Little Rock, the State Capital, is located in
Pulaski County and it is the county seat. It lies north of
Pine Bluff along Highway 67, on the banks of the
Arkansas River.
Bernard de la Harpe, who explored the river in 1722, named the river bluff La Petite Roch. In 1820, land speculator William Russell staked out a townsite that was incorporated in 1831.
Today, Little Rock, population 183,133, is the largest city in Arkansas. The area's temperature ranges from a mean low of 40 degrees in January to a mean high of 81 degrees in July. Leading non-manufacturing employers are state and federal government, and public schools. Top manufacturing employers are AFCO Steel, Inc., A.G.L. Corporation and AMERON Protective Coatings Group. Little Rock is home to historic Quapaw Quarter and the Arkansas Territorial Restoration Center, as well as the Arkansas Repertory Theatre and Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. It is nicknamed the City of Roses.
Little Rock is part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock, Arkansas metro area.