Timeline
1722
1722 - The site of the present city of Little Rock is visited by Frenchman Jean-Baptise Bénard de la Harpe who makes note of La Petite Roche ("the little rock")
1900
April 9, 1900 - The Choctaw Freight Depot opens to deliveries
1955
August 1, 1955 - Little Rock Air Force Base is established near Jacksonville, Arkansas, on six thousand acres of land formerly occupied by the Arkansas Ordnance Plant.
1992
1992 - FUTURE-Little Rock initiative launched for neighborhood revitalization
1992 - Eugene Pfeifer III buys land later identified as William J. Clinton Presidential Center site
November 3, 1992 - Bill Clinton elected to first term in office as 42nd President of the United States
1993
January 20, 1993 - Clinton sworn in as president in Washington, DC
Spring 1993 - Little Rock, Fayetteville, and other Arkansas cities begin lobbying for Clinton Library site
1994
February 1994 - Clinton Administration begins official search for Library site
1995
August 1, 1995 - the citizens of Pulaski County went to the polls and voted for a one year, one cent sales tax for the purpose of building a multi-purpose arena and expanding the Little Rock Convention Center
1996
1996 - River Market Development Project completed - cost is $3.5 M
November 5, 1996 - Clinton elected to second term as president
1997
1997 - a new Central Arkansas Library System Main Library opens in the renovated Fones Brothers Warehouse on Rock Street in the heart of the Little Rock River Market District - cost is $13 M
January 20, 1997 - Clinton sworn in for a second term as president
February 12, 1997 - Clinton picks Little Rock as Library site over sites in Fayetteville, Hot Springs, North Little Rock, and Hope
April 15, 1997 - 30 local sites in LR in running for Library; local site selection committee led by city director Dean Kumpuris and mayor's assistant Bruce Moore
October 23, 1997 - Clinton Foundation incorporates
November 7, 1997 - Clinton chooses 27.2 acre site for Library at east end of downtown Little Rock (near River Market)
November 11, 1997 -- City of Little Rock proposes hamburger tax to pay for Library site
November 18, 1997 - City of Little Rock floats proposal to pay $15 M for Library site with hamburger tax
December 2, 1997 - Cy Carney, city manager, makes public budget that includes park revenue bonds to pay for Clinton Library site
December 16, 1997 - Little Rock budget with Clinton Library revenue bonds approved unanimously
1998
1998 - Clinton Foundation files first tax return - raises $3 M
1998 - $10.6 M Museum of Discovery opens in renovated Arkansas Democrat printing press building
February 1998 - City of Little Rock abandons plans for a hamburger tax
February 1998 - UA Fayetteville announced as educational partner in development of the Clinton School of Public Service
March 17, 1998 - Little Rock Board of Directors votes to approve $16.5 M in revenue bonds to purchase land for Library
April 10, 1998 - Nora Harris and Empower Arkansas organize to block the revenue bond issue
June 1998 - Little Rock's Stephens Inc. begins issuing revenue bonds for Library site purchase
June 26, 1998 - Nora Harris sues the City of Little Rock in Pulaski County Chancery Court to stop issue of park revenue bonds to pay for Clinton Library site
September 9, 1998 - Independent counsel Kenneth Star levies eleven possible impeachment charges against Bill Clinton
December 19, 1998 - U.S. House of Representatives votes to impeach Clinton
1999
1999 - $22.5 M expansion of Statehouse Convention Center
January 21, 1999 - a tornado strikes Little Rock's MacArthur Park Historic District, Governor's Mansion Historic District, and Arkansas State Fairground neighborhood
February 12, 1999 - U.S. Senate votes to acquit President Clinton on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice
May 1999 - 1% local sales tax increase for Little Rock parks, zoo, and Library site defeated by 70% of voters
June 28, 1999 - Clinton pitches Library to fashion executives at French restaurant in NYC - first public fund-raising dinner speech
June 30, 1999 - Pulaski County Chancery Court rules that issuance of park revenue bonds for Clinton site is legal
July 30, 1999 - City of Little Rock sues Eugene Pfeifer III in condemnation of portion of proposed Clinton Library site
August 1999 - Polshek Partnership of NYC is named architectural firm for Library
October 1999 - ALLTEL Arena, an 18,000 seat multi-purpose facility, opens - cost is $71 M
December 22, 1999 - Eugene Pfeifer III asks for immediate ruling on condemnation lawsuit
2000
February 4, 2000 - City of Little Rock asks for dismissal of Pfeifer countersuit
April 2000 - Clinton Foundation begins sending fundraising letters penned by Dale Bumpers to potential donors
April 6, 2000 - Hearing on condemnation proceedings against landowner Eugene Pfeifer III
August 16, 2000 - David Alsobrook named Clinton Presidential Materials Project Director
October 16, 2000 - Clinton Presidential Materials Project staff members move into former Balch Motor Company building
November 13, 2000 - City of Little Rock seizure of Pfeifer's land is approved by Vann Smith of Pulaski County Chancery Court
November 19, 2000 - 50 tons of administration papers and Clinton memorabilia arrive in Little Rock
December 9, 2000 - James Polshek unveils Library architectural plans at the White House
2001
January-March 2001 - State District Court and Arkansas Supreme Court hear arguments that the City of Little Rock illegally issued revenue bonds for the Clinton Library
January 20, 2001 - Clinton pardons Marc Rich on last day in office
February 9, 2001 - News breaks that Denise Rich, ex-wife of pardoned financier Marc Rich, gave large sums of money to Clinton Foundation beginning in 1998 ($450,000 total)
February 13, 2001 - Mary Jo White, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, launches a criminal investigation into the Marc Rich pardon; subpoenas list of donors to Clinton Foundation in excess of $5,000
February 22, 2001 - Clinton Foundation agrees to turn over financial records on donations by Denise Rich in compliance with federal subpoena
March 2001 - Clinton Foundation signs contract to purchase Camp David-style retreat for Clinton family and visiting dignitaries in Hot Springs - total cost is $1 M
March 8, 2001 - Arkansas Supreme Court rejects Nora Harris claim that issuance of revenue bonds to pay for Clinton Library was necessary
March-April 2001 - Deployment Support Command moves 1.3 M pounds of Presidential paperwork to Little Rock for Clinton Library Archives
April 23, 2001 - Activist Nora Harris files second lawsuit to block issuance of $16.5 M in revenue bonds for Library; claims City of Little Rock diverting funds to finance Library site
May 2001 - Eugene Pfeifer III files an appeal on the condemnation ruling
November 1, 2001 - Arkansas Supreme Court affirms taking of property from Pfeifer for Clinton Library in Pfeifer v. City of Little Rock
December 5, 2001 - Clinton Library groundbreaking ceremony
2002
March 1, 2002 -- City of Little Rock grants 99-year lease of Library site to Clinton Foundation
May 2002 - Unions complain that Clinton Library site is not a union site
May 28, 2002 - Arkansas Department of Economic Development rejects Clinton Foundation filing for tax rebates under Arkansas Enterprise Zone Act (Advantage Arkansas)
May 30, 2002 - Clinton Foundation reaches agreement with union labor on Clinton Library site
June 5, 2002 - Construction begins at Clinton Library site
July 18, 2002 - Clinton Foundation sues State of Arkansas in Pulaski Circuit Court to recover $3.5 M in tax rebates under Advantage Arkansas program
August 12, 2002 - State Attorney General’s Office sues Eugene Pfeifer III seeking $400,000 in cleanup costs for removal of "environmental toxins" from Clinton Library site
October 2, 2002 - Second Nora Harris lawsuit is dismissed
2003
May 23, 2003 - Topping out ceremony at Clinton Library takes place
October 1, 2003 - Nora Harris files third lawsuit against City of Little Rock and Metropolitan National Bank over financing of Clinton Presidential Center
October 29, 2003 - Groundbreaking for Heifer International headquarters
2004
March 24, 2004 - David Pryor, longtime U.S. senator and former governor, named first dean of the Clinton School of Public Service
May 5, 2004 - David Alsobrook named first director of the Clinton Presidential Center
July 6, 2004 - trucks begin moving Clinton Administration papers from storage at Balch Motor Company to Clinton Library Archives
August 19, 2004 - A time capsule is buried in the middle of Celebration Circle at the Clinton Presidential Center to celebrate 58th birthday of President Clinton
October 12, 2004 - Judge rules that Arkansas Department of Economic Development wrong to deny tax credits under Arkansas Advantage
November 1, 2004 - Central Arkansas Transit Authority's (CATA) River Rail electric streetcar system officially opens to the public
November 14-18, 2004 - Clinton Presidential Center has its Grand Opening
November 18, 2004 - Clinton Presidential Center dedication takes place in driving rainstorm
November 19, 2004 - Clinton Library opens to the public
2005
October 27, 2005 - Arkansas Supreme Court rules that the Clinton Library is entitled to tax rebates under Advantage Arkansas program
2008
December 17, 2008 - Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center opens on Clinton Avenue
