Emerald Park

The other day we took a little stroll through Emerald Park, which sits atop the "Big Rock" in North Little Rock. The park gets its name from French explorers, who were heading up the Arkansas River in the 1700s. They heard from some of the Native Americans (presumably the Quapaw?) that there was a large green rock along the river. Their description must have been lost in translation, because the French explorers believed that it would be a massive emerald. But when they made it up the river, they saw that it was instead just a hill covered with trees. It was named “Le Rocher Français” (the French Rock). This set it apart from the smaller bluff nearby, which was called “Petit Rocher” (Little Rock).

A good chunk of the Big Rock is missing, there was a massive quarry here that removed about 20,000,000 tons of rock. But it makes you wonder what this would have looked like it if had been allowed to remain in its natural state. The first explorers described it as "having three steep peaks, with stone 'hard as flint,' and a waterfall." There are several trails that wind through the park, providing some great views. Here is one view, of the bluffs and river. In the distance is the state capitol: