Fort Smith National Historic Site
| Fort Smith National Historic Site | |
|---|---|
Fort Smith National Historic Site in 2009 | |
| 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 |
| 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 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.