Key to future

LR Port combines history, economy

At my grandfather’s knee, I heard the wonderful stories of the great Mississippi River as told by Mark Twain. As I grew older, rivers provided swimming, water-skiing, picnics, canoeing and camping for my family and friends. In my first real job, the office windows looked down on the dock where the Delta Queen awaited its passengers.

In later years, as I began to trace my family’s path after coming to America, I began to realize how important our rivers are in our history as a nation.

Travelling across this vast country in a comfortable automobile on smooth divided highways, it is difficult to realize that the earliest settlers on foot, horseback or in wagons met dense forest, mountains, uncharted wilderness and no open roads. Rivers were the means of transport, trade, communication, and human connection for the explorers and settlers who came to North America. It is evident on any map that the river trading posts were where our cities grew and prospered. As interstate highways and railroads became major systems of transportation, rivers became less prominent in our public awareness as movers of much-needed mineral and agricultural commodities, as well as construction materials.

After moving to Arkansas, I realized the importance of the McClellan-Kerr navigation system as a critical economic link to the mighty Mississippi River’s north-south channel to the Gulf of Mexico and the world.

The Little Rock Port Authority was established in 1959. Early leadership by Paul Latture and Bob Brave established it as a strong component of the Little Rock economy. Today, with support of a strong Board of Directors, Executive Director Bryan Day leads a progressive and growing enterprise which benefits the entities located at the port, the Little Rock business community to which they provide goods and services, and the Arkansas export economy.

There are currently 40 manufacturing, distribution and service businesses located in the 3,000 acres of the Port of Little Rock. In 2017, the harbor master will handle 600,000 tons of cargo from the river. The Port rail system has recently been expanded and now handles 6,000 rail cars of freight annually.

Mayor Mark Stodola has commended the Little Rock Port Authority as a key component of the city’s future economic growth. Gov. Asa Hutchinson has acknowledged our waterways as integral to Arkansas’ agricultural export economy.

The added support of the Arkansas Waterways Commission has joined the Arkansas River with other rivers in our state into a protected system of scenic, recreational, and economically productive waterways through our state.

Our Little Rock Port merges our historic and scenic Arkansas River with economic progress—a winning combination for all!