Fort Smith National Historic Site and Trail of Tears

After we left Pea Ridge, we drove south to Fort Smith National Historic Site in Fort Smith, Arkansas and crossed over the Arkansas River.

Fort Smith is nothing of what I thought this was going to be.  I just figured it was going to be another Civil War site, but I was wrong!

In actuality, Fort Smith was (1) a fort from 1817-1824 to help keep peace in the Arkansas River Valley between the Osage and Cherokee Indians.  By 1824, the frontier had moved westward and the fort was abandoned until 1834 when the Army returned to work with Indian Department Agents;  (2) from 1838-1871, Fort Smith was a supply depot for travelers for the US-Mexican War, Gold Rush and westward migrations.  The fort saw little action during the Civil War but was a major supply post for both sides of the conflict; and (3) from 1871-1896 Fort Smith now became a Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas and for 24 years marshals kept law and order in the region from dangerous outlaws.

The buildings of Fort Smith were the Barracks/Courthouse/Jail, "Hell-on-the-Border" Jail, Judge Parker's Courtroom, Commissary Building, Trail of Tears Overlook and Gallows!!  Yep, where hangings took place!

Fort Smith was HOT and the poor dogs could only walk with Scott and I to the Commissary before they were exhausted from the heat, but I continued to investigate the Visitor's Center which was housed in the Barracks/Courthouse/Jail building.  The exhibits there were simply fascinating.  The courthouse took up 1/2 of the upper floor and the jails across and in the basement.  Even females were prisoners in these jails!

Here are some photos of the Fort and around the grounds:

Visitor's Center

In order to see the Exhibits at the Visitor Center, you have to pay a fee or use  your National Parks Pass.  Here's the basement - holding cells.

And, on the main floor, these were some of the exhibits.

Upstairs held more jail cells and the courtroom.

Commissary Building

Next, we'll see the Officer's Garden

Gallows - 87 men were executed here at Fort Smith!!

The parade ground and flagstaff.

Other info panels on the grounds

Also at Fort Smith, the Trail of Tears passed this way and there are markers at the Visitor Center commemorating this event.  The photo below shows how even when stone markers denoted Indian territory, they were not honored.

A final note:  The parking lot at the Visitor's Center is tight but you can get a big rig barely around the entrance and horseshoe turn at the parking.  We just took up 10 spots after the turn.  So, I'd go there when there are fewer people probably visiting or contact the VC before you enter depending on the time of day and season.  Interesting place.  You'll enjoy it.