Little Rock Military History Tour
Little Rock is full of monuments, memorials, and museums dedicated to those who have served our country and sacrificed for its freedom.
From the Army and Air Force, the National Guard and Navy, Little Rock is a city where America’s military history will never be forgotten…nor will it fade away.
War Memorial Stadium
1 Stadium Dr.
War Memorial Stadium was designed by architect Bruce R. Anderson and completed in 1947 with a total capacity of 31,075. The stadium’s first event, a football game between the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and Abilene Christian was held on September 18, 1948. Before the game, the stadium was officially dedicated by Medal of Honor recipient Maurice Britt to the memory of all Arkansas soldiers who had lost their lives in World Wars I and II. The stadium continues to host high school and college-level sporting events as well as concerts with acts including the Rolling Stones, the Eagles, Elton John and N*Sync having performed there.
Arkansas Korean War Veterans Memorial
503 E. 9th St.
The Arkansas Korean War Veterans Memorial is located on the grounds of the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. It was dedicated on June 25, 2007, and is composed of black granite markers, a memorial gateway, and three statues. One represents the military members who served in the conflict, one honors the Korean people, and one remembers the medical personnel who served during the war. Black granite stones include the names of 461 Arkansans who died in the conflict.
Arkansas State Capitol
500 Woodlane St.
The Arkansas Capitol building is the seat of the state’s government, housing its legislature as well as the staffs of six out of Arkansas’s seven constitutional officers. The monumental neo-classical structure has been praised since its completion in 1915. Its grounds are home to several monuments including the Arkansas Gold Star Families Memorial, the Arkansas Medal of Honor Memorial, the Arkansas Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial among others.
Arkansas Vietnam Veterans Memorial
500 Woodlane St.
The Arkansas Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial is located on the grounds of the Arkansas State Capitol. It was dedicated on March 7, 1987, by retired U.S. Army General William Westmoreland, and includes a circular wall listing each of the 662 service members from Arkansas who are listed as killed or missing in action. Designed by John Deering, the memorial also includes an infantryman standing on a base inscribed with the five branches of the military.
Arkansas Medal of Honor Memorial
500 Woodlane St.
The Arkansas Medal of Honor Memorial was designed by artist John Deering which consists of a bronze eagle surrounded by a circle of bronze plaques dedicated to each Medal of Honor recipient. The memorial is located on the southeast lawn of the Arkansas State Capitol. The Medal of Honor Memorial, which honors men from the Civil War through the Vietnam War, was dedicated on November 18, 2000.
Arkansas Gold Star Families Memorial
500 Woodlane St.
Located near the steps of the Arkansas State Capitol, the Arkansas Gold Star Families Memorial honors the families who have lost loved ones during military service. The memorial depicts a missing soldier to represent the loss of a loved one each family has suffered. The memorial was officially dedicated on Saturday, September 28, 2019.
Veterans Memorial Bridge
The Broadway Bridge (Highway 70) that connects Little Rock and North Little Rock is officially named the Veterans Memorial Bridge. The original Broadway Bridge was built in 1922 and was dedicated to veterans of World War I in 1923. After 90 years, it was closed and demolished, and a new bridge was built in 2017.
Little Rock National Cemetery
2523 Springer Blvd.
Little Rock National Cemetery is the largest national cemetery in Arkansas. In 1866 it was a Union encampment for the troops who occupied the city, and, after the war, it was turned into a cemetery for fallen soldiers. It’s unknown exactly when the first burial took place at the cemetery, but the final active-duty internment was a man from Pine Bluff who was killed at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
Two of the most notable people buried in the Little Rock National Cemetery are Simon A. Haley and Maurice L. Britt. Haley was a World War I veteran and the father of Alex Haley, the author of Roots. Britt served in World War II in the U.S. Army. He was a Medal of Honor recipient and served as lieutenant governor under Winthrop Rockefeller. You can read more about the cemetery here.
The Minnesota Monument is dedicated to the Civil War soldiers of Minnesota who died in Arkansas. During the Civil War, several Minnesota regiments fought in Arkansas, the Third Minnesota Infantry being one of the first regiments to enter the fallen capital city of Little Rock in 1863. Approximately 162 of those Minnesota soldiers died while serving in Arkansas. Of those, thirty-six are buried in the Little Rock National Cemetery. The monument was dedicated on the morning of September 22, 1916.
MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History
503 E. 9th St.
This museum is housed in the historic Arsenal Building, a National Historic Landmark and one of Little Rock’s oldest surviving structures. Built in 1840 to protect a frontier state from attack by Native Americans, it witnessed pivotal exchanges between Union and Confederate forces during the Civil War, and later became the birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur. Through exhibits and programming, the museum ensures that “old soldiers never die.” Instead, their sacrifice and service are preserved for future generations.
Mount Holly Cemetery
1200 Broadway St.
Walking the grounds of Mount Holly is like reading a “Who’s Who” list of historic Arkansans. Those buried in Mount Holly include at least 10 Arkansas governors, three U.S. senators, five Confederate generals, 20 Little Rock mayors, composers, newspaper editors, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, and Quatie Ross, wife of Cherokee Chief John Ross, who died while traveling on the Trail of Tears.
Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum
120 Riverfront Dr., North Little Rock
As a landlocked destination, Arkansas is an unexpected location for a maritime museum, but history has come to life on the banks of the Arkansas River in the city of North Little Rock where a decommissioned World War II United States Navy tugboat and submarine are available for tours and events. The USS Hoga was instrumental in putting fires out at Pearl Harbor, and the USS Razorback was present when the Japanese surrendered at Tokyo Bay. It is the only museum in the continental United States that houses both bookends of WW II. These vessels are among the most unique in Arkansas and offer event attendees an experience they'll never forget, including overnight stays aboard the Razorback.
Arkansas National Guard Museum
6th & Missouri, Camp Robinson, North Little Rock
The Arkansas National Guard Museum officially opened in 1999 with a mission of preserving the history of Camp Pike, a base constructed during World War I. In 1937, the name of the base was changed to Camp Joseph T. Robinson to honor a late Arkansas senator. The museum houses artifacts from the Arkansas Guard from its founding shortly after the Louisiana Purchase until today.
Jacksonville Museum of Military History
100 Veteran’s Circle, Jacksonville
From the Civil War campaigns of the Trans-Mississippi to the current conflicts in Afghanistan and the Middle East, exhibits and displays relate stories exclusive to the Jacksonville Museum, including the histories of the Civil War Campaign for Little Rock and the Battle of Reed’s Bridge, Arkansas Ordnance Plant in World War II, and the history of the Little Rock Air Force Base. The museum houses one of the largest collections of WWII patriotic and propaganda posters in the region as well as a Titan II missile launch console and a T37 cockpit trainer. The Jacksonville Museum hosts annual events like Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day and is available for private retirement and reunion events.
Oakland-Fraternal Cemetery
2101 Barber St.
Oakland & Fraternal Historic Cemetery Park was established in 1862 when the City of Little Rock purchased a 160-acre estate to accommodate deceased Civil War soldiers. Through the years, it has been carved into seven distinct cemeteries: Oakland, National, an eleven-acre Confederate, a one-acre Confederate, Fraternal, Jewish Oakland, and Agudath Achim. Today, 108 acres of the original 160 remain as burial grounds. The cemeteries have seen more than 62,000 burials since the first in 1863.
