Little Italy, Arkansas, which is about 20 minutes from Little Rock, has an interesting tale regarding its part in Arkansas history. The Little Italy Arkansas Heritage Museum tells the story of this pioneering community first established as Alta Villa, the “high place,” by Italian immigrants in 1915.

“Little Italy is unique in that it is Central Arkansas’s only Italian enclave,” said museum chief curator Chris Dorer, who is a native of the small community. “If you visit major cities throughout the country, they have Little Italys. Little Rock was still enough of a draw at the turn of the 20th century to bring this group of Italians here from the midwest. They started out mostly in Chicago after immigrating. The goal of the museum is to let people know about this really captivating piece of history.”