Welcome to Metro Little Rock: Jacksonville
The Jacksonville Museum of Military History 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.
Home to the only C-130 training base for the U.S. Department of Defense, Jacksonville is an important part of the nation’s military force, but the city of 29,477 possesses a family-friendly atmosphere that attracts people from everywhere.
Less than 30 minutes from Little Rock, across the Arkansas River, Jacksonville offers a tight-knit community and affordable housing (Zillow reports a typical home value of $132,547 in 2021).
The 6,128-acre airforce base is home to a population of 13,893 people, including 6,995 military and 1,316 civilian members, and 5,582 family members living and working there.
The health care, education and manufacturing industries are three more of the city’s largest employers.
Honoring present and past military service is a point of pride here, as Jacksonville is also home to the Jacksonville Military History Museum. The museum chronicles the town's military history dating back from the Civil War to Vietnam.
Attractions like Splash Zone and Dupree Park (one of Jacksonville’s 13 parks) are popular spots for the locals. Athletic and aerobic classes entice athletes to the city’s 56,000-square-foot community center. Its facilities include a heated six-lane pool, two hardwood basketball/volleyball courts, an aerobics classroom, a walking track, cardiovascular equipment and two racquetball courts.
The last weekend in September is the city’s annual two-day FestiVille event at Dupree Park, featuring carnival rides and games, live entertainment, local vendors, a petting zoo and more. In the spring, Jacksonville’s Fun @ Five Points street festival draws residents to the downtown district for food trucks, a kids corner, a wing-eating contest and fun for the whole family.
The city is popular with families looking for great home prices and a big sense of community. Fortunately, Jacksonville has great annual events, Splash Zone (shown above) and a community center that rivals all others in the metro.
A Bit of History
Jacksonville — and some of the land the Little Rock Air Force Base now sits on — was home to the Arkansas Ordnance Plant during World War II. The plant was among the first of its kind in the nation, and was heavily relied upon by the U.S. for its development of fuses and detonators for the war effort. There were 12 production lines operating around the clock. At the peak of production in November 1942, more than 14,000 workers were employed there – most of whom were women. By the end of the war, the plant had provided over a billion devices.
