Page 360 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

358  THE DEEP SOUTH

Arkansas protect the “Little Rock Nine”
(the first nine black students).
Aptly known as the “Natural State,” Arkansas abounds in Today, the Little Rock Central
mountains, valleys, dense woodlands, and fertile plains. High School National Historic
Its two mountain ranges, the Ozarks and the Ouachita, are Site Visitor Center documents
separated by the Arkansas River, which flows through the this story; it is located across the
intersection from the school.
state capital, Little Rock. The birthplace of former president
Bill Clinton, the state actively promotes sights associated with E Little Rock Central High
him, including his birthplace, Hope, his boyhood home in Hot School National Historic Site
Springs, and Little Rock, where he served as governor and Visitor Center
waged his campaign for presidency. This former frontier state 2120 Daisy L. Gatson Bates Dr. Tel
(501) 374 1957. Open 9am–4:30pm
remains largely wild even today, with vast areas of natural daily. Closed some pub hols. 7
beauty, famous for adventure sports. ∑ nps.gov/chsc
E Old State House State
Market District, History Museum
lined with lively 300 W Markham St. Tel (501) 324-
clubs, restaurants, 9685. Open 9am–5pm Mon–Sat,
cafés, and shops. 1–5pm Sun. Closed some public
Adjacent to the hols. 7 ∑ oldstatehouse.com
district is the E William J. Clinton
William J. Clinton Presidential Center
Presidential 1200 Pres. Clinton Ave. Tel (501) 374-
Center, which 4242. Open 9am–5pm Mon–Sat,
houses a library and 1–5pm Sun. & 7
museum where ∑ clintonlibrary.org
Display in the Central High Visitor Center, Little Rock exhibits tell the
inside story of his
8 Little Rock presidency. The Old State 9 Hot Springs
* 198,000. ~ £ @ n 101 S House State History Museum, * 40,000. @ n 134 Convention
Spring St, (501) 376-4781. west of Main Street, is where Blvd, (501) 321-2277.
∑ littlerock.com Clinton celebrated his 1992 ∑ hotsprings.org
and 1996 presidential victories.
Founded on the Arkansas River, In 1957, the contentious In its heyday in the early 20th
near a boulder for which it is desegregation of Little Rock century, this was a popular resort
named, Little Rock was another Central High School catapulted for people seeking restorative
modest-sized Southern state the city to the forefront of the cures from the thermal springs
capital until native son Bill national struggle for Civil Rights. flowing from the southwestern
Clinton was elected 42nd US Despite the Supreme Court slope of Hot Springs Mountain.
president in 1992. As a result, order, the governor refused to The area became the first US
executive attention has helped integrate the school, forcing federal reserve park in 1832 and
revitalize the city. A center for President Eisenhower to send in a national park in 1921. The
much activity is Little Rock River the 101st Airborne Division to original “Bathhouse Row” is now

Exterior of the Spanish-style Fordyce Bathhouse, the visitor center for Hot Springs National Park
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp368–70 and pp371–3

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm