As a one-time frontier military outpost, Fort Smith, AR is blessed with a fascinating history of army operations and skirmishes, legendary lawmen, cunning outlaws, train robberies, frontier trade, and all the heady excitement of those wild western days. As you explore the town’s tourist attractions, you can gain a glimpse of the city’s thrilling origins. With this in mind, here are four must-see sites in and around Fort Smith.
Fort Smith Museum of History
This extremely thorough and well-maintained museum can provide a terrific overview of the town’s history. The museum itself is something of a historical relic as it’s been accepting visitors for over 100 years.
Today, you’ll find a collection of over 50,000 artifacts here, all well-preserved and presented to clearly demonstrate the region’s economic, cultural, and political development over the years. There are also knowledgeable curators and guides to share stories and show you around. You’ll find the museum at 320 Rogers Avenue.
Fort Smith National Historic Site
This next very impressive museum lies inside the old fort. The riverside grounds outside the museum building are beautiful and well-kept, perfect for exploring and enjoying a picnic. You can stroll between wagons, canons, gallows, and more while you imagine being back in those wild frontier days when the fort and town first came to be in 1817 and the subsequent decades.
Inside the museum are many antiquated photos and tales of the era. You can learn all about the many famous soldiers, sheriffs, Native Indians, and outlaws who made their mark in the history books. Visit Fort Smith National Historic Site at 320 Rogers Avenue.
Miss Laura’s Visitor Center
To discover a rather different part of the town’s history, visit this perfectly restored bordello from the town’s earliest days. Walking through the vividly colorful, elegant, and also ostentatious interior of this one-time house of ill fame is a very memorable experience.
Once again, there are curators on hand to share intriguing tales. Miss Laura’s is so well-valued that it’s earned itself a place on the National Register of Historic Places. You’ll find it at 2 North B Street.
Fort Smith, AR Trolley Museum
If you love trains and feel like riding a genuine 1927 heritage streetcar for a one-kilometer journey, be sure to visit this excellent trolley and train museum at 100 South 4th Street. The museum itself has a variety of trains, including a magnificent steam locomotive.
The curators and guides are passionate about what they do. There’s even a performance with a pretend train robbery, which children visitors love. Drive to the museum in your brand new 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD LT and park nearby to enjoy a completely different kind of ride: on an ancient train! With the Silverado’s powerful air conditioning system, you needn’t worry about your car getting too hot in the sweltering Arizona sun.
Once you’ve experienced a little of our town’s eventful history at one of these fine attractions, visit Orr Chevrolet of Fort Smith. Our goal is to take the stress and hassle entirely out of the car-buying experience for our customers.
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