The Little Rock is the eponym of Little Rock, Arkansas. It is a now-reduced stone outcrop, projecting into the Arkansas River from its south bank, in the city's waterfront area, adjacent to the Junction Bridge, whose foundations include a portion of the rock. A portion of the rock outcrop has had a bronze plaque mounted on it. The rock, originally estimated to rise about above the river, was first identified as a significant river landmark in 1722 by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe. In 1818 the rock was used as a survey marker, and formed the starting point for land surveys in the region south of the river.