and Chester Ashley, born 1791, enter into an agreement for a "Partnership in the Practice of Law" which lays the groundwork for the Rose Law Firm, the oldest law firm west of the Mississippi River.
- 1821 - Little Rock becomes the capital of the Arkansas Territory formed in 1819.
- 1831 - Little Rock is incorporated as a city.
- 1833 - The Territorial Capitol (now the Old State House) is built. Completed in 1842, it serves as the State Capitol until 1911.
- 1836 - Arkansas becomes the 25th state, and Little Rock became the official capital city.
- 1861 - Arkansas joins the Confederacy.
- 1863 - Union forces occupy Little Rock.
- 1874 - The Brooks-Baxter War takes place in Little Rock.
- 1880 - General Douglas MacArthur born on January 26 in the The Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal. The building is now the home of the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History and the surrounding is area is called MacArthur Park.
- 1911 - The current State Capitol building is completed. It is the second building constructed to house the state government, after the Old State House.
- 1916 - Pulaski Heights, one of Little Rock's earliest western suburbs, is annexed into the city, setting the stage for further westward expansion.
- 1957 - The Little Rock Nine are enrolled at Little Rock's Central High School after public protests and the Arkansas National Guard, under the direction of Governor Orval Faubus, prevents their first attempt at enrollment. President Eisenhower dispatches federal troops to ensure the students' safety and enforce their right to attend school. These events are collectively referred to as the Crisis at Central High.
- 1958 - All three public High Schools in Little Rock are closed for one year by Governor Faubus.
- 1968 - Construction booms downtown, Worthen Bank Building at 375 feet and Union National Bank at 330 feet are under construction and replace the The Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal as the city's tallest buildings. Union National Bank subsequently merged into Worthen, which eventually would become part of Bank of America.
- 1974 - First National Bank building is under construction and becomes the city's tallest building at 454 feet and 30 stories. The building currently is Arkansas headquarters for Regions Bank.
- 1986 - The Capitol Tower is completed, and at 40 stories and 547 feet tall, is currently the tallest building in Arkansas. The skyscraper name changed to the TCBY Tower later and became the Metropolitan National Bank as of October 2004. The Stephens Building is also completed and is 25 stories and 365 feet tall when finished. It was first known as the First South building and then the Rogers building.
- 1992 - Bill Clinton is elected President of the United States. He delivers an election night acceptance speech from the front steps of the historic Old State House in downtown Little Rock. He is the first person from the state of Arkansas to be elected President. He is elected to a second term in 1996.
- 1997 - The 40th anniversary of the Crisis at Central High is marked by the opening of a new National Park Service visitor center.
- 2000 - Little Rock's record high temperature of 111 degrees Fahrenheit is recorded by the National Weather Service in August.
- 2003 - First Little Rock Marathon is held. Counting the relays, 1615 runners participate in the 26.2-mile race, making it one of the top 25 races in the nation for 2003.
- 2003 - Little Rock resident Wesley Kanne Clark, a retired four-star general in the U.S. Army and former Supreme Allied Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), announces his intention to run in the presidential primary election for the Democratic Party nomination.
- 2004 - William J. Clinton Presidential Center opens with a host of dignitaries and celebrities, including President George W. Bush, and former presidents George H. W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.
- 2006 - The international charitable organization Heifer International dedicates a $17.5 million world headquarters in downtown Little Rock. The organization announces plans to further develop the 33-acre location into the Heifer International Center campus.
- 2006 - The Pulaski County Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge, better known as the Big Dam Bridge, opens to the public. The Big Dam Bridge extends 3,463 feet across the Arkansas River and is currently the world’s longest bridge specifically built for pedestrians/bicycles.[2]
- 2006 - The five-year construction boom of mixed-use, high-rise buildings in downtown's historic River Market district will produce over 60 stories of residential and retail property and 240 additional hotel rooms by the end of 2009. Among the major residential projects completed or planned are the Capital Commerce Center (2002), First Security Center (2004), 300 Third Tower (2006), and the River Market Tower (2009).
- 2007 - Dickey-Stephens Park, home to the Arkansas Travelers minor league baseball team, opens. The newly constructed ball park has a capacity of 7,000 and is situated on the Arkansas River in North Little Rock, Arkansas, opposite downtown Little Rock.
Geography
Little Rock is located at 34°44′10″N 92°19′52″W / 34.73611°N 92.33111°WInvalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (34.736009, -92.331122).Template:GR
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 is 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.
Government
The city operated under a city manager form of government until 2007 when voters voted to convert to a strong-mayor form of government, making the mayor's position a full-time position with veto power. The city employs over 2500 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 and include among others the Quorum, Circuit, District, Juvenile Courts and the Assessor, County Judge, County Attorney and Public Defenders offices.
The U.S. Federal District Court (Eastern District) of the St. Louis 8th District and also the Circuit Federal Court of Appeals are located in Little Rock.
Climate data
Little Rock lies in the Humid subtropical climate zone, with hot, humid summers and cool to chilly winters.
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Demographics
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/sq mi (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.
Metropolitan statistical area
The 2006 U.S. Census population estimate for the Metropolitan Statistical Area of Little Rock-North Little Rock was 652,834. 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 2006 U.S. Census population estimate for the Combined Statistical Area (CSA) of Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff was 829,032.
Economy/business
Major corporations headquartered in Little Rock: Alltel, Dillard's Department Stores, Windstream Communications and Acxiom.
Large companies headquartered in Little Rock: Metropolitan National Bank, Rose Law Firm, Nuvell Financial Services, Central Flying Service and Stephens Inc.
Large companies headquartered in other cities but with a large presence in Little Rock: Dassault Falcon Jet, Raytheon Aircraft Company and Fidelity National Information Services.
Non-profit organizations include Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, Heifer International, Lions World Services for the Blind, William J. Clinton Foundation,Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Audubon Arkansas, The Nature Conservancy, and Winrock International.
Associations include the American Taekwondo Association, Arkansas Hospital Association, and the Quapaw Quarter Association.
Major employers in Little Rock include Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Entergy, Raytheon, The Sharper Image, Siemens, and Timex.
One of the largest public employers in the state with over 9,400 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 $4.1 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.
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.
Little Rock along with Louisville and Memphis are branches of the St. Louis Federal Reserve district.
Museums
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- The William J. Clinton Presidential Center includes the Clinton presidential library and the offices of the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton School of Public Service. The facility, designed by architect James Polshek, cantilevers over the Arkansas River, echoing Clinton's famous campaign promise of "building a bridge to the 21st century. The archives and library contains 2 million photographs, 80 million pages of documents, 21 million e-mail messages, and nearly 80,000 artifacts from the Clinton presidency. The museum within the site showcases artifacts from Clinton's term and includes a full-scale replica of the Clinton-era Oval Office.Opened on November 18, 2004, the Clinton Presidential Center cost $165 million to construct and covers 150,000 square feet (14,000 m²) within a 28 acre (113,000 m²) park.
- The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History opened in 2001, the last remaining structure of the original Little Rock Arsenal and one of the oldest buildings in central Arkansas, it was also the birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur who would go on to be the supreme commander of US forces in the South Pacific during World War II.
- The Arkansas Museum of Discovery features hands-on exhibits in the fields of science, history and technology.
- The Old State House Museum is a former state capital building now home to a history museum focusing on Arkansas' recent history.
- The Historic Arkansas Museum is a regional history museum focusing primarily on the frontier time period.
- The Delta Cultural Center is a museum dedicated to the history of the Arkansas Delta.
Libraries
The Central Arkansas Library System includes the main building downtown and numerous branches throughout the city as well as branches in Sherwood, Maumelle and Jacksonville. The Pulaski County Law Library is located at the William H. Bowen School of Law
Education
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 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 2200 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 Arkansas Cancer Research Center, 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 myeloma, 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 masters degree in public service.
The city is also home to two smaller, private historically black colleges, Philander Smith College and Arkansas Baptist College.
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 school 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. High schools in Little Rock include:
Public
- Little Rock Central High School
- J. A. Fair Science and Technology Systems Magnet High School
- Hall High School
- McClellan Magnet High School
- Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School
Private
- Little Rock Catholic High School
- Little Rock Lutheran High School
- Little Rock Christian Academy
- Episcopal Collegiate School
- Mount Saint Mary Academy
- Pulaski Academy
- Arkansas Baptist School System
Lions World Services for the Blind is the most comprehensive rehabilitation center in the world for the blind and visually impaired. Founded in 1947, the goal of the center is to enable the individual to become independent in society.
Medical
Hospitals in Little Rock include:
- Arkansas Children's Hospital
- Arkansas Heart Hospital
- Baptist Health Medical Center
- John C. McCellan Veterans Administration Complex
- Arkansas State Hospital - Psychiatric Division
- Pinnacle Pointe Hospital
- St. Vincent Health System
- Southwest Regional Medical Center
- University Hospital, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Cultural
- Aerospace Education Center - IMAX Theater & EpiSphere Digital Dome Theater. The IMAX Theatre features a variety of science related items. Aviation exhibits on display are an original Sopwith Camel and a replica of the Wright Flyer.
- Arkansas Arboretum - Located at Pinnacle Mountain, it has an interpretive trail with flora and tree plantings.
- Arkansas Arts Center - the state's largest art museum, notable for its drawings, collections and children's theater productions. It features works by Van Gogh and Rembrandt among others. The museum has eight art galleries, a museum school, gift shop and restaurant.
- Arkansas Repertory Theatre - The Rep is the state's only professional non profit theatre.
- Arkansas Symphony Orchestra - In its 41st season, the orchestra performs over 30 concerts a year and many special events.
- Ballet Arkansas - The state's only professional ballet company.
- Heifer International - headquarters of the global hunger and poverty relief organization, located adjacent to the Clinton Presidential Center
- Quapaw Quarter - Turn of the century Little Rock includes three National Register historic districts with over a hundred buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Tours are available showing the many Victorian and Antebellum homes.
- Robinson Center Music Hall - The main performance center of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
- Villa Marre - An 1881 home of Italianate and Second Empire styles refurbished in the 1960s and shown in the opening scenes of the television show "Designing Women."
- Wildwood Center for the Performing Arts - The largest park dedicated to the performing arts in the South. It features year round performances of opera, cabaret, and jazz. Wildwood Festival in June features chamber music, film series, art exhibits, jazz and lecture series among others. It is home to the Young Artist Tour. The park also offers a summer music camp for children.
Notable places
- Arkansas State Capitol - a smaller scale replica of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C. completed in 1911.
- Arkansas State Fair
- Little Rock Marathon
- Little Rock Central High School
- Little Rock Zoo - Arkansas' only zoo with over 725 animals and over 200 species.
- Riverfront Park - a park located in downtown, hosts the annual Riverfest music festival, and is home to the La Petite Roche (the little rock).
- River Market District - a refurbished former warehouse district and subset of downtown including an old-fashioned bazaar-style market hall, a farmers' market open from April to late October each year; and various shops, bars, restaurants and galleries.
- Willow Springs Water Park - one the first water theme parks in the U.S. built in 1928.
- Lake Nixon - another popular lakeside water park.
- Pinnacle Mountain State Park
- Arkansas River Trail
Shopping/retail
Some notable shopping locations in the city of Little Rock are:
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University Avenue/Markham Cantrell Road/Highway 10
Shackelford /I-430
Retailers in Little Rock include JC Penney, Sears, Kmart, Dillard's, Wal-Mart, Target, Kohl's, Parisian and MM Cohn. Sports
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. A Little Rock suburb is also home to the Arkansas Twisters of the af2 arena football league and the Arkansas RimRockers of the NBA Development League. Both of these teams play at the Alltel 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 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 football weekends for fans to tailgate. 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 will be 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 Alltel 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, 250cc 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. TransportationRoad 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. AirNine airlines serve 18 national/international gateway cities, e.g. St. Louis, Chicago, Dallas, Charlotte, etc. from Little Rock National Airport. In 2006 they carried approximately 2.1 million passengers on approximately 150 daily flights to and from Little Rock. BusGreyhound 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. RailAmtrak 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. Public transportWithin the city, public bus service is provided by the Central Arkansas Transit Authority (CATA), with 16 regular daily routes and two express routes throughout the Little Rock area. Additional service includes four connecting routes originating in Little Rock serving North Little Rock daily excluding Sundays; morning and early evening Monday-Friday express routes to Maumelle and Jacksonville/Sherwood; special events shuttle buses; and paratransit service for disabled persons. 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. At present, few middle-class commuters of Central Arkansas depend on public transit.[original research?] As a result, the current riders of CATA are predominantly poor, elderly, and/or disabled. Panhandling is common at bus stops. Most visitors to the city rely on car rental or taxicab for their transportation needs.[citation needed] MediaThe 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: TelevisionAll major television networks have local affiliates in Little Rock, in addition to numerous independent stations and cable by Comcast within the city proper. The suburbs have Comcast, Charter or other cable companies. Television stations in the Little Rock area include:
RadioAM radio Stations in the Little Rock area include:
FM radio stations in the Little Rock area include:
Notable peopleSee also: List of people from Little Rock
Music
Miscellaneous factsCitizens of Little Rock are commonly referred to by the appellation, "Little Rockers." The city is referred to as "The Rock Town" or simply "The Rock". The city of 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. Federal Express was founded in 1971 by Frederick W. Smith in Little Rock, Arkansas, but moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1973 after Little Rock National Airport officials would not agree to provide facilities for the fledgling airline. The company is now known as FedEx Corporation. Further reading
Sister cities
Friendship cities
See alsoReferences
External linksCulturalOther
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