The site known as "little rock" along the Arkansas River was found by explorer Bernard de la Harpe in 1722.

A land speculator from St. Louis, Missouri who had acquired many acres around the "little rock" began pressuring the Arkansas territorial legislature in February 1820 to move the capital to the site, but the representatives could not decide between Little Rock or Cadron (now Conway), which was the preferred site of Territorial Governor James Miller.

The issue was tabled until October 1820, by which time most of the legislators and other influential men had purchased lots around Little Rock.

The South is a distinct cultural region reliant upon a plantation economy in the 18th and 19th century, until the secession of the Confederate States of America and the Civil War.

The MSA is defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget as Faulkner, Grant, Lonoke, Perry, Pulaski and Saline counties.

The Little Rock Combined Statistical area spans ten counties and had an estimated population of 905,847 in 2016.

[8] Prior to 2002, the area consisted of four core counties: Pulaski, Faulkner, Saline and Lonoke.

Source: Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce The Clinton National Airport in Little Rock is the largest commercial airport in the state, with more than 100 flights arriving or departing each day and nonstop jet service to eighteen cities.