Arkansas: We Have Big Love for Little Rock

Little Rock has a beautiful riverfront area adjacent to its downtown with many dining and shopping options nearby.

This journal describes some of the fun things to do in Little Rock as tourists, but the city’s appeal is much more than having so many places to go. It comes from the friendliness of the residents and how the Arkansas River adds beauty to the downtown area.

STATE CAPITOL

The beautiful Arkansas State Capitol, located at 500 Woodlane St., stands out as a mandatory stop in your Little Rock tour. It’s also a good place to begin on weekdays because the capitol opens for visitors at 7 a.m. (and 10 a.m. on weekends). Guided tours are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 3 p.m. Go the Arkansas State Capitol website for instructions for making tour reservations and for information about exhibits and parking.

OLD STATE HOUSE MUSEUM

When we tried to enter the Old State House Museum, contestants in the Miss America pageant for a wide range of age groups blocked our way. The pageant was using the front sidewalk of this National Historic Landmark as a place for the contests to demonstrate their catwalk skills. We came back a few hours later and enjoyed our visit.

Built in 1833, the building once served as the Arkansas State Capitol and holds the record for being the oldest standing state capitol built for that purpose west of the Mississippi River. Now as a museum, its displays contain Civil War battle flags, inaugural gowns of governors’ wives, and quilts and pottery by Arkansas artists. The museum, located at 300 W. Markham St., has no admission charge. Check out the Old State House Museum website for more info.

CLINTON PRESIDENTIAL CENTER

The William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park at 1200 President Clinton Ave. provides an engaging world-class educational experience regardless of who you voted for in the presidential elections of 1992 and 1996. You can learn about President Clinton’s life, especially his time as the 42nd president. Your tour will include a chance to take a seat in a replica of a cabinet room, see a presidential limousine and get a glimpse of life in the White House. Go to the center’s website for details about operating hours and the admission fee.

Little Rock Central High School

The Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site located at the corner of Bates Drive and Park Street. You’ll want to go to the visitor center at the site (and this sculpture at the state capitol) to learn about the crucial civil rights battle that took place at the school. Don’t miss this chance for an unforgettable history lesson. Get more info on the **national park service website**.

HISTORIC ARKANSAS MUSEUM

Located at 200 E. 3rd St., the Historic Arkansas Museum conveys the state’s history and culture with art, artifacts and an interactive children’s gallery. One of the best features is what’s outside the museum’s walls—a cluster of historic buildings that include four original Little Rock dwellings. The buildings include a blacksmith shop, cabins, inns and other businesses. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Learn more about the museum’s website.

Arkansas Art Center

Little Rock’s interest in art is demonstrated by plans to move the Arkansas Art Center to a new home beginning in September 2019. The existing center that we toured is already impressive. The center’s permanent displays feature the work of Arkansas artists and those from across the Mississippi Delta region, including our home state of Louisiana. With changes underway, it’s best to use the **center’s website** for operating hours and other details.

MACARTHUR MUSEUM OF ARKANSAS MILITARY HISTORY

The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History is housed in a former arsenal built in 1840. It’s located at 503 E. 9th St. Exhibits include thousands of photos taken during the Civil War up through present military conflicts. For example, the Vietnam War Gallery features the photos of two Arkansas natives and artifacts belonging to a decorated combat pilot. Hours and other details are available on the City of Little Rock’s website.

LITTLE ROCK SCULPTURE TOUR

From the majestic to the whimsical, you’ll find more than 100 sculptures placed throughout Little Rock’s downtown area with many of them in Riverfront Park on the banks of the Arkansas River. Keep looking while touring the town, and you’ll see a lot of clever work.

In its opening scenes, the 1939 film classic “Gone with the Wind” features the Old Mill at T.R. Pugh Memorial Park in North Little Rock.

OLD MILL IN NORTH LITTLE ROCK

You’ll need to cross the Arkansas River and go a few miles north of the city to reach the Old Mill located at 3800 Lakeshore Drive (Lakeshore Drive and Fairway Ave.) in North Little Rock. It’s in the T.R. Pugh Memorial Park—a free, fun place to visit. If you’ve seen “Gone with the Wind” more than once, you’ll immediately recognize the Old Mill from the movie’s opening scenes. It’s a great photo op.

Arla’s Shocking Moment

When I spotted the eagle sculpture next to the Arkansas State Capitol, I thought ***somebody could get carried away by an eagle here.*** I imagined what it would be like to go along for a ride. Seeing the sculpture led me to start singing, “I wanna fly like an eagle to the sea. Fly like an eagle, let my spirit carry me. I want to fly like an eagle ‘till I’m free.”

The University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service occupies an old train station next to the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park.

LINDA’S TAKEAWAY

Linda: Doug has taken to me to presidential libraries in several states. It’s clear by now that he always plans to visit a presidential library if there is one in the state we’re visiting. Period! In fact, he even dragged me to visit the President Harry S. Truman Library and Museum on my birthday one year. What a bad idea for a birthday celebration!

Despite my lack of enthusiasm for these places, I’ve learned to appreciate learning about the presidents who held office before and after I was born. I especially enjoyed visiting President Clinton’s museum because it provided a clear review of the most important events that took place in the United States and worldwide during the Clinton presidency (1993 through 2001). What I liked most was the use of photos and comments from letters and articles that made it easy to understand what happened and how President Clinton was involved.

Doug salutes in honor of all the U.S. servicemembers whose stories were presented at the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.

DOUG’S HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHT

Doug: Do you know why your parents picked your name for you? I asked my mother that question when I was very young and she replied, “You were named in honor of General Douglas MacArthur, a military hero.” When I spotted the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History while looking for the Arkansas Arts Center, I made the quick decision that we should add it to our Little Rock adventure. Fortunately, Linda and Arla said, “Okay.” The museum carries MacArthur’s name because he was born in the former U.S. Army arsenal that it now occupies.

My favorite part of our museum tour was watching the movie about MacArthur’s long military career. I remembered the highlights from having read the general’s biography, but the movie included grainy, black-and-white footage of his famous speech to Congress about how “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.”

The Main Street Bridge spans the Arkansas River with its Little Rock base at Riverfront Park.

GEE WHIZ FACTS

Little Rock has nearly 200,000 residents, which places it above the midpoint in the size of state capitals based on population. It is the largest city in Arkansas.
The principal industries of Arkansas are agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and mining. The state is the leading U.S. producer of rice, contributing more than 49 percent of the nation’s supply.
The 25 stars around the border of the diamond in the Arkansas state flag signify that Arkansas was the 25th state admitted to the union. The diamond commemorates that Arkansas is the only producer of diamonds in the United States.

PARTING SHOTS: LITTLE ROCK’S BIG SCULPTURES

The Sizzling Sisters adds to the other sculptures on display in the River Market collection.