Area code 501 originally covered all of the state of Arkansas. A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating Telephone number ranges to countries regions areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks It is one of the original 86 North American Numbering Plan areas assigned in 1947. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. As a result of population growth, area code 501 now covers only central Arkansas, including the capital Little Rock. Little Rock is the Capital and the most populous city of the U South Arkansas as well as Northeast Arkansas is now area code 870, while northwest Arkansas is area code 479. Area code 501 is the original area code for the governor's mansion in Arkansas.
| State of Arkansas Area Codes: 479, 501, 870 | ||
|---|---|---|
| North: 870 | ||
| West: 479 | area code 501 | East: 870 |
| South: 870 | ||