The capital of Arkansas is Little Rock, a city named for a small rocky landmark along the Arkansas River.
The name refers to a rock formation on the riverbank that French explorers called La Petite Roche, meaning “the little rock.” The landmark helped distinguish the site from a larger formation farther upstream, known as La Grande Roche, or “the big rock.”
Little Rock became Arkansas’s territorial capital in 1821 and remained the state capital when Arkansas joined the Union in 1836. The city grew near an important river crossing and transportation route. Its location helped it develop as a political and commercial center.
Little Rock is sometimes confused with North Little Rock, a separate city across the Arkansas River. The two communities are part of the same metropolitan area, but only Little Rock is Arkansas’s state capital. The Arkansas State Capitol stands south of the city’s downtown area.