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
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
this page online
Location. 34° 44.941′ N, 92° 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.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A Piece of the Rock, a Piece of History (here, next to this marker); One Old Rock (a few steps from this marker); The "Little Rock" (a few steps from this marker); Witness to Removal (a few steps from this marker); Smaller Rock, Big Bridge (within shouting distance of this marker); It is River City (within shouting distance of this marker); Arkansas in the Civil War (within shouting distance of this marker); The Point of Rocks (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Little Rock.
Photographed By Mark Hilton, April 10, 2018
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 580 times since then and 108 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 18, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
