Its very cozy and has lots of seating. The internet is so fast that I was finished with my…read morepaperwork in no time at all.

It is what it is, a public library. Resources are pretty middle of the road but that's ok, last…read moretrip there were plenty of school age kids with books in their hands not electronic devices. The staff is more or less helpful, most could use a double espresso to generate some appearance of enthusiasm but what the hell, they work in a library. It was pleasant enough, I'll go back.

At first I thought it was the Arkansas Studly Institute and was hoping to meet some hunks here…read more That didn't pan out, but maybe it did for someone else, since after all, I visited here ;) This gorgeous building in downtown Little Rock right across from the River Market looks brand new. It's impressive, original, and imposing. It looks nothing like the rest of downtown, but is impressive and memorable.

The Arkansas Studies Institute is a branch off of the Central Arkansas Library System. I love the…read moreInstitute! They have tons of local and regional art - many of my favorite local artists, actually. The building is brand new - well designed, well laid out, and overall very clean and organized. They also have large, rotating exhibits, which never cease to impress. ASI also participates in Second Friday Night Art Walk. You can have some food and drink, while socializing and admiring/purchasing some great art work. You may even have a chance to meet some of the featured artists. Check it out!

Great place! Very quiet and good for both adults and kids! They provide a lot of activities for…read morechildren almost everyday.

Beginning in 2011, the Anderson Institute of Race & Ethnicity at the University of Arkansas at…read moreLittle Rock identified a mile of important significant sites in Little Rock's Civil Rights Movement. It starts just outside the Old State House and has plans of running all the way to the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. Along the trail are the Central High School National Historic Site, Clinton Presidential Center, Daisy Bates House, Little Rock Nine Memorial & the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. There are 12-inch bronze markers embedded in the sidewalk along the trail for each honoree. The trail also inducts honorees under themes for that year. Some of the themes included Sit-in & Freedom Rides, Desegregation of Central High School, Politics and Law, & the Elaine 12. In 2016, the trail won a Diamond Award from the Arkansas Historical Association, "for honoring and increasing public awareness of the freedom struggle in Arkansas." In 2019, it was named part of the US Civil Rights Trail.

This trail, which began in 2011, is the brain child of the Anderson Institute of Race and Ethnicity…read moreat the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (try saying that ten times, fast) and is a constantly expanding collection of honoring and acknowledging sites in the city that that hold significance to the Civil Rights Movement. It starts just outside the Old State House and has plans of running all the way to the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. It spans about a mile. Sites that you will find along the trail include Central High School National Historic Site, Clinton Presidential Center, Daisy Bates House, Little Rock Nine Memorial, and the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. The trail inducts honorees under themes for that year. Some of the themes included Sit-in and Freedom Rides (2011), Desegregation of Central High School (2012), Politics and Law (2015), The Elaine 12 (2019) and In addition to the aforementioned sites, you will find 12-inch bronze markers embedded in the sidewalk along the trail for each honoree. An induction ceremony is held each year for that year's honorees. The markers are in fair shape, but that is pretty good considered that they are constantly getting stepped on and are exposed to the elements. The trail won a Diamond Award from the Arkansas Historical Association, in 2016, "for honoring and increasing public awareness of the freedom struggle in Arkansas." Additionally, in 2019, it was named part of the US Civil Rights Trail. It is a nice little trail that you can have a nice little stroll on. It's honorees are lesser known names, but still vital to the civil rights movement and I am glad that they are honoring them. If you have some time. I recommend taking this 2-mile round trip trail while getting some exercise, learning a bit, and getting some fresh air.

I love a covered bridge and this one is lovely. It is a bit modern, completed in 1963 and spanning…read morea small creek. I was pleased to see that it is still open to vehicular traffic. I had no problem with my Sprinter van making our way across and back. The bridge is a covered steel stringer bridge and is just one lane. But still awesome! [Review 2302 of 2024 - 366 in Arkansas - 23317 overall]

Nestled in the historic district surrounded by large stately homes is the Arkansas governor's…read moremansion. The governor & his family reside in this home a significant historical landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This Georgian colonial was completed in 1950 after construction began in 1947, the mansion was built on the former site of a territorial governor's home and is open for tours by appointment/

Arkansas has a great governor's mansion! We visited when Governor Beebe (stAte alum) invited the…read moreArkansas State University football coaching staff over for dinner! Our dinner was fabulous, and the mansion tour was EPIC! Beautiful gardens, great history, and many little-known fun facts were shared by Governor Beebe himself! The staff is awesome and we experienced welcoming attitudes from everyone we encountered. Great trip and the governor was a gracious host indeed! Arkansans should be proud!

My visit two years ago was a rocky one and the only bad research experience I have ever had. This…read moreis due to difficult policies and some of the least helpful library staff I have ever met. I'd called a few weeks before the trip to ask one or two questions. One of these questions was, "Are there any fees?" The answer was "No." I should have been more explicit and asked if there were any costs associated with printing, but I assumed that this would have been stated if the machines could not save to a flash drive and printing had a cost. I was incorrect. The Arkansas History Commission is the only place I've ever visited in several years of doing research without at least a few microfilm machines connected to computers for flash drive saving. I made the novice mistake of not bringing very much cash with me (what I had was meter money I always take when going to a city). Turns out the History Commission requires money to be pre-loaded onto a card which the printer will charge when it prints. I was definitely unprepared for that, but I learned my lesson and from then on I have always brought money to libraries I have never visited before. With no ATM in the building and no advice as to where I might find a bank nearby (I asked and was offered no information), I took off and drove around Little Rock looking for a gas station or bank. It took awhile. I came back and handed a $20 bill to the employee at the desk. I said, "I'd like $5 on a card, please." "I'm sorry, but we don't make change," she replied. I blinked. "Do I get change back if any is left when I'm leaving?" "No, but you get a refund for the $1 deposit of the card," she said. I stared, speechless. I think she and another employee realized that the "no change" issue would have been a good thing to mention before I left, because they made the change without my having to say anything else. This won me over because I was then able to sit down and get to work at long last. In sum: 1. When someone asks if there are fees associated with using a facility, it is the job of the staff member to bring up everything with a price: fees for parking or meters, fees for printing, fees for photocopies... anything short of a vending machine. 2. The microfilm card idea, and the inability to receive a refund from the card, made things a hassle. 3. The worst part was the non-helpful and non-friendly staff. They couldn't provide any idea as to where I might find an ATM when I said I'd come from out of state? Was I to believe they'd never driven by a bank in the entire time they'd worked in Little Rock, the capitol of the state?

I actually live near Morrilton, Arkansas, so I usually visit the Arkansas History Commission every…read moremonth or so. There are some very excellent and knowledgeable staff who work there and there are some who barely know where any of the records are or have any clue whatsoever about researching family history. You never know how good the staff will be the day you visit in advance unfortunately. As far as records go, there are a wide range to look at including records from other states besides Arkansas! There is a wide range collection of Arkansas records available to look at including microfiche, microfilm, books, census, and even newspapers. While there is a nice collection of cemetery records, some counties have a lot and other counties don't have any for instance. The History Commission has started offering quite a large selection of their information on a website that has no service charge as far as I could tell when using it. I would strongly suggest looking through the site before visiting the History Commission in person, which could save a lot of time and allow you more time to look at the records not included on the website. As far as I know, there is only a fee of ten cents a page for photocopying records, including printing from microfilm, which is nice to have and be able to look at on later dates or to have for your records. If you are new to researching your family tree, I wouldn't suggest visiting the History Commission until you have exhausted talking with family members, the internet, and local research facilities, like your public library and Family History Center. Visiting your local Family History Center will give you the experience of researching a facility and where you can usually get excellent help learning to research your family history and prepare you for the possibility of visiting the Arkansas History Commission when the staff may be either overwhelmed with work or not knowledgeable about their collection or know how to go about researching your family tree. I would strongly suggest visiting the Arkansas History Commission on a Saturday, if possible. Nearby parking is free and more available due to other local state agencies being closed. Also, there are usually fewer people using the facility that day too. You will need to use the building's west side, I believe. It's not the entrance located on the oval in front of the building, but on the side toward the back of the building down the hill from the front. I hope this information is helpful to anyone considering researching at the Arkansas History Commission. There is also a large collection of Arkansas historical documents and books located at the main Little Rock Library where much of the information available is not duplicated at the History Commission. I absolutely love the Arkansas marriage record collection at the library.