Civil War era smooth bore field cannon,
Fort Smith National Historic Site, Fort Smith, Arkansas, April 7, 2012
Even though Fort Smith is just an hour and a half away or so, we’ve only visited the Fort Smith National Historic Site twice in the 35 years we’ve lived in Arkansas.
The site was established in 1961 in order to protect the remains of two 19th-century U.S. military forts, including a building which once housed the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. Fort Smith was also notable as a major stop along the “Trail of Tears.” It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960.
The park visitor center is now located in the old Barracks/Courthouse/Jail building. Exhibits in the visitor center focus on Fort Smith’s military history from 1817–1871, western expansion, Judge Isaac Parker and the federal court’s impact on Indian Territory, U.S. Deputy Marshals and outlaws, Federal Indian policy, and Indian Removal including the Trail of Tears. (Wikipedia)
