Robinwood (Little Rock) facts for kids
Robinwood is a nice neighborhood in northwest Little Rock, Arkansas. It has many large, beautiful homes. These houses are surrounded by trees and are close to the Arkansas River. If you drive into Little Rock on Interstate 430 from Maumelle, you can see some of these homes on the cliffs by the river.
Robinwood is bordered by the interstate and Pleasant Valley to the west. The Arkansas River is to its north. To the south, you'll find Old Forge. The area around Reservoir Road, which includes Reservoir Park, is to the east. Robinwood started to grow in the 1960s and 1970s as Little Rock expanded westward.
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Welcome to Robinwood!
Robinwood is a special place in Little Rock, Arkansas. It's a neighborhood with many large and impressive houses. These homes are often surrounded by beautiful trees. It's a quiet and pretty area to live.
Where is Robinwood?
This neighborhood is located in the northwest part of Little Rock. It sits right next to the Arkansas River. You can see some of its houses from Interstate 430 if you're driving from Maumelle. The interstate is on its west side. The river is to the north. Other neighborhoods like Pleasant Valley and Old Forge are nearby.
The Famous Christmas Lights
One of the most well-known homes in Robinwood belonged to a businessman named Jennings Osborne. He was also a philanthropist, which means he was a person who helps others by giving money to good causes.
Every Christmas, Mr. Osborne's house became a huge attraction. He would cover his entire estate with as many as two million bright red lights! Thousands of people would drive by to see this amazing display. Cars would line up around his property. This caused a lot of traffic on Cantrell Road (Highway 10) and the nearby interstate.
Why the Lights Stopped
While many people loved the lights, some of Mr. Osborne's neighbors were not happy. They complained about the huge crowds and traffic. Eventually, the issue went to the Arkansas Supreme Court. This court is the highest court in Arkansas. In 1995, the court decided that the Christmas light display had to stop after that year's holiday season.
Where the Lights Went Next
Even though the lights couldn't be at his home anymore, Mr. Osborne still wanted to share the holiday spirit. He later helped create other big Christmas light displays. Some of these were in Berryhill Park in Searcy, Arkansas. He also contributed to the holiday lights at Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. This park is part of the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
