The population of Rock Springs City, Arkansas, is just over 100,000. The city is the largest and most populous town in the region. The town is heavily unionized and is one of the few parts of the state where the majority of citizens are Democrats. The town is home to many shift workers who are ready to party as soon as they finish work. The town is proud of its cultural diversity. As a result, there are many ethnic restaurants and clubs in the city.
Before the boom, Rock Springs had only about 900 dwellings. There was not enough housing for the growing city, so it became a shantytown. Migrant laborers would pitch tents wherever they could find space, and others set up home in abandoned cars. Eventually, the city surpassed its population count and built a ten-million-dollar recreation center that included a pool, a fitness center, a running track, ice rink, and climbing walls.
This multicultural city began as a coal camp and has since experienced booms and busts. The railroad played a vital role in creating the city's multicultural and diverse population. The original inhabitants of the city were from the British Isles, and Swedish and Norwegian immigrants arrived after a union strike in 1871. Chinese laborers from California were then brought to the area by Beckwith and Quinn.