Fort Smith (2)

Fort Smith (1817-1834, 1838-1871) - A U.S. Army post established 25 Dec 1817 by Major William Bradford, Company A, Rifle Regiment, in Sebastian County, Arkansas. Named for Colonel Thomas A. Smith then Commander of U.S. forces west of the Mississippi. First abandoned in 1834 but reactivated in 1838 and finally abandoned in 1871.

Fort Smith First Fort Ruins	Fort Smith Commissary Building
Fort Smith Barracks and Courthouse across the Parade

First Fort Smith

Fort Smith 1853

The first fort was a simple log and stone stockade with two blockhouses. It was also known as Belle Point Fort and the ruins still exist. The troops were moved to Fort Gibson, Oklahoma in 1824. The fort was then intermittently used until 1834, with the last garrison transferring to Fort Coffee, Oklahoma. The site was excavated in 1958 - 1963.

Second Fort Smith

The second fort, originally planned as a large pentagonal masonry work with five bastions, was built in 1839 due to settler demands over the Indian Removals from the southeast. Camp Thomas, later renamed Camp Belknap (1838 - 1846), was built adjacent to the first fort site while the second fort was being constructed. Construction was halted in 1841, and the fort was then modified as a supply depot for other western forts. Seized by Confederates in 1861, captured by the Union in 1863. Abandoned in 1871.

Federal Court

Fort Smith Courtroom

Fort Smith Gallows

The Barracks (1849) then served as the US District Court from 1872 - 1890. The district had federal jurisdiction over half of the state of Arkansas and all of the Indian Territory. After the closure of Fort Smith in 1871, the federal court was relocated to Fort Smith. During the summer of 1872, the jail was moved into the old barracks building inside the second fort. That fall, court operations were moved into the upper floor of the barracks.

For twenty-five years, Fort Smith served as a base of operations for the federal court. In 1875, Isaac Parker, former congressman from Missouri was appointed to the bench at Fort Smith. For twenty-one years Judge Parker served as Judge, later earning the nickname of "Hanging Judge" for the number of death sentences he handed down.

The jurisdiction of the federal court over the Indian Territory came to an end on September 1, 1896 with the coming of federal courts in the Indian Territory. Judge Parker died two months later.

Current Status

Fort Smith Visitor Center

Part of Fort Smith National Historic Site.

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Location: Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas Maps & Images Lat: 35.38806 Long: -94.43 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation:

Sources:

• Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 56-57
• Commanding Officers of Fort Smith 1817-1871

Links:

• North America Forts - Fort Smith
• National Park Service

Visited: 23 Oct 2011

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