Located in the geographic center of Arkansas, Little Rock is also the state's undisputed historic, cultural, and economic hub. The capital since 1821 (when Arkansas was still just a territory) and the seat of Pulaski County, Little Rock now finds itself to be a key link between markets in the southwest and the southeast. The network of federal and state highways that pass through or near the city have brought it within 500 miles of ten major economic centers, and business and government leaders have worked to take advantage of this situation by bolstering the area's industrial base, expanding port facilities, and encouraging financial institutions to establish offices.
In other ways, too, Little Rock serves as a bridge between the "Old South" and the "New South." Nicknamed "The City of Roses" for its many gardens, Little Rock combines an old-fashioned, small-town ambience with a modern dynamism that often turns to Dallas or Houston for inspiration. Historic sites documenting more than 150 years of Arkansas life are carefully preserved next to sparkling new skyscrapers. Little Rock is a city that honors its past while welcoming the future.