Main Street, Little Rock, Arkansas, Early 1900s

Recapture the visual memories of early Little Rock, Arkansas from the turn of the 20th century with this timeless picture of Main Street (north from Sixth Street). Captured in the 1900s, this black and white image reflects a simpler era.

In 1722, French explorer Bernard de la Harpe gave the name "la petite roche," or little rock in French, to a rock formation that he noticed in what would become the capital city of Arkansas.

Over time, the small wilderness town grew into a city, and by the end of the 1800s, Little Rock had access to modern amenities such as electricity, telephones, and a public water system.

Construction on the Arkansas State Capitol building began in 1899 and was completed 15 years later in 1914. Little Rock's first skyscraper, the 10-story Southern Trust building, was built in 1907, and in the following decades, other high-rises joined it downtown. During the 1920s, a construction boom saw the Donaghey Building become the city's largest building, rising 14 stories tall.