Fort Smith is a city of convergence. Its
history began with a fort built in 1817 at Belle Point, where the
Poteau and Arkansas rivers join. During the Civil War, soldiers
of the North met those of the South here with devastating results.
Later, federal marshals rode out of the town -- and out of the United
States -- and into Indian Territory; and the outlaws they apprehended
collided with "Hangin' Judge" Isaac Parker.
Today, Fort Smith fittingly bills itself as
the place "where the New South meets the Old West." From
its military beginnings on the western edge of U.S. territory, the
city has grown into a meetinghouse for the past, present and future
with its well-preserved frontier spirit, its establishment of contemporary
arts and entertainment venues, and its thriving community that is
building for the future.
Located on the Arkansas-Oklahoma border
and near the junction of Interstates 40 and 540, the city is easily
accessible to travelers, vacationers, business groups and tour coaches.
Arkansas's second-largest city, Fort Smith has 34 motels and hotels,
as well as bed and breakfast inns that cater to every budget and
lifestyle.