Fort Smith in Sebastian County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)
Abandoned and Forgotten
Fort Smith National Historic Site
— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 18, 2015
1. Abandoned and Forgotten Marker
Imagine spending 5 years building a home only to abandon it. That is exactly what the first Fort Smith soldiers did. They quarried rock and shaped logs to build the fort by hand. Shortly after completing it in 1824, they were reassigned to repeat the process again at Fort Gibson (OK).After the soldiers abandoned the fort, it was eventually lost to time where it would remain for over 120 years until its discovery by archeologists in 1958. Based on the original stone foundation and Army plans, this is what the fort may have looked like.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Forts and Castles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1824.
Location. 35° 23.253′ N, 94° 25.94′ W. Marker is in Fort Smith, Arkansas, in Sebastian County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Parker Avenue and South 3rd Street. Marker is located on the Fort Smith National Historic Site grounds, overlooking Belle Point on the west side of the fort. Touch for map
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Establishing Fort Smith (a few steps from this marker); Who Served Here? (a few steps from this marker); Major Long Surveys the Western Frontier (a few steps from this marker); Request Denied (within shouting distance of this marker); Osage Nation (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Whiskey War (about 300 feet away); Cherokee Nation (about 300 feet away); Chickasaw Nation (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Smith.
Also see . . . First Fort Smith (1817-1824). The need to establish peace between the Osage and Cherokee led to the establishment of Fort Smith on the confluence of the Arkansas and Poteau Rivers. (Submitted on October 1, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 18, 2015
2. Abandoned and Forgotten Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 1, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 29, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 173 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 1, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
