Fort Smith National Historic Site

The building in front of you is very much as it appeared in the 1890s. First used as a military barracks, it was later converted for use as a courthouse and jail. Over time its appearance changed to accommodate the different needs of the people using it. Between 1851 and 1887, the structure was 1 ½ stories with large porches. The second story of the courthouse was added in 1891 for use as a hospital for the prisoners, and the long porches were removed and replaced with shorter ones.

Historical accounts note that the second Fort Smith (1838-1871) had three water wells. The only one that has been located is under the circular patch of grass in front of you. Sheltered by the small gazebo visible in the photo, this well supplied water throughout much of the buildings history. After 1870, the well was replaced by other water sources such as cisterns and water pumped from the river.
Look at the historic photographs and compare them to the building you see today. Notice clues of its former appearance by examining bricked in windows, remnants of porch foundations, changing roof lines, and brick color variations.

Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.

Show me all markers in:  Fort Smith, AR  |  Sebastian County  |  72901  |  Arkansas  |  United States of America

Barracks, Courthouse, Jail
Meeting of Nations
Old Federal Building
Confederates Occupy The Fort
Welcome to Fort Smith
The Flagstaff
Officer's Garden
The Women's Jail, 1872-1888
Union Occupation of Fort Smith
The Guardhouse, 1849-1871

• GPX
• KML
• LOC

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.