March 1, 2018 - Little Rock Arkansas

Today we traveled down from Millington, TN where we have been staying, through Memphis to Little Rock.  Because the rain has continued, the flooding has become more extensive.  I would guess that at least half the 140 mile distance at least on one side of the road, was flooded back into the crop fields and into the woods as far as we could see from the road.

We started by doing a tour of the Capitol in Little Rock. The building was finished in 1915 at a cost of around 2 million. In the process, all the needed land for the building, and the associated state agencies was procured.  The Capitol was easily, and quickly reached from the interstate system.  Getting off the exit and going through only one stoplight, you were there in about a minute, however, parking and a short walk added a bit more.

 Inside, under the rotunda, there was a team taking last day applications to run for the available seats in the house and senate.  The work sessions for legislators will open on March 5th with the goal of coming up with a budget.

 Among the usual  state bird, tree, etc, they came up with the State Historic Cooking Vessel.  The Lodge Dutch Oven

 Governot William Jefferson Clinton looked very young in office.  He was the Governor from 1979 to 1981, and again from 1983 to 1992.

 Outside is a Memorial to the The Little Rock Nine who were a group of nine African American students enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Their enrollment was followed by the Little Rock Crisis, in which the students were initially prevented from entering the racially segregated school by Orval Faubus, the Governor of Arkansas.  They eventually entered school, under the protection of the 101st Airborne, ordered by President Eisenhower.

 The front of the Capitol

The members of the Little Rock Nine were presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton.

 Although the High School is still in use in its 61st year since desegregation, there is a Historic Site Visitor Center diagonally across the intersection of the streets.

 A view of a portion of the high school from across the street.  3:50 p.m. and school is out for the day.

 The front of the main building from the street.

It was a great opportunity to see such a historic place.