After the first sighting of "la petite roche” on the banks of the Arkansas River by French explorer Bernard de la Harpe in 1772, Little Rock grew from a few families living in small log cabins into a thriving capital city with a population of more than 184,000. The city has weathered everything from catastrophic floods to a school integration crisis, yet through good times and bad retains its small-town charm, Southern hospitality, and connections to the past.

From the Civil War to Central High School, Historic Photos of Little Rock follows life, government, education, and events throughout the city’s history. Published in vivid black-and-white, nearly two hundred images communicate historic events and the everyday life of two centuries of people building a unique and flourishing metropolis, which has become the governmental and cultural center of the state of Arkansas.