Battle of Backbone Mountain

Central Arkansas, also known as the Little Rock metro, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metro area in the U.S. state of Arkansas. With an estimated 2020 population of 748,031, it is the most populated area in Arkansas. Located at the convergence of Arkansas's other geographic regions, the region's central location make Central Arkansas an important population, economic, education, and political center in Arkansas and the South. Little Rock is the state's capital and largest city, and the city is also home to two Fortune 500 companies, Arkansas Children's Hospital, and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

History

The site known as "little rock" along the Arkansas River was found by explorer Bernard de la Harpe in 1722.[2] The territorial capitol had been located at Arkansas Post in Southeast Arkansas since 1819, but the site had proven unsuitable as a settlement due to frequent flooding of the Arkansas River. Over the years, the "little rock" was known as a waypoint along the river, but remained unsettled. A land speculator from St. Louis, Missouri who had acquired many acres around the "little rock" began pressuring the Arkansas territorial legislature in February 1820 to move the capital to the site, but the representatives could not decide between Little Rock or Cadron (now Conway), which was the preferred site of Territorial Governor James Miller. The issue was tabled until October 1820, by which time most of the legislators and other influential men had purchased lots around Little Rock.[3] The legislature moved the capital to Little Rock, where it has remained ever since.

Geography

Central Arkansas is located in the Southern United States (commonly known as the South in the US), and within a subregion commonly known as the Deep South, although it is influenced by Upper South culture. The South is a distinct cultural region reliant upon a plantation economy in the 18th and 19th century, until the secession of the Confederate States of America and the Civil War.

The region is the point of convergence for five other Arkansas regions: the Ozarks to the north, the Arkansas River Valley & the Ouachita Mountains to the west, the Arkansas Delta to the east, and Piney Woods to the southwest.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park 13 Miles NW of Little Rock, AR

The Arkansas River crosses the region, and serves as the dividing line between Little Rock and North Little Rock. The Arkansas is an important geographic feature in Central Arkansas, requiring long bridge spans but allowing barge traffic to the Port of Little Rock and points upriver.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18407,411
185010,53842.2%
186020,80497.4%
187042,605104.8%
188076,55879.7%
1890109,56943.1%
1900134,59022.8%
1910173,92629.2%
1920207,94119.6%
1930233,05612.1%
1940249,7997.2%
1950288,07015.3%
1960334,01115.9%
1970396,46218.7%
1980494,75824.8%
1990535,0348.1%
2000610,51814.1%
2010699,75714.6%
2020748,0316.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]
1790–1960[5] 1900–1990[6]
1990–2000[7]

Central Arkansas includes both the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway MSA, though the broader Little Rock CSA is also considered Central Arkansas. The MSA is defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget as Faulkner, Grant, Lonoke, Perry, Pulaski and Saline counties. The CSA definition adds the Pine Bluff metropolitan area adding Cleveland, Jefferson, and Lincoln counties, and the Searcy Micropolitan Area, which adds White County.

It is the core of the broader Little Rock-North Little Rock Combined Statistical Area (CSA). Its economic, cultural, and demographic center is Little Rock, Arkansas's capital and largest city. The Little Rock Combined Statistical area spans ten counties and had an estimated population of 905,847 in 2016.[8]

Prior to 2002, the area consisted of four core counties: Pulaski, Faulkner, Saline and Lonoke. The area was later expanded to include adjoining Perry County to the west, and Grant County to the south. The city of Conway was designated as a third principal city for the MSA by 2007.

Population, land area & population density (2016 Census)
County
Ref.
Population Land
mi2
Land
km2
Pop.
/mi2
Pop.
/km2
Pulaski County[9] 393,250 759.76 1,967.77 503.8 194.52
Faulkner County[10] 122,227 647.88 1,678.00 174.8 67.49
Saline County[11] 118,703 723.60 1,874.12 148.0 57.14
Lonoke County[12] 72,228 770.73 1,996.18 88.7 34.25
Grant County[13] 18,082 631.81 1,636.38 28.3 10.93
Perry County[14] 10,132 551.40 1,428.12 18.9 7.30
Central Arkansas 734,622 4,085.18 10,580.57 179.8 69.42
Jefferson County[15] 70,016 870.75 2,255.23 88.9 34.32
Lincoln County[15] 13,705 561.52 1,454.33 25.2 9.73
Cleveland County[15] 8,241 597.78 1,548.24 14.5 5.60
Pine Bluff MSA 91,962 2,030.05 5,257.81 45.3 17.49
Searcy μSA[16] 79,263 1,035.08 2,680.84 74.5 28.76
CSA 905,847 7,150.31 18,519.22 126.7 48.92
Arkansas 2,988,248 52,035.48 134,771.27 56.0 21.62

2000 Census

MSA

As of the census[17] of 2000, there were 610,518 people, 241,094 households, and 165,405 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 75.40% White, 21.02% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.87% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.07% of the population.

The median income for a household in the MSA was $37,912, and the median income for a family was $44,572. Males had a median income of $31,670 versus $23,354 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $18,305.

CSA

As of the census[17] of 2000, there were 785,024 people, 304,335 households, and 210,966 families residing within the CSA. The racial makeup of the CSA was 73.97% White, 22.73% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.93% of the population.

The median income for a household in the CSA was $35,301, and the median income for a family was $41,804. Males had a median income of $31,192 versus $22,347 for females. The per capita income for the CSA was $16,898.

Communities

Communities are categorized based on their populations in the 2000 U.S. Census.

Places with more than 100,000 inhabitants

Places with 50,000 to 100,000 inhabitants

Places with 10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants

Places with 1,000 to 10,000 inhabitants

Places with 500 to 1,000 inhabitants

Places with fewer than 500 inhabitants

Population trends

Year Metropolitan
Statistical Area
Combined
Statistical Area
2020 Census 748,031 912,604
2014 est. 729,135 902,443
2005 est. 645,706 820,846
2000 Census 610,518 785,024

Economy

The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, the oldest association in Arkansas, has produced the following list of largest employers in Central Arkansas.

Employer Number of employees
State of Arkansas 32,200
Local government 28,800
Federal government 9,200
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences 8,500
Baptist Health 7,000
Little Rock Air Force Base 4,500
Acxiom 4,380
Little Rock School District 3,500
Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System 3,500
Entergy Arkansas 2,740
Pulaski County Special School District 2,700
AT&T 2,600
CHI St. Vincent Health System 2,600
Arkansas Children’s Hospital 2,470
Dillard's 2,400
Verizon Wireless 2,000
Union Pacific Railroad 2,000
Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield 1,800
Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. 2,000
CenterPoint Energy 1,800

Source: Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce

Higher education

Notable colleges and universities

School Enrollment Location Type Nickname Athletic Affiliation
(Conference)

University of Arkansas at Little Rock
11,848 Little Rock Public
State University
Trojans NCAA Division I
(Sun Belt)
Non-Football

University of Central Arkansas
11,487 Conway Public
State University
Bears and Sugar Bears NCAA Division I FCS
(Southland)

Hendrix College
1,348 Conway Private
liberal arts college
Warriors NCAA Division III
(SAA)

Arts and culture

  • Quapaw Quarter – start of the 20th century Little Rock consists of three National Register historic districts with at least a hundred buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

Museums

William J. Clinton Presidential Library, in downtown Little Rock
  • The Arkansas Arts Center, the state's largest cultural institution, is a museum of art and an active center for the visual and performing arts.
  • The Museum of Discovery features hands-on exhibits in the fields of science, history and technology.
  • The William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Heifer Village include the Clinton presidential library and the offices of the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton School of Public Service. The Library facility, designed by architect James Polshek, cantilevers over the Arkansas River, echoing Clinton's campaign promise of "building a bridge to the 21st century". The archives and library have 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 library showcases artifacts from Clinton's term and has 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 Old State House Museum is a former state capitol building now home to a history museum focusing on Arkansas's recent history.
  • The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is a nationally accredited, state-funded museum and cultural center focusing on African American history and culture in Arkansas.
  • The ESSE Purse Museum illustrates the stories of American women's lives during the 1900s through their handbags and the day-to-day items carried in them.
  • The Faulkner County Museum focuses on the prehistory, history, and culture of Faulkner County. Located inside the former Faulkner County Jail, it displays photos, artifacts, equipment, household items, clothing, and arts and crafts by local artists.
  • Plantation Agriculture Museum, located in Scott displays artifacts from Arkansas's agricultural history in large farming operations, particularly cotton cultivation. The museum is housed in a circa-1912 general store building, and also features a restored 1912 cotton gin, Seed Warehouse #5, and chronicles the period from Arkansas's statehood to the end of World War II focusing on tenant farming and agricultural mechanization.
  • Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park, located in Scott, focuses on the site of a Native American civilization that lived just east of present-day Scott nearly 1,000 years ago. Mounds at the park comprise one of the most significant remnants of Native American life in the state, and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Arkansas Archeological Survey, part of the University of Arkansas system, maintains its Plum Bayou Research Station and laboratory in the park's visitor center.
  • The Scott Plantation Settlement, a grouping of relocated buildings including the wooden Cotton Belt Railroad Depot that served Scott, collected to represent the area's plantation-era heritage (much in the same fashion as Little Rock's Historic Arkansas Museum).
  • Marlsgate Dortch Plantation, the area's best known example of a plantation family home, was constructed on the Lonoke County side by the Dortch family early in the 20th century and is a popular site for weddings and receptions today.
  • Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden
  • Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center
  • The Galleries at Library Square
  • Hearne Fine Art Gallery
  • Arkansas School for the Deaf Historical Museum
  • Baum Gallery
  • Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation Sports Complex
  • Jacksonville Guitar Center and Museum
  • Jacksonville Museum of Military History
  • Reed’s Bridge Battlefield Heritage Park

Music and theater

  • 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 building in downtown Little Rock. Producing Artistic Director John Miller-Stephany leads a resident staff of designers, technicians and administrators in eight to ten productions for an annual audience in excess of 70,000 for MainStage productions, educational programming and touring. The Rep produces works from contemporary comedies and dramas to world premiers and the classics of dramatic literature.
  • The Wildwood Park for the Arts is the largest park dedicated to the performing arts in the South; it features seasonal festivals and cultural events.

Parks and Recreation

  • The River Market Artspace and Park
  • Arkansas Arboretum – at Pinnacle Mountain; it has a trail with flora and tree plantings.
  • Bayou Meto Urban Canoe Trail

Infrastructure

Transportation

Major highways

Rock Region Metro streetcar near the River Market District in Little Rock, AR
US 167 in Sheridan
"Big Dam Bridge" as seen from North Little Rock, AR

Aviation

Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, AR

The Clinton National Airport in Little Rock is the largest commercial airport in the state, with more than 100 flights arriving or departing each day and nonstop jet service to eighteen cities.[20] North Little Rock Municipal Airport, located across the Arkansas River, is designated as a general aviation reliever airport for Clinton National by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).[21] Central Arkansas also has several smaller municipally owned general aviation airports: Conway Airport at Cantrell Field in Conway, Saline County Regional in Benton, Grider Field in Pine Bluff.

Professional sports

Dickey–Stephens Park

The city of Little Rock is home to the Arkansas Travelers. The Travelers are the AA Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They compete in the Texas League and play their home games at Dickey–Stephens Park.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Total Gross Domestic Product for Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR (MSA)". fred.stlouisfed.org.
  2. ^ "History" (2002), p. 96.
  3. ^ "History" (2002), pp. 96–97.
  4. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  5. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  6. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  7. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  8. ^ "Combined Statistical Area". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  9. ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2016), Pulaski County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts, retrieved December 18, 2017
  10. ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2016), Faulkner County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts, retrieved December 18, 2017
  11. ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2016), Saline County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts, retrieved December 18, 2017
  12. ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2016), Lonoke County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts, retrieved December 18, 2017
  13. ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2016), Grant County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts, retrieved December 18, 2017
  14. ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2016), Perry County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts, retrieved December 18, 2017
  15. ^ a b c U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2016), Jefferson, Lincoln, and Cleveland County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts, retrieved December 18, 2017
  16. ^ U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2016), White County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts, retrieved December 18, 2017
  17. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  18. ^ "arkansassymphony.org". arkansassymphony.org. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
  19. ^ "Argenta Plaza". Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  20. ^ "Airport Info - Little Rock". Arkansas Department of Aeronautics. Archived from the original on January 26, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  21. ^ "Airport Info - North Little Rock". Arkansas Department of Aeronautics. Archived from the original on January 26, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.