Fort Smith in Sebastian County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

Barracks, Courthouse, Jail

Fort Smith National Historic Site

— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —

Barracks, Courthouse, Jail Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, July 13, 2012

1. Barracks, Courthouse, Jail Marker

Inscription.
The building in front of you is very much as it appeared in the 1890s. First built as a military barracks, it was later converted for use as a courthouse and jail. Over time its appearance changed to accommodate different needs of the people using it.

Compare these photographs to the building you see today. Notice clues of its former appearance by examining bricked-in-windows, remnants of porch foundations, changing rooflines, and brick color variations.

Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Government & Politics.

Location. 35° 23.293′ N, 94° 25.763′ W. Marker is in Fort Smith, Arkansas, in Sebastian County. It is on Parker Avenue, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 301 Parker Avenue, Fort Smith AR 72901, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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

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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: Clues from the Past (a few steps from this marker); Second Fort Smith Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to Fort Smith (within shouting distance of this marker); Meeting of Nations (within shouting distance of this marker); Old Federal Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Confederates Occupy The Fort (within shouting distance of this marker); Confederate Occupation of Fort Smith / Union Occupation of Fort Smith (within shouting distance of this marker); The Flagstaff (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. Barracks, Courthouse, Jail Marker

Photographed by Denise Boose, July 13, 2012

3. Barracks, Courthouse, Jail Marker

Photographed by Denise Boose, July 13, 2012

4. Barracks, Courthouse, Jail Marker

Under the circular patch of grass before you is the site of a well. Sheltered by a small gazebo, this well supplied water until the courthouse and the new jail were added to the city water system in the late 1880s.

Photographed by Denise Boose, July 13, 2012

5. Barracks, Courthouse, Jail Marker

Compare these photographs to the building you see today. Notice clues of its former appearance by examining bricked-in-windows, remnants of porch foundations, changing rooflines, and brick color variations.

Barracks, Courthouse, Jail image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, July 13, 2012

6. Barracks, Courthouse, Jail

Credits. This page was last revised on June 12, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2012, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. This page has been viewed 835 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on September 2, 2012, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.