Quapaw Quarter facts for kids

The Quapaw Quarter is a special part of Little Rock, Arkansas. It's where you can find some of the city's oldest and most important homes and businesses. This area got its name in 1961. It honors the Quapaw Indians, who lived in this region many years ago.

The Quapaw Quarter includes about fifteen different areas listed on the National Historic Register. This means more than 200 homes and buildings here are officially recognized as historic places. For example, Trapnall Hall was built in 1843. It was one of the first homes in the area. It belonged to Frederic Trapnall, who was an early state lawmaker. Many businesses on Main Street and Broadway are also part of this historic group.

You can see many different styles of homes in the Quapaw Quarter. There are large and small houses from the Antebellum (before the Civil War) and Victorian (late 1800s) times. You'll also find homes built in the Craftsman style. Streets like Scott, Center, and Spring are known for these beautiful old houses. One famous home is the Villa Marre. Its outside was used on the TV show Designing Women. On the show, it was the office of a fictional interior design company. The real Villa Marre is on Scott Street in Little Rock. It used to be the office for the Quapaw Quarter Association. This group works to protect and save historic buildings in the area.

Exploring Historic Neighborhoods

The Quapaw Quarter has several interesting neighborhoods. Each one has its own unique history and buildings.

Governor's Mansion Area

The outside of the Arkansas Governor's Mansion was also shown on the TV show Designing Women. It was the home of a character named Suzanne Sugarbaker. The mansion and its grounds take up a whole city block. They are the main part of the Governor's Mansion Historic District. This area includes many homes and businesses around Broadway. The first official home for Arkansas governors opened in 1950. It was a Georgian Colonial Revival style house. It was updated between 2000 and 2002. It reopened when Mike Huckabee started his second term as Governor of Arkansas in 2003.

MacArthur Park Historic Area

The MacArthur Park Historic District was recognized in 1981. It is next to MacArthur Park on East 9th Street. This area includes the Arkansas Arts Center. It also has the Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal, which was built around 1840. This building is famous because General Douglas MacArthur was born there. He was a very important American commander in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

South Main Residential Area (SoMa)

The South Main Residential Historic District is sometimes called SoMa by local people. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. This district is along South Main Street, between 19th and 24th streets. It is known for its many beautiful homes from the late 1800s and early 1900s. You can see styles like Queen Anne, Craftsman, and Colonial Revival here.

Important Places to See

The Quapaw Quarter has several important landmarks that tell stories about the past.

Mount Holly Cemetery

Mount Holly Cemetery is another important place. It is at 12th and Broadway streets. This cemetery has many graves of famous Arkansans. You can find past governors, senators, and mayors buried here. It also includes the grave of Confederate spy David Owen Dodd. The founder of the Arkansas Gazette newspaper, William E. Woodruff, is also buried here. The cemetery started in 1843. It is one of several places in the Quapaw Quarter listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Well-Known Businesses

Near the downtown area of Little Rock, you'll find the headquarters of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. This is the biggest newspaper in Arkansas. It started from two older newspapers: the Arkansas Gazette (1819) and the Arkansas Democrat (1878). Its main office is in a building from 1904. This building used to be a YMCA branch. You can also find a Boulevard Bread Company store on Main Street.