In the 1920s Judge James Fulk purchased much of the land where Pinnacle Mountain is now located.
Six quarry sites were developed on the land to mine shale and sandstone, which were used to build several structures in Little Rock, including the Lake Maumelle Dam in the 1950s. Evidence of these construction sites can still be seen, including one next to the visitor center and an overlook at the end of the Rocky Valley Trail.
The land was used for the removal of sandstone and Jackfork shale until the 1970s when it was turned into a State Park.
James Fulk’s hunting cabin was located on the banks of the Big Maumelle River, where the Big Maumelle Pavilion stands today.
In 1973, the initial land for Pinnacle Mountain State Park, including Pinnacle Mountain itself, was acquired from the Fulk family, totaling 1,400 acres. Since the park’s creation in the mid-1970s, five additional acquisitions have expanded the park to just over 2,500 acres.
Pinnacle Points is a 1-minute series on KUAR exploring Pinnacle Mountain State Park.