John Barrow (Little Rock)


The John Barrow Addition of Little Rock, Arkansas is a neighborhood in the western portion of the city. It is bordered on the north by Kanis Road, on the west by I-430, on the east by Boyle Park, and on the south by Asher Avenue. The area is named for its main thoroughfare, John Barrow Road. Nearby neighborhoods include Briarwood on the north, and Rosedale on the south. To the north lies Baptist Health Medical Center and its environs, as well as small residential areas including Twin Lakes. To the east lie Broadmoor and the vicinity surrounding the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
John Barrow is a transition neighborhood, progressing from state-of-the-art medical facilities and office complexes to lower-income single-family housing. Dotted throughout the area are businesses that are evidence of an increasing Hispanic population in Little Rock, specializing in authentic Mexican foods and crafts. Also central to the neighborhood are the local schools, Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School and Henderson Health Sciences Magnet Middle School, and mortgage loan processing facilities for the largest Arkansas-based bank holding company, Arvest Bank.

History

The neighborhood was platted in the early 1900s. The original 550 acre plat was one of the largest in Pulaski County. The original neighborhood was poorly constructed, with narrow streets, open ditches, and small frame 2 bedroom homes. There was little water service, and sewage was handled by septic systems.
On December 18, 1961 the area was annexed to Little Rock. The city upgraded dirt and gravel roads and brought a sewer system to the neighborhood.