Fort Smith

Fort Smith The first Fort Smith, seen here in an 1820 painting by landscape artist Samuel Seymour, was named for Gen. Thomas A. Smith, commander of all Federal forces west of the Mississippi River when the post was established in 1817. Not until 1822, however, was the fort considered "in a good state of defense." FORT SMITH NHS National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior National Historic Site Arkansas As a depot servicing military posts and exploring expeditions, the second Fort Smith (shown here in an 1853 lithograph by Heinrich B. Mollhausen) was under constant demand for wagons. mules, horses, uniforms, weapons, ammunition, tents, tools, and other items required by a frontier army. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Some of the men who rode for Parker—U.S. deputy marshals at Fort Smith during their 1908 reunion. "Without these men," Parker said, "I could not hold court a single day." Theirs was a perilous job, and Parker knew it. Sadly he noted, "in my court jurisdiction alone 65 Deputy Marshals were murdered in the discharge of their duty." By 1896 the total number killed exceeded 100. WESTERN HISTORY COLLECTION, UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA LIBRARY Cover: From the painting "The Trail of Tears" by Robert O. Lindneux, depicting the forced migration of the Cherokee from their ancestral home in 1838-39. WOOLAROC MUSEUM. BARTLESVILLE. OKLA. Little Gibraltar on the Arkansas Fort Smith National Historic Site includes t h e remains of t w o f r o n t i e r forts and t h e Federal Court f o r t h e Western District of Arkansas. C o m m e m o r a t i n g a significant phase of A m e r ica's w e s t w a r d expansion, it stands t o d a y as a r e m i n d e r o f 80 t u r b u l e n t years in t h e history o f f e d e r a l Indian policy. ed construction in 1845. The o r i g i n a l plans called f o r a large masonry f o r t t o serve as a base f o r possible military operations against Indian uprisings, b u t w h e n t h e Indian t h r e a t f a i l e d t o materialize, t h e W a r D e p a r t m e n t m o d i f i e d t h e plans a n d t u r n e d Fort Smith i n t o a supply d e p o t . The first Fort Smith was a small log and stone stockade situated o n a rocky b l u f f overlooking t h e j u n c t i o n of t h e Poteau a n d Arkansas rivers. It was established by Maj. William Bradf o r d and a company of the U.S. Rifle Regiment in December 1817 t o m a i n t a i n peace b e t w e e n local Osage Indians, e m i g r a t i n g Cherokees (many of w h o m had been pressured and pushed w e s t w a r d f r o m t h e i r ancestral lands in t h e southeastern U n i t e d States), and n o n Indian settlers m o v i n g west. The 1822 Treaty o f Fort Smith, n e g o t i a t e d by Col. M a t h e w A r b u c k l e , t h e n t h e fort's c o m m a n d i n g officer, a n d Indian Commissioner James Miller, reconciled most o f t h e difficulties b e t w e e n t h e Osage and t h e Cherokee a n d c o n t i n u e d t o g u a r a n t e e t h e tribes t h a t no non-Indians w o u l d settle on t h e i r lands. Fort Smith was garrisoned d u r i n g t h e U.S.Mexican War by Arkansas Volunteers and during t h e Civil W a r by first Confederate a n d In 1824, in a n t i c i p a t i o n o f t h e establishment o f t h e w e s t e r n b o u n d a r y of t h e Arkansas Territory, the army abandoned Fort Smith and established Fort Gibson 80 miles up the A r k a n sas River. But t h e U.S. Government's l o n g standing policy of Indian removal, encouraging or forcing eastern Indians t o move west, gained m o m e n t u m after A n d r e w Jackson became President in 1829, b r i n g i n g increasing numbers of Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, Seminoles, and Cherokees t o t h e region. Jackson's Secretary of War Lewis Cass called t h e m o v e m e n t "The Great Experiment," b u t t o t h e Indians, w h o n o t only lost t h e i r homes b u t suffered d e a t h and disinheritance, it was thereafter k n o w n as "The Trail of Tears." A l a r m e d by t h e seemingly endless m i g r a t i o n o f Indians a n d d r a w n by t h e prospects of major economic benefits, Arkansas settlers prevailed o n Congress f o r p r o t e c t i o n , and in 1838 t h e army began b u i l d i n g a n e w Fort Smith near t h e ruins o f t h e first. Irregular congressional a p p r o p r i a t i o n s , however, halt- COURTROOM: FORT SMITH NHS; PARKER LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Judge Isaac C. Parker (inset above), about 1875, and his restored courtroom. During his years as judge of the Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas, Parker was a tireless, incorruptible defender of justice and a strong supporter of Indian rights. He had no illusions that he could obstruct the advance of non-Indian civilizations, nor did he want to, but he was determined that whatever fate lay in store for the Indians, they would not be set upon by ruffians operating outside the law. "People have said that I am a cruel, heartless, and bloodthirsty man," he once told a reporter, " b u t . . . I have ever had the single aim of justice in view. . . . Do equal and exact justice has been my motto." t h e n U n i o n t r o o p s . In September 1865 t h e f o r t hosted a Grand Council of Indians at w h i c h U.S. G o v e r n m e n t representatives laid d o w n t h e n e w rules t h a t f o r m e d t h e basis f o r t h e Indian treaties of 1866 t h a t t o o k away almost one-half of all lands o w n e d by t h e Indian tribes prior t o t h e Civil War. By 1871 t h e Indian f r o n t i e r had m o v e d so f a r beyond t h e Arkansas state b o u n d a r y t h a t Fort Smith could no longer serve efficiently as a supply d e p o t . The army m o v e d o u t . A year later t h e Federal Court f o r t h e Western District o f Arkansas m o v e d i n . The court had criminal jurisdiction over t h e Indian Territory as well as western Arkansas, and it was f r o m the Indian Territory that most of its cases came. In t h e early 1870s no system o f law existed f o r non-Indians in t h e Indian Territory. Indians w e r e subject t o t h e i r o w n t r i b a l courts, b u t these had no jurisdiction over anyone else. As a result, many o f t h e most desperate criminals in t h e United States sought and f o u n d sanctuary there f r o m arrest and extradition. The court, supported by U.S. deputy marshals, was the only buffer between this lawless element and the Territory's peacef u l citizens. The m a n w h o presided over this c o u r t f r o m 1875-1896 was Judge Isaac C. Parker, w h o possessed a sound legal b a c k g r o u n d , t o t a l honesty and d e d i c a t i o n t o t h e j o b , and a sense of fair play t o w a r d t h e Indians. W i t h t h e help of b o t h dedicated l a w m e n and citizens, Parker began t o b r i n g order t o t h e Indian Territory. Gradually, however, as the n o n Indian p o p u l a t i o n increased and t h e Indian judicial system was abolished by Congress, n e w courts w e r e established in t h e Indian Territory t o handle t h e a d d i t i o n a l w o r k l o a d of civil and criminal cases. Each n e w court w h i t t l e d away portions o f Judge Parker's jurisdiction u n t i l , in September 1896, Congress r e m o v e d his court's t e r r i t o r i a l a u t h o r i t y completely. Ten weeks later t h e ailing j u d g e d i e d of Bright's disease. Parker's d o c t o r said his d e a t h was hastened by 21 years o f o v e r w o r k . He was b u r i e d in Fort Smith National Cemetery. A n era had e n d e d . Trail of Tears National Historic Trail In 1987 Congress established this u n i t of t h e National Trails System, c o m m e m o r a t i n g t h e removal of five Eastern tribes and t h e i r forced j o u r n e y t o O k l a h o m a . A river o v e r l o o k and i n t e r i o r exhibits i n t e r p r e t t h e impact o f t h e removal o n t h e Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole. Touring Fort Smith The authorized park area is shown in green on the map. There are, however, a number of private property holdings within the authorized park area and these should be respected. If in doubt, check with a park ranger. First Fort Smith r u i n Fort Smith National Historic Site is located in downtown Fort Smith. It can be reached from Garrison or Rogers avenues by turning south on 4th Street (see map). The visitor center is in the Barracks-Courthouse-Jail complex. It is open daily, except December 25 and January 1. Group tours are available by reservation. The principal features of the fort are identified on the map and discussed below. First Fort Smith The small stockaded fort established here in 1817 was only 132 feet on each side, with blockhouses at alternate corners, "together with a hospital for the sick, a Store house for the public, a Provision house . . .," and "a hut" for the commanding officer. It was a lonely and isolated station. The garrison never numbered more than 130 men. After the Army abandoned the fort in 1824 it continued to be used intermittently by transient troops. It was never maintained, however, and soon lay in ruins. Its exact location remained unknown until 1963, when archeologists uncovered the foundations you see here today. Second Fort Smith The fort was established for political and economic reasons shortly after Arkansas became a state. Major buildings included two officer's quarters, a barracks, a commissary, and a quartermaster storehouse, all enclosed by a stone wall. The wall was removed in 1897. An outline of stones placed at ground level marks its original location. Locations of other second fort buildings are designated by wayside panels and marked floor plans. Commissary Storehouse The second fort commissary is the oldest building in the city of Fort Smith. Originally constructed in 1838 as a bastion, it was soon converted into a supply warehouse. Food supplies were stored here and later transported to troops stationed farther west. Transcontinental railroad survey parties, '49ers headed for California's goldfields, and soldiers fighting in the U.S.-Mexican War drew rations from this building. It was later modified for use as a barracks and hospital, then converted into a residence for court officials and Judge Parker's chambers. During much of the 20th century it housed a city museum. Flagpole Barracks-Courthouse-Jail Barracks-Courthouse-Jail The first barracks on this site was completed in 1846 and burned three years later. It was rebuilt and remained in use until the Army left Fort Smith in 1871. In 1872 the Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas moved into the building, using one room as a courtroom and other rooms as offices for the clerk, U.S. marshal, and U.S. commissioner. The basement became a primitive jail. In this building, Judge Parker presided over court cases from 1875 to 1889. (In 1890 the court moved three blocks down the street to a new courthouse.) Public clamor over conditions in the jail, which those confined there called "Hell on the Border," led in 1887 to the construction of a new jail with more modern cell arrangements. This building continued to serve as a federal jail until 1917. The courthouse, which originally was a 1/5-story structure with full porches on two sides, was changed to its present appearance in 1890. Gallows This reproduction of the 1886 gallows is a reminder of the chaotic social conditions that existed in the Indian Territory during Judge Parker's time. From 1875-1896 Judge Parker heard more than 13,000 cases, of which more than 12,000 were criminal in nature. Of these, 344 involved the capital offenses of rape and murder, for which United States law demanded the death penalty upon conviction, and 160 were sentenced to hang. Only 79 were hanged, but these were cited as proof of Parker's severity by his critics. Few critics, however, took notice of the tremendous case load of the court or of the savage nature of the crimes committed. The original gallows was designed to hang as many as six condemned criminals at a time. It stood by the wall surrounding the fort about 150 yards south of the courtroom. The third and largest of the federal court's gallows was constructed on this site in 1886. It stood until 1897 when, with the passing of the court's jurisdiction over the Indian Territory, it was taken down and burned. Initial Point Marker (Reconstruction) A small stone monument was set here in 1858 to commemorate the 1825 establishment of the boundary between Arkansas Territory and the lands of the Choctaw Nation. For some 65 years after the boundary was established only Gallows ALL PHOTOS FORT SMITH NHS Indians were allowed to settle west of this line. The original stone marker is on display in the visitor center. Second Fort Smith Flagpole Standing 100 feet high and flying a 36- by 20foot garrison flag, the second Fort Smith flagpole dominated the skyline. This historically accurate reconstruction flies a 37-star flag, of the type that would have flown over the fort from 1867-71. For Your Safety Fort Smith National Historic Site is located in a downtown area, and there is much traffic on the streets around the park. Please be careful when walking or crossing these streets. When going to the Belle Point area, please use the pedestrian walkway and watch for trains when crossing the railroad tracks. Both the Poteau and Arkansas rivers are unsafe for swimming or water sports. Also, due to the nearness of the rivers, poisonous snakes have been seen in the tall grass surrounding the historic site. Caution your family accordingly. Restoration or archeological work may be in progress. Please use extreme caution in these areas, especially with children. Dogs, cats, and other pets are permitted within the site, but they must be on leashes or otherwise physically restrained. For More Information Fort Smith National Historic Site Box 1406 Fort Smith, AR 72902 479-783-3961 www.nps.gov/fosm Fort Smith National Historic Site is one of more than 380 parks in the National Park System. The National Park Service cares for these special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. To learn more about national parks and National Park Service programs in America's communities visit www.nps.gov. AGPCP2011— 365-615/80723 Reprint 2006 Printed on recycled paper.