Fort Smith in Sebastian County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)
Meeting of Nations
Fort Smith National Historic Site
| | National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior | |
1. Meeting of Nations Marker
The Fort Smith Council was held in this building in September 1865. To establish relations following the Civil War, delegates of twelve Indian nations met with President Andrew Johnsons representatives. Bitterly divided, Indians had fought for both sides in the war, but the United States now treated them all as defeated enemies. Tribes were told their rights had been forfeited, their slaves must be freed, and their property could be confiscated.
The Council ended with little resolved. Not expecting to sign treaties, and concerned that tribal sovereignty was at stake, the Indians simply pledged allegiance to the United States. A year later in Washington, D.C., tribes signed separate treaties with the federal government.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #17 Andrew Johnson series list. A significant historical month for this entry is September 1865.
Location. 35° 23.305′ N, 94° 25.789′ W. Marker is in Fort Smith, Arkansas, in Sebastian County. It is on Park Avenue, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 301 Parker Ave, Fort Smith AR 72901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
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Regionally, this marker is in the Arkansas River Valley, in the Cherokee Heritage Region, and in Osage Territory. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Old Federal Building (a few steps from this marker); Confederates Occupy The Fort (within shouting distance of this marker); Clues from the Past (within shouting distance of this marker); Barracks, Courthouse, Jail (within shouting distance of this marker); Officers Garden (within shouting distance of this marker); The Flagstaff (within shouting distance of this marker); The Bastion That Never Was (within shouting distance of this marker); The Officers Quarters (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Smith.
Photographed by Denise Boose, July 13, 2012
2. Meeting of Nations Marker
Photographed by Denise Boose, July 13, 2012
3. Meeting of Nations Marker
Photographed by Denise Boose, July 13, 2012
4. Meeting of Nations Marker
Photographed by Denise Boose, July 13, 2012
5. General Albert Pike
Confederate General Albert Pike recruited tribal nations to fight for the South in the Civil War. Whether to fight for South or North caused deep rifts affecting tribes for years to come.
Photographed by Denise Boose, July 13, 2012
6. Chief Allen Wright
At the Fort Smith Council, Choctaw Chief Allen Wright suggested the term “Oklahoma.” Combining two Choctaw words to mean “land of the red man,” it was this Councils most lasting result.
Photographed by Denise Boose, July 13, 2012
7. Nations represented in this 2006 painting:
Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Comanche, Muskogee (Creek),Osage, Quapaw, Seminole, Seneca, Shawnee, Wichita, Wyandotte, and United States.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2012, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. This page has been viewed 934 times since then and 28 times this year. It was the Marker of the Week November 2, 2025. Photos: 1. submitted on October 3, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on September 2, 2012, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
