Fort Smith National Historic Site | |
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Location | Sebastian County, Arkansas |
Nearest city | Fort Smith, Arkansas |
Coordinates | 35°23′18″N 94°25′47″W / 35.388210°N 94.429834°W |
Area | 75 acres (30 ha) |
Established | September 13, 1961 |
Visitors | 86,122 (in 2011) |
Governing body | National Park Service |
Website | Fort Smith National Historic Site |
Designated | October 15, 1966 |
Reference no. | 66000202[1] |
Designated | December 19, 1960 |
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 the first site of the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, which had jurisdiction over western Arkansas and all of Indian Territory. It began operations in 1875 with the appointment of Isaac C. Parker as the first federal district judge here. The town of Fort Smith, Arkansas developed around the fort.