Little Rock in Pulaski County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)
The Big Rock and the Little Rock
La Petite Roche Historical Walk
Photographed By Mark Hilton, April 10, 2018
1. The Big Rock and the Little Rock Marker
Inscription.
The Big Rock and the Little Rock. La Petite Roche Historical Walk. Jean-Baptiste Bénard de La Harpe was the first European explorer to record the existence of a large rocky bluff on the north bank of the Arkansas River. According to his journal, La Harpe named it le Rocher Français ("the French Rock") on April 9, 1722. It later became known as the Big Rock. The French referred to the smaller outcropping on the south bank as le Petit Rocher ("the Little Rock"). The name first appeared on a 1799 French map of the area. The first official reference to Little Rock occurred in the Treaty of 1818, indicating the northernmost point of the Quapaw reservation. An August 20, 1822, article in the Arkansas Gazette described the rock: "It projects several feet into the river, forming below it a fine basin for boats, and its top reaches perhaps about midway between low water mark and the summit of the bank of the river. The name Little Rock was given to it by the aborigines or the early white settlers of the county to distinguish it from the Big Rock." In the 1950s, la Petite Roche became the accepted spelling based on local scholar Samuel D. Dickinson's suggestion.
Jean-Baptiste Bénard de La Harpe was the first
European explorer to record the existence of a large
rocky bluff on the north bank of the Arkansas River.
According to his journal, La Harpe named it le Rocher
Français ("the French Rock") on April 9, 1722. It
later became known as the Big Rock. The French
referred to the smaller outcropping on the south bank
as le Petit Rocher ("the Little Rock"). The name first
appeared on a 1799 French map of the area. The first
official reference to Little Rock occurred in the Treaty
of 1818, indicating the northernmost point of the
Quapaw reservation. An August 20, 1822, article in
the Arkansas Gazette described the rock: "It projects
several feet into the river, forming below it a fine basin
for boats, and its top reaches perhaps about midway
between low water mark and the summit of the bank
of the river. The name Little Rock was given to it by
the aborigines or the early white settlers of the county
to distinguish it from the Big Rock." In the 1950s, la
Petite Roche became the accepted spelling based on
local scholar Samuel D. Dickinson's suggestion.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Natural Features • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is April 9, 1722.
Location. 34° 44.941′ N, 92°
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15.987′ W. Marker is in Little Rock, Arkansas, in Pulaski County. Marker can be reached from President Clinton Avenue. Located along the Arkansas Riverfront Trail in Riverfront Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 400 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock AR 72201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
2. The Big Rock and the Little Rock Marker looking at the Arkansas River.
Photographed By Mark Hilton, April 10, 2018
3. Plaque and Little Rock.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 18, 2018. It was originally submitted on April 18, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 815 times since then and 87 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on April 18, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
