The New Student's Reference Work/Little Rock

Little Rock, the county-seat of Pulaski County and capital of Arkansas, is on the Arkansas River, 145 miles northeast of Texarkana. It is located on a bluff about 50 feet above the river, and bears its name in contrast to Big Rock, a promontory a mile from the city, upon which is located the army-post called Fort Logan H. Roots. Prominent among its numerous industrial establishments are cottonseed-oil mills, cotton compresses, beer and bottling works, flour mills, brick and tile works, foundries and machine shops. It has excellent systems of waterworks, electric lighting and street-railway. Little Rock has many banks and several building and loan associations, and among its prominent buildings are the capitol, Albert Pike Consistory (Masonic), St. Andrew's Cathedral (R. C.), Christ Church (P. E.), the Jewish Temple, the Methodist and Baptist Churches, the custom-house and postoffice and the county courthouse. The Arkansas School for the Blind, Deaf-Mute Institute, Lunatic Asylum and Penitentiary are also located in Little Rock. The city maintains one of the best public-school systems in the southwest, has excellent school-buildings and a school-board building, in which the superintendent and school-board conduct their meetings. There are a number of private educational institutions, two business colleges, Arkansas Military Academy, Arkansas Baptist College, a convent and Philander Smith College. Little Rock was settled in 1819, became the seat of territorial government in 1820, and capital on Arkansas' admission to the Union in 1836. It has the service of two railroads and a population of 45,941.