Bryant

Bryant is a community around 20 miles southwest of Little Rock.

This central Arkansas community bears the distinction of surrounding the geographical center of the state. A historical marker on Ark. 5 next to Pinecrest Cemetery in Saline County marks the spot. The marker says that the “Geographical Center of Arkansas is a Few Steps North of This Highway." The marker was dedicated in1936  as part of the state’s first centennial celebration. 

Bryant, like many Arkansas towns, depended on the railroad for its beginnings. In 1871 during Reconstruction (1865-1877), the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad began working on a line from Little Rock, completing it in 1973. Many businesses began to move to town and prosper because of the railroad.

The Bryant Township was created in 1878, becoming the first time the name “Bryant” was officially used. Continued growth led to Bryant becoming an incorporated town on in 1892. The mining boon at nearby Bauxite during World War II led to another period of growth. In the 1950s, Bryant became a prime location on the first stretch of interstate in Arkansas: Interstate 30 from Little Rock southwest to Texarkana. Much like the railroad decades before, the highway led to an increase in population.