Ward 4

The Indian Hills neighborhood of our city began to take shape in the late 1950s as one of the new suburban-style subdivisions expanding northward from Levy and Park Hill. It was marketed as a modern neighborhood with curving streets and larger lots. Its proximity to the rapidly growing John F. Kennedy Boulevard added to its allure.

In the early 1960s, Indian Hills was incorporated into North Little Rock as part of a broader wave of suburban growth that also included Lakewood, Overbrook, and other postwar neighborhoods.

Today, Indian Hills has matured into one of North Little Rock’s established residential areas, known for its shady, tree‑lined streets as well as its closeness to schools and JFK Boulevard’s stores and restaurants.

Our city’s Lakewood had its beginnings in the early 1930s with developer Justin Matthews Sr.’s acquisition of about 2,000 acres north of Park Hill. After forming the Lakewood Development Company, Matthews created six artificial lakes to attract future residents. He also commissioned Mexican artist Dionicio Rodriguez to create the faux‑bois (concrete “fake‑wood”) sculptures that help define the area to this day. These include rustic bridges, seats, and portions of the iconic Old Mill, surrounded by T. R. Pugh Memorial Park, on the north end of Lake 2.

The Great Depression and World War II delayed the area’s development. Lakewood’s first home sites were finally sold in 1947. North Little Rock annexed most of Lakewood in 1951.

Lakewood has grown into one of our city’s most recognizable neighborhoods, characterized, among other things, by its curving streets and mid‑century homes. The lakes and the Old Mill (also known as Pugh’s Mill) are recreational magnets, the mill serving as the site of photo shoots, weddings, family reunions, and a variety of other celebrations.

North Little Rock’s Pike View neighborhood, north of Park Hill, began developing in the 1920s as yet another project of real estate developer Justin Matthews, Sr.

As with the Old Mill, Matthews incorporated a park in the neighborhood, Pugh Park, named for his lifelong friend T.R. Pugh. The roughly triangular-shaped park sits at North Locust and North Vine streets.

Pike View formally became part of the city through annexation by 1946. As with some of the city’s other neighborhoods of this era, Pike View is characterized by curving, shady streets.

The Tanglewood neighborhood began developing in 1959 as one of several subdivisions springing up north of Levy along the growing Pike Avenue-Camp Robinson Road corridor. It was part of a post‑war development surge that expanded our city’s boundaries beyond the older central communities.

Improved transportation, the existence of Camp Robinson, plus nearby Levy’s annexation in 1946 helped push this development. Tanglewood’s location was attractive to folks seeking modern homes within a short drive from downtown. Having its own pool was an added bonus.

Tanglewood was soon fully a part of our city, reflecting North Little Rock’s transformation into an urban community, with unique neighborhoods filled with proud, independent, hardworking individuals.