North Little Rock

North Little Rock, city (1990 pop. 61,741), Pulaski co., central Ark., on the Arkansas River opposite Little Rock; settled c.1856, inc. as a city 1903. North Little Rock lies in a cotton, rice, soybean, dairy-cattle, and truck-farm area. There is food processing and printing and the manufacture of consumer goods, fiberglass and electronic products, building materials, hospital garments, bakery products, feed, furniture, fertilizers, and chemicals. In the early 19th cent. the discovery of a small silver vein drew settlers to the area, which was then called Silver City. Most of the area later became part of Little Rock, but in 1903 local citizens pushed a bill through the Arkansas legislature permitting a part of Little Rock to secede and join the small village of North Little Rock. Nearby is Camp Joseph T. Robinson, the headquarters of the Arkansas National Guard.