On June 10, 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Little Rock as part of a day-long series of appearances in conjunction with the Arkansas Centennial celebration. (The actual statehood dates is June 15.)
His day started in Memphis before he journeyed by train to Hot Springs. After events there that morning and lunch at Couchwood (his longtime friend Harvey Couch was chairman of the Centennial celebration). He then traveled to Rockport and Malvern for appearances before arriving in Little Rock. He made his remarks at the State Fairgrounds in a structure called “Centennial Stadium.”
Following his remarks, which officially kicked off the six month Arkansas Centennial celebration, he retired to Senator Joseph T. Robinson’s house on South Broadway. He dined with the Robinsons in the house before departing with the Senator at 8:45 that evening. The Presidential entourage then journeyed to Texas for the next day.
On June 1, 1939, the cornice was installed on Robinson Auditorium. This granite slab noted the name of the building as the Joseph Taylor Robinson Memorial Auditorium. (It is interesting to note that it used the more modern “u” instead of the classical “v” which was often used in buildings during prior decades – as evidenced by the Pvlaski Covnty Covrt Hovse across the street.)
Little Rock Culture Vulture 