Pleasant Valley

In the 1960s, a horse farm in West Little Rock slowly developed into a residential community named Pleasant Valley. Today, the neighborhood is revered for its stunning properties, award-winning country club and ample resident-only amenities. “It’s one of the most well-established communities in West Little Rock,” says Debbie Teague, a sales associate with The Janet Jones Company. “A lot of that notoriety comes from the country club, but people also associate the neighborhood with its incredible houses.”

The streets of Pleasant Valley are known for their towering oak and loblolly pine trees, and if you look behind this mature greenery, you’ll notice the houses are just as grand. Find multi-gabled Tudor estates, Georgian Revivals with gambrel roofs and mansions with Greek-style colonnades. Fitting for the era in which the neighborhood was developed, some dwellings have classic midcentury elements, such as low-sloping asymmetrical roofs and massive picture windows. No matter the style, homes here have four to five bedrooms and sit on quarter-to-half-acre lots. They also cost between $400,000 and $1 million, a range higher than a Little Rock home’s average $150,000 selling price.

Children in Pleasant Valley attend Fulbright Elementary, and the building boasts a unique layout. Each grade level has four separate classrooms, one common work area and separate bathrooms. The school also has an active PTA that organizes events like field day and the book fair. After fifth grade, students go to Pinnacle View Middle, and they can enjoy more school spirit events like the annual pink-out girls’ volleyball game. Lastly, students attend Little Rock Central High, which has an A grade on Niche. The school’s 1927 Art Deco-style building is often deemed one of the most beautiful schools in America. Besides a stunning setting, the school offers a rigorous curriculum with 36 AP courses on subjects like economics and five foreign languages, including Mandarin Chinese.

The Baptist Preparatory Lower School is also in Pleasant Valley. The kindergarten through sixth grade school has an A-minus grade from Niche, a STEAM lab to promote team-building skills and a choir program for those interested in fine arts.

Since 1968, the Pleasant Valley Country Club has provided Little Rock with a top-tier golf experience. The 27-hole championship course features eight ponds, a bermudagrass fairway and a winding, tree-lined terrain. Members can also utilize the 12 tennis courts, the Olympic-sized swimming pool and the state-of-the-art fitness center. “Most people in Pleasant Valley are members of the country club because it’s so close,” says Teagues. “But there are a few other private amenities if the country club lifestyle isn’t their thing.” Pleasant Valley’s resident-only hubs include two pools, a playground and the community center, which is available to rent for parties. In addition to these exclusive spaces, the neighborhood is less than 3 miles from Conner Park, which has a mile-and-a-half hiking trail. Walking the boardwalk path or nature route, you’ll pass shortleaf pine trees shading a glittering fishing lake stocked with largemouth bass and walleye.

Pleasant Valley also boasts a central location along the bustling Rodney Parham Road. Start your morning at Delicious Temptations, a local go-to since 1981. Aside from its cozy interior, the eatery serves breakfast classics like French toast drizzled in maple syrup and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Al Seraj is also on the thoroughfare, and the Mediterranean restaurant is known for its chicken kabobs made with fresh cilantro and oregano. It also has a few Halal groceries, but you can find a more comprehensive selection of essentials 3 miles away at Kroger. Pleasant Valley is also about 4 miles from Midtown Little Rock, where you can shop at the Park Plaza Mall and find even more locally owned restaurants along Cantrell Road.

With natural beauty, exceptional amenities and a convenient location, it’s easy to picture a life in Pleasant Valley.

Written By

Meghan Baker

Photography Contributed By

Michael Denison

Video By

Tyler Hall