Pulaski

Formed December 15, 1818 (5^th county)

Pulaski County (399,117), Little Rock (202,562)

The governmental limestone courthouse sits on Arkansas State Highway 10 (Markham Street) between Broadway and Spring streets.  George Mann designed the 1912 county courthouse in Classical Revival style.  There was an 1887 courthouse also in Little Rock, the only county seat.  A Justice Building was added in 2006.  The county’s namesake is Polish nobleman Casimir Pulaski.  Little Rock was named by explorer Benard de la Harpe who built a home near the smaller of two rock outcroppings, thus “little rock.”  Pulaski County was the birthplace of 2 Arkansas Governors, Homer M. Adkins and Bob C. Riley.  Pulaski County was created from Arkansas and Lawrence counties on December 15, 1818 as the 5^th county.  The Arkansas state capitol is located in this county. 

Pulaski County government consists of a sheriff, assessor, treasurer, and coroner (executive).  It has 14 Quorum Court members (legislative.)  Seventeen Circuit Court Judges serve Pulaski and Perry counties and Nine District Court Judges, an Attorney, and a County Clerk serve Pulaski County (judicial.)  The county is in the center of the state with the Arkansas River flowing through its center.  Fort Smith, Arkansas is Northwest and Memphis, Tennessee is East of the county.  The geographical center of Arkansas is 12 miles northwest of Little Rock in the county.  The center of the county is 4.4 miles East-Northeast of Little Rock in North Little Rock.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Faulkner, Lonoke, Jefferson, Saline, and Perry counties.  There is no standard shape to this county with two large step-ups on the north and four step-downs on the south along the river.  Little Rock is slightly east and south of the county’s center.  Little Rock is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 50.8% of the county population.  The county is pronounced PUE-LAS-KEE.  

The area of the county is 807.8 square miles.  It is 18 of 75 in size.  It ranks 1 out of 75 in population in the state.  It has a density of 494.1 persons per square mile making it 1 out of 75 in the state.  Pulaski County has 88.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 30 begins in the county and heads southwest into Saline County.  Interstate Highway 40 crosses the county from east to west, Lonoke County to Faulkner County.  United States Highway 65 enters joined with Interstate Highway 40 from the north, Faulkner County, splits away, and exits to south to Saline County.  United States Highway 67 comes from Lonoke County, northeast, joins Interstate Highway 30 and goes into Saline County, southwest.  United States Highway 70 enters from Lonoke County (east), joins Interstate Highway 30, and exits into Saline County (southwest).  United States Highway 165 originates in Pulaski County and heads southeast into Lonoke County.  United States Highway 167 is combined with United States Highway 67 from Lonoke County, splits, and joins United States Highway 65 into Saline County.  The county is in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area.