Fort Smith National Historic Site
National Historic Landmark

Fort Smith National Historic Site

Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
District
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
66000202

About this property

Fort Smith National Historic Site is a National Historic Site located in Fort Smith, Arkansas, along the Arkansas River. The first fort at this site was established by the United States in 1817, before this area was established as part of Indian Territory. It was later replaced and the second fort was operated by the US until 1871. This site was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1961. The fort was an early site of the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, which had jurisdiction over western Arkansas and all of Indian Territory. Court operations began at the recently abandoned fort in November, 1872, Judge William Story, presiding. This court is best known for the two decade tenure of Judge Isaac C. Parker. The town of Fort Smith, Arkansas developed around the fort.

Location

301 Parker Ave.
Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas
35.38898, -94.43139

Categories

MILITARYLAW
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Fort Smith National Historic Site

This page lists Fort Smith National Historic Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Commercial Hotel
Industrial
0.1 mi
Maumelle Ordnance Works Locomotive #1
Industrial
0.2 mi
Atkinson-Williams Warehouse
Industrial
0.2 mi
United States Air Force Locomotive #1246
Pre Contact
0.2 mi
Ft. Smith Confederate Monument
Civil War
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Fort Smith Capture (Arkansas)
1863Civil War
0.3 mi
Battle of Fort Smith
1863Civil War
0.3 mi
Skirmish at Fort Smith (Confederate probe October 1863)
1863Civil War
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Fort Smith National Historic Site listed on the National Register?

Fort Smith National Historic Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Fort Smith National Historic Site?

Fort Smith National Historic Site is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Fort Smith National Historic Site a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Fort Smith National Historic Site has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Fort Smith National Historic Site?

The period of significance for Fort Smith National Historic Site is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1817.

Can I research the history near Fort Smith National Historic Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Fort Smith National Historic Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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Arkansas history

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