Fort Smith is the second-largest city in
ArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and one of the two
county seatA county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
s of
Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the
Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Fort Smith Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is a five-county area including three Arkansas counties and two Oklahoma counties, and anchored by the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas...
, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas counties of
Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian, and the Oklahoma counties
Le FloreLe Flore County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 48,109. Its county seat is Poteau. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma is the federal...
and
SequoyahSequoyah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 38,972. Its county seat is Sallisaw.-History:...
.
Fort Smith has a sister city relationship with Cisterna, Italy, site of the World War II
Battle of CisternaThe Battle of Cisterna took place during World War II, on 30 January-2 February 1944, near Cisterna, Italy, as part of the battle of Anzio that followed Operation Shingle. The battle was a clear German victory which also had repercussions on the employment of U.S...
fought by the
United States Army RangersUnited States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
commanded by Fort Smith native William O. Darby.
Fort Smith lies on the Arkansas-Oklahoma state border, situated at the junction of the
ArkansasThe Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
and
Poteau RiverThe Poteau River is a river in the U.S. states of Arkansas and Oklahoma and is the only river in Oklahoma that flows north. Poteau is the French word for "post" and it is believed the river was named because French explorers used a post or stake to mark the mouth of the river. The city of Poteau,...
s, also known as Belle Point. The city began as a western frontier military post in 1817 and would later become well known for its role in the settling of the
"Wild West"The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
and its law enforcement heritage.
In 2007, Fort Smith was selected by the
United States Department of the InteriorThe United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
to be the location of the new
United States Marshals ServiceThe United States Marshals Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice . The office of U.S. Marshal is the oldest federal law enforcement office in the United States; it was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789...
National Museum.
Fort Smith has seen a national surge in popularity due to the recent success of the Oscar nominated film
True GritTrue Grit is a 2010 American Western film written and directed by the Coen brothers. It is the second adaptation of Charles Portis' 1968 novel of the same name, which was previously filmed in 1969 starring John Wayne. This version stars Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross and Jeff Bridges as U.S....
, a 2010
WesternThe Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
film directed by
Joel and Ethan CoenJoel David Coen and Ethan Jesse Coen known together professionally as the Coen brothers, are American filmmakers...
and starring
Jeff BridgesJeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
, which is set in and around historic Fort Smith in the 1870s.
In November 2010, former businessman Sandy Sanders was elected mayor.
History
The site of Fort Smith became part of the United States in the
Louisiana PurchaseThe Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
(1803). Soon after, the
Pike ExpeditionThe Pike Expedition was a military effort authorized by the United States government to explore the south and west of the recent Louisiana Purchase. Roughly contemporaneous with the Lewis and Clark Expedition, it was led by United States Army Captain Zebulon Pike, Jr...
(1806) explored the
Arkansas RiverThe Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
. Fort Smith was founded in 1817 as a military post, but the Army abandoned the first Fort Smith in 1824 and moved 80 miles further west to Fort Gibson. Army sutler and land speculator John Rogers (who some genealogists claim to be an ancestor to 20th-century Oklahoma comedian
Will RogersWilliam "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
) bought up former government-owned lands and promoted growth of the new civilian town of Fort Smith, eventually influencing the federal government to re-establish a strong military presence at Fort Smith during the era of Indian Removal and the Mexican War.
Fort Smith's name comes from General Thomas Adams Smith (1781–1844), who commanded the United States Army Rifle Regiment in 1817, headquartered near St. Louis. General Smith had ordered Army topographical engineer Stephen H. Long (1784–1864) to find a suitable site on the
Arkansas RiverThe Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
for a fort. General Smith never visited the town or forts that bore his name.
In 1838 the Army moved back into the old military post near Belle Point, and expanded the base as part of the federal policy of removing
CherokeeThe Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
s and
ChoctawThe Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
s from their ancestral homelands in the Southeast and resettling the survivors in the nearby Indian Territory. Many displaced Native Americans settled down in Fort Smith and Van Buren, while Sebastian county was formed in 1851, separated from Crawford County north of the Arkansas River. In 1858, Fort Smith became a Division Center of the
Butterfield Overland MailThe Butterfield Overland Mail Trail was a stagecoach route in the United States, operating from 1857 to 1861. It was a conduit for the U.S. mail from two eastern termini, Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri, meeting Fort Smith, Arkansas, and continuing through Indian Territory, New Mexico,...
's
7th Division route across Indian TerritoryThe Butterfield Overland Mail in Indian Territory was part of the overall Butterfield Overland Mail service created by Congress March 3, 1857. The route crossed Indian Territory from Colbert's Ferry to Fort Smith, Arkansas which was the Center for the Overland Mail's' 7th Division...
from Fort Smith to
TexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and a junction with the mail route from
Memphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
The fort was occupied by the
Confederate ArmyThe Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
during the early years of the U.S. Civil War. Union troops under General Steele took control of Fort Smith on
September 1, 1863The Battle of Devil's Backbone was a land battle of the American Civil War on September 1, 1863 in Sebastian County, Arkansas....
, and maintained command in the area until the war ended in 1865. The town became a haven for runaway slaves, orphans, Southern Unionists, and other victims of the ferocious guerrilla warfare then raging in the Border States. Federal troops abandoned the post of Fort Smith for the last time in 1871. The town continued to thrive despite the absence of federal troops.
Two of Fort Smith's most notable historic figures were Judge Isaac Parker and William Henry Harrison Clayton. In 1874, William Henry Harrison Clayton was appointed United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas by President
Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
. Fort Smith was a bustling community full of brothels, saloons and outlaws, just across the river from Indian Territory. William Clayton realized a strong judge would be necessary to bring law and order to the region. He knew of a strong judge in Isaac Parker. But there was a problem. Judge Parker had been appointed Chief Justice of
Utah TerritoryThe Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
and confirmed by the US Senate. With the help of President Grant and US Senator Powell Clayton, former governor of Arkansas, William Clayton was able to undo that appointment and redirect Judge Parker to Fort Smith.
Judge Isaac Parker served as US District Judge from 1875-1896. He was nicknamed the "Hanging Judge" because in his first term after assuming his post he tried eighteen people for murder, convicted fifteen of them, sentenced eight of those to die, and hanged six of them on one day. Over the course of his career in Fort Smith, Parker sentenced 160 people to hang. Of those, 79 actually were executed on the gallows. Judge Parker represented the only real law in the rough-and-tumble frontier border town. His courthouse is now a
National Historic SiteFort Smith National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located primarily in Fort Smith, Arkansas along the Arkansas River, and also along the opposite bank of the river near Moffett, Oklahoma....
where "More men were put to death by the U.S. Government... than in any other place in American history."
William Clayton was appointed US Attorney by four different presidents and later served as Chief Justice of Indian Territory. He was instrumental in achieving statehood for Oklahoma and together with Territorial Governor
Frank FrantzFrank Frantz was an American Rough Rider and politician who served as the seventh and final Governor of Oklahoma Territory. Frantz ran on the Republican ticket to serve as the first Governor of Oklahoma. Frantz lost the election to Democrat Charles N. Haskell.-Early life:On May 7, 1872, Frank...
, carried the Oklahoma Constitution to President Teddy Roosevelt after that state was admitted in 1907. Governor Frantz and Judge Clayton both lost their territorial positions when Oklahoma was admitted to the Union. Fort Smith foresaw an economic boom in World War I and the 1920s when the US Armed Forces established the
Fort ChaffeeFort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center is in the northwest Arkansas region adjacent to the city of Fort Smith, located one mile southeast of Fort Smith Regional Airport. The Arkansas River flows eastward along the northern border of the post. Interstate 40 is five miles to the north on the...
Military Reservation east of the city.
Geography
Fort Smith is located at 35°22′7"N 94°23′55"W (35.368691, -94.398737).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 64.6 square miles (167.3 km²), of which, 61.7 square miles (159.8 km²) of it is land and 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²) of it (6.3%) is water.
Climate
Fort Smith has generally mild winters and hot, humid summers. Winter daytime highs average near 50 degrees while summer highs often top 90 degrees. Fort Smith is situated near an area known as
Tornado AlleyTornado Alley is a colloquial and popular media term that most often refers to the area of the United States where tornadoes are most frequent. Although an official location is not defined, the area between the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian Mountains is usually associated with it.The areas...
in the central United States. The city has been struck by three major tornadoes which occurred in the years of 1898, 1927 and 1996.
Economic base
Fort Smith has long been a regional manufacturing center, with major plants located in the city operated by Whirlpool Corporation, Rheem, Trane, Georgia-Pacific, Gerber, Planters Peanuts and others.
Fort Smith is home to several corporations including Baldor Electric Company, a member of the ABB Group, Arkansas Best Corporation, Golden Living (Formerly Beverly Enterprises, Inc.) (one of the largest nursing home health care providers in the nation) and poultry company OK Foods.
Transportation
Fort Smith is a major transportation hub for the surrounding region. It sits at the crossroads of two major interstate highways, is surrounded on three sides by the Arkansas River, is served by 1 major and 2 regional/switching railroad companies, and is the home of a regional airport.
Road
The city sits just southwest of the intersection of
Interstate 40Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
and future
Interstate 49Interstate 49 is currently an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the state of Louisiana in the southern United States. Its southern terminus is in Lafayette, Louisiana, at Interstate 10 while its northern terminus is in Shreveport, Louisiana, at Interstate 20.-Route...
when it extends southward to meet
Interstate 30Interstate 30 is an Interstate Highway in the southern United States. I-30 runs from Interstate 20 west of Fort Worth, Texas, northeast via Dallas, Texas, and Texarkana, Texas, to Interstate 40 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The route parallels U.S. Route 67 except for the portion west of...
in
Texarkana, TexasTexarkana is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States. It effectively functions as one half of a city which crosses a state line — the other half, the city of Texarkana, Arkansas, lies on the other side of State Line Avenue...
. US 71 and US 64 also run through the community.
Air
Fort Smith is served by the
Fort Smith Regional AirportFort Smith Regional Airport is a joint civil-military public commercial service airport located three miles southeast of the central business district of Fort Smith, a city in Sebastian County, Arkansas, USA. FSM is governed by the Fort Smith Airport Commission as established by the City of...
(FSM), which is used for military aviation for
Fort ChaffeeFort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center is in the northwest Arkansas region adjacent to the city of Fort Smith, located one mile southeast of Fort Smith Regional Airport. The Arkansas River flows eastward along the northern border of the post. Interstate 40 is five miles to the north on the...
and home of the 188th Fighter Wing of the
Arkansas Air National GuardThe Arkansas Air National Guard is the air force militia of the US state of Arkansas. It is, along with the Arkansas Army National Guard, an element of the Arkansas National Guard.-Units:* 188th Fighter Wing: The 188th Fighter Wing is located in Ft...
, but is also served by two commercial airlines with flights to Dallas/Fort Worth and
MemphisMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
Bus
Jefferson LinesJefferson Lines is a regional intercity bus company operating in United States. The company's name originates in the Jefferson Highway, a north-south route in the early National Auto Trail system which once ran from Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada, south to New Orleans, Louisiana. The service to...
bus service also links Fort Smith to other communities such as Little Rock, Kansas City, and
Oklahoma CityOklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, as well as intermediate points, with numerous connections to other cities and towns.
River
The city is located on the Arkansas River, part of the McClellan-Kerr Navigation System and is served by the Port of Fort Smith.
Rail
Fort Smith is served by the Kansas City Southern Railway from a branch connection on the mainline at Poteau, Ok and affords connections to other railroads at Kansas City, MO and at New Orleans, LA. In addition, the regional railroad company, the Arkansas and Missouri Railway directly serves Fort Smith and provides connections through the St. Louis, MO and Memphis gateways to the east. The Fort Smith Railroad provides local switching service to a variety of businesses as well as providing haulage for the Union Pacific Railway with which it connects at Van Buren, AR.
At this time, there is no direct passenger service from Amtrak. The closest point for such service is Little Rock, AR.
Public transport
WIthin the city, public bus service is provided by the
Fort Smith TransitFort Smith Transit is the primary provider of mass transportation in Sebastian County, Arkansas. Five routes are operated Monday through Saturday, with all bus routes converging on the Downtown Transfer Station and departing at the top of the hour. The regular fixed route fare is $1.00, transfers...
(FST). As of October 2010 FST operates 5 fixed routes, as well as paratransit service for disabled persons and Demand Buses.
A trolley bus operates in the downtown area, providing transportation between the Belle Grove Historic District and the Fort Smith National Historic Site.
Demographics
As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 86,209 people, 34,352 households, and 21,367 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,391.2 people per square mile (537.2/km²). There were 37,899 housing units at an average density of 612.3 per square mile (236.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.3%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 9.0%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.8%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 5.3%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.1%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 10.3% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.2% from two or more races. 16.5% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
In language, Fort Smith has over 10 Asian languages with over 2 percent and the rise of Hispanics from immigration in the late 20th century increased the total of residents who speak Spanish. 7.10% reported speaking
SpanishSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
at home, while 3.38% speak
VietnameseVietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
and
LaoLao or Laotian is a tonal language of the Tai–Kadai language family. It is the official language of Laos, and also spoken in the northeast of Thailand, where it is usually referred to as the Isan language. Being the primary language of the Lao people, Lao is also an important second language for...
, and 2.50% speak
TagalogTagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
.
In 2000 there were 32,398 households, of which 30.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,157, and the median income for a family was $41,012. Males had a median income of $29,799 versus $22,276 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $18,994. About 12.1% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The city has one major university that is part of the University of Arkansas System. The
University of Arkansas at Fort SmithThe University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, known also as UAFS, is a public, co-educational, four-year university. It is one of 11 campuses that make up the University of Arkansas System and is located in Fort Smith, Arkansas...
was founded in 1928 as an extension of the Fort Smith Public School system, with the superintendent, James William Ramsey, acting as the college president and the high school principal as dean. Known originally as Fort Smith
Junior CollegeA community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
, the institution operated within the Fort Smith public school system until 1950, when the school was incorporated as a private, nonprofit institution with its own governing board. In September 1952, the College moved from borrowed facilities in the high school to its current site, initially occupying 15 acre (6.07 ha).
During the private college era, enrollment increased, as did course offerings, the number of faculty, and facilities. A vocational-technical division was added in 1960. During this period, the college began developing the programs and character of a comprehensive community college — a new concept in Arkansas and across the nation.
In the fall of 1965, the Sebastian County electorate approved the creation of the Sebastian County Community Junior College District, along with a tax levy on the real and personal property of the county. The governor appointed a Board of Trustees, and the school again became a public institution.
In 1966, the institution’s name was changed from Fort Smith Junior College to Westark Junior College, and in 1972, to Westark Community College, indicating the larger area to be served and reflecting the more comprehensive mission.
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, the college developed and made changes within the context of its mission as a two-year institution. A significant development in 1989 was the establishment of a University Center. Five state universities partnered with the institution to offer six bachelor’s and seven master’s degree programs on campus. Between 1989 and 2002, 1,788 students graduated with bachelor’s degrees through the University Center.
In 1997, the Arkansas Legislature passed an act granting Westark the authority to offer in its own right up to nine applied bachelor’s degrees, developed in response to identified needs of the industries in the area served.
The name of the college was changed yet again in February 1998 to Westark College, more accurately portraying the role and scope of the institution.
On December 15, 2000, the Board of Trustees of Westark College entered into an agreement with the Board of Trustees of the
University of ArkansasThe University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
to merge with the
University of Arkansas SystemThe University of Arkansas System comprises six main campuses within the state of Arkansas; a medical school; two law schools; a unique graduate school focused on public service; statewide research, service and educational units for agriculture, criminal justice and archeology; and several...
as a four-year institution. In 2001, the Sebastian County electorate voted to support the merger. A formal request to change affiliation status to that of a bachelor’s degree-granting institution under the name of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith was submitted to the Higher Learning Commission in August 2001 and approved by the Institutional Actions Council on November 19, 2001.
The merger, which became official on January 1, 2002, endorsed the concept of UA Fort Smith as a unique university, one that offers applied and traditional baccalaureate degree programs, one- and two-year associate and technical programs, and noncredit business and industry training programs. While the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith is the city's only state supported institution of higher learning
Webster UniversityWebster University is an American non-profit private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Webster University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools...
and
John Brown UniversityThe main campus in Northwest Arkansas has been the site of the university since it was founded in 1919. JBU has 2,183 students as of the 2011-2012 school year, 1,279 of which are traditional undergraduates. Of these, 878 live on campus. The Graduate School has 468 students...
each have a
satellite campusA satellite campus or branch campus is a campus of a college or university that is physically detached from the main university or college area, and is often smaller than the main campus of an institution....
located in the city.
The public schools in Fort Smith and Barling are operated by the Fort Smith Special School District. Currently, the district includes 26 schools. As of the 2009-2010 school year, the district has enrollment of more than 14,010. It has 2 high schools, 4 junior high schools, 19 elementary schools, and 1 alternative learning center. Fort Smith public schools provide education from kindergarten through the 12th grade, as do some private Protestant schools.
CatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
parochial schools offer education through the ninth grade.
Jr. high schools in Fort Smith include:
Public:
Private:
High schools in Fort Smith include:
Public:
- Northside High School
Northside High School is one of two public high schools in the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas . Within the state, the school is commonly known as Fort Smith Northside.-History:On November 19, 1928, Fort Smith High School moved into a new building on 23rd and B Street in Fort Smith, Arkansas...
- Southside High School
Southside High School is one of two public high schools in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the other being Northside High School.The school was opened in 1963 and has had over 15,000 graduates. Since 1966, the school has been accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School...
Private:
Recreation and Sports
In addition to sports teams sponsored by the schools and UA Fort Smith, Fort Smith has several independent recreational sports programs administered by local organizations. These include:
- River Valley Roller Girls, local roller derby league, est. 2006.
- The River Valley Gaelic Athletic Association, formed in 2009, is recruiting athletes who wish to learn to play Gaelic Football and hopes to expand to Hurling if enough interest is generated.
- Fort Smith Express Soccer, offers clinic, recreational and travel leagues.
- Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club, offers recreational leagues in Football, Soccer, Baseball, Basketball and Cheerleading. Has four Clubs located throughout the city, including: Jeffrey, Evans, Goldtrap-Gardner, Stephens.
- Fort Smith Church League Baseball, administers a faith based baseball league made up of teams representing individual churches and houses of worship from the surrounding area.
- Fort Smith Juniors Volleyball, offers girls volleyball.
- Western Arkansas Runners, a club devoted to distance running.
- Ben Geren Park Softball, has co-ed softball teams for youth and adults.
- The First Tee of Fort Smith
- Western Arkansas Tennis Association
- Fort Smith Tide Riders, Fort Smith's hometown Swim Team
- Arkansas Canoe Club, canoeing and kayaking club
Print
The
Southwest Times RecordThe Southwest Times Record is a daily newspaper in Fort Smith, Arkansas and covers much of western Arkansas, southeastern Oklahoma, and a portion of northeastern Oklahoma...
is the largest newspaper in the city, as well as the region. It is owned by
Stephens Media LLCStephens Media LLC is a Las Vegas, Nevada diversified media holding company that publishes over 11 daily and 64 weekly newspapers in 9 states, primarily in Nevada and Arkansas....
.
The Hispanos Unidos is the city's local Hispanic newspaper. They are the main source for reaching the Spanish community in the Greater Fort Smith Region and Northwest Arkansas as well as being the only Spanish language publication in the region.
In addition to area newspapers, the Fort Smith market is served by a variety of magazines covering diverse interests. The publications include:
Radio
AM radio Stations in the Fort Smith area include:
| Call letters |
Frequency |
Format |
| KFSA KFSA is a radio station broadcasting a Religious radio format. Licensed to Fort Smith, Arkansas, USA, it serves the Fort Smith area. The station is currently owned by Fred H. Baker, Sr....
|
950 |
Christian |
KFPWKFPW is a radio station broadcasting a talk radio format to the Fort Smith, Arkansas, area. The station is licensed to Paris Broadcasting, Inc which is owned by William L. Pharis and Karen A. Pharis....
|
1230 |
Nostalgia |
| KYHN |
1320 |
News Talk |
| KWHN KWHN and KYHN are a pair of radio stations broadcasting a News Talk Information format to the Ft. Smith, Arkansas, USA area. The stations are licensed to Capstar TX Limited Partnership and owned by Clear Channel Communications....
|
1650 |
News Talk |
FM Radio Stations in the Fort Smith area include:
| Call letters |
Frequency |
Format |
| KAOW KAOW broadcasting) is a radio station broadcasting a Southern Gospel format. Licensed to Fort Smith, Arkansas, USA, it serves the Fort Smith area. The station is currently owned by American Family Association....
|
88.9 |
Religious |
| KUAF KUAF is the flagship National Public Radio member station for western Arkansas, United States. The station is owned by the University of Arkansas, with studios on the school's campus in Fayetteville. Its powerful 100,000-watt signal also serves Fort Smith as well. The station airs classical...
|
91.3 |
Public Radio |
KISR
|
93.7 |
Top 40 |
| KFPW KFPW may refer to:* KFPW-FM, a radio station licensed to Barling, Arkansas, United States* KFPW , a radio station licensed to Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States...
|
94.5 |
Hard Rock |
KERXKERX is a adult hits formatted radio station licensed to Paris, Arkansas, serving the Ft. Smith area. KERX is owned and operated by Pearson Broadcasting.-History:...
|
95.3 |
Classic Rock |
| KKBD KKBD is a commercial radio station located in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, broadcasting to the Fort Smith, Arkansas area on 95.9 FM. KKBD airs a classic rock music format branded as "Big Dog 95.9".-External links:*...
|
95.9 |
Classic Rock |
KZBBKZBB is a commercial radio station located in Poteau, Oklahoma, broadcasting to the Ft. Smith, Arkansas, area. KZBB airs a modern adult contemporary music format.-External links:*...
|
97.9 |
Variety |
| KMAG |
99.1 |
Country |
| KTCS KTCS-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Fort Smith, Arkansas, USA, it serves the Ft. Smith area. The station is currently owned by Big Chief Broadcasting Company....
|
99.9 |
Country |
| KLSZ |
100.7 |
Rock |
| KBBQ |
102.7 |
Urban/Hip Hop |
| KHGG KHGG-FM is an all sports radio station in Waldron, Arkansas, broadcasting at 103.1 MHz FM to the Fort Smith market, ranked by Arbitron as the nation's 176th largest market....
|
103.1 |
Sports |
| KQBK KQBK is a radio station broadcasting an Oldies format. Licensed to Booneville, Arkansas, USA, it serves the Ft. Smith, Arkansas, area. The station is currently owned by Pharis Broadcasting, Inc....
|
104.7 |
Oldies |
| KEZA KEZA is a commercial radio station located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, broadcasting to Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Ft. Smith, Arkansas area on 107.9 FM. KEZA airs an adult contemporary music format branded as "Magic 107.9". "Magic 107.9" originated its present format Feb 14, 1989...
|
107.9 |
Adult Contemporary |
Television
Television stations in the Fort Smith area include:
{|Border="1"
!Call letters !! Number !! Network
|-
|
KFSMKFSM-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Arkansas River Valley and Northwest Arkansas that is licensed to Fort Smith. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 18 from a transmitter northwest of Winslow. Owned by Local TV, the station has studios on North 13th...
|| 5 || CBS
|-
|
KFDF-CAKFDF-CA is a Class A low power television station in Fort Smith, Arkansas, broadcasting in analog on VHF channel 10 as an affiliate of This TV. The station is owned by Pinnacle Media, and has an analog translator in Fayetteville, KFFS-CA, on UHF channel 36...
|| 10 ||
This TVThis TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies....
|-
|
KFTAKFTA-TV, virtual channel 24, is the Fox-affiliated television station for the Arkansas River Valley and Northwest Arkansas that is licensed to Fort Smith. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 27 from a transmitter south of Artist Point...
|| 24 ||
FoxFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
|-
|
KHBSKHBS, virtual channel 40 in Fort Smith and KHOG, virtual channel 29 in Fayetteville are the ABC-affiliated television stations for the Fort Smith/Fayetteville, Arkansas television market. The KHBS transmitter is located northwest of Poteau, Oklahoma. The KHOG transmitter is located southeast of...
|| 40 ||
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
|-
|
KPBI-CAKPBI-CA was a Class A low-power television station Fort Smith, Arkansas, broadcasting on channel 46. It is presently silent. The station is owned by Equity Media Holdings and, like many of Equity's stations, KPBI-CA was controlled remotely via satellite from Equity's headquarters in Little Rock,...
|| 46 || My Network TV
|}
Museums
- Fort Smith Regional Art Museum is housed in the Vaughn-Schapp House. Today it houses galleries of fine paintings, sculptures, and permanent and changing exhibits. In 2011 the RAM will move into a new state of the art and larger building thanks Arvest Bank. The new museum will be climate-controlled and equipped to facilitate traveling exhibits and handsomely display the museum's permanent collection.
- Fort Smith Museum of History, almost adjacent to the National Historic Site the museum contains numerous exhibits, displays and artifacts that tell the story of Fort Smith's colorful history - from the first fort in 1817, through the westward expansion, and on to the Civil War, the Gay Nineties, Fort Chaffee, and the emergence of a modern city.
- Fort Smith Trolley Museum is a railroad museum which displays a number of antique trolleys and related items.
- Fort Smith Air Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the development of aviation in Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma.
- National U.S. Marshals Museum: The U.S. Marshals Museum is being designed to provide the richest of visitor experiences. Every facet will support learners of all ages in ways that are engaging, hands-on, fun and inspiring. It will bring together the most current of ideas from museum designers, architects and educators to assure that the total experience is one that will evoke conversation and memories that last for years. While construction of the U.S. Marshals Museum has not begun, educational programming is well underway.
Music
Fort Smith has an active music scene. There are frequent live performances in the downtown area by local and national Jazz, Blues, Country, and Rock bands.
Local bands regularly frequent the riverfront area highlighting the river valley's finest.
- Fort Smith Symphony, the oldest orchestra in the state. The symphony is a per-service professional orchestra composed of musicians from Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Springfield, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Norman, Dallas, Little Rock, New York, Florida and other communities. The Fort Smith Symphony, conducted by John Jeter, regularly performs at the Arkansas Best Performing Arts Center.
- Fort Smith Chorale, founded in 1981 by Bill Cromer for the purpose of providing singers with the opportunity to learn and present Chorale music otherwise not available to them locally.
- Fort Smith Community Brass Band, A British Style Brass Band founded by Michael Cash, which is based in and sponsored by the Salvation Army. The band is composed of students from both high schools and the university.
Dance and theatre
- Western Arkansas Ballet, a regional dance company which regularly presents programs at area schools and the Performing Arts Center. Their major annual event is the presentation of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Ballet
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
.
- The McCafferty School of Irish Dance, offers instruction in the art of Traditional Irish Dance. Dancers from the school have competed at local, regional, national and world championship levels of competition. Dancers from the McCafferty School have also performed professionally in international shows such as Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. Dancers perform at many local celebrations including Oktoberfest, The Saint Patrick's Day Parade, church carnivals and many others. The Fort Smith branch of the school is supported by the Fort Smith Irish Dance Council, a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization founded to provide support and facilities for the dancers. The Council maintains a studio at Chaffee Crossing for the use of the school. The Council hosts the The River Valley Feis, a regional dance competition held at the Fort Smith Convention Center each November. The Feis serves as the Council's primary means of fund raising.
Attractions
As the largest city in western Arkansas, Fort Smith offers many activities and attractions. Fort Smith's theatres and event venues regularly host major concerts and touring theatre companies.
Fort smith is home to Arkansas's oldest health food store, Olde Fashioned Foods.
Event venues
- Riverfront Amphitheater, Located next to the Arkansas River, the Riverfront Amphitheater represents one-third of the River Park Complex.
- Fort Smith Convention Center, is one of the largest convention centers in the region. It has more than 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²) of exhibition space. Many trade shows, conventions, and other events are held here each year. The performing arts theater is home to the Fort Smith Symphony and has seating for 1,331 people.
- Kay Rodgers Park, home to the Expo Center, with 24000 square feet (2,229.7 m²) of meeting and exhibition space, and the Harper Arena. The Harper Arena is a covered open-air stadium that can seat 7,000 to 14,000 attendees for a variety of events.
- Phoenix Expo Center This 80000 square feet (7,432.2 m²) meeting and expo center is largest in the Great Fort Smith Region. What was once one of Arkansas' first malls is now a multi-purpose facility can accommodate virtually any event, including conventions, concerts, trade shows, conferences, sporting events and most any special event.
- Fort Smith Event Center The two room complex includes 17000 square feet (1,579.4 m²) of function space which can accommodate from 100 to 999 people, depending on seating needs.
- River Valley Celebration Center Fort Smith's newest event center, providing building rentals for private functions and public events, located at 1022 Dodson Ave in what was once the UCT Hall. They offer 6000 square feet (557.4 m²) and can accommodate 290 and employ a photographer and DJ.
- Second Street Live This Performing and Visual Arts Center has an intimate 250 seat theater and 1500 square feet (139.4 m²) Art Gallery.
Shopping
Some notable shopping locations in the city of Fort Smith are:
Rogers Avenue
- Central Mall
Central Mall is the largest shopping mall by surface area in the state of Arkansas, located near Interstate 540 in Fort Smith. It opened in 1971 and is anchored by Dillard's, Dillard's Men's Store, J.C. Penney and Sears. The mall is managed by Jones Lang LaSalle.The mall underwent a major...
- Greenpoint Shopping Center
- Massard Crossing
- Stonewall Village
- Williamsburg Square
- Olde Fashioned foods
Phoenix Avenue/Greenwood Ave.
- Fort Smith Pavilion
- Maybrach Square
Fort Smith is the main shopping destination of Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma. Fort Smith has Central Mall, which is the state's largest indoor shopping center in terms of area. Retailers in Fort Smith include
Dillard'sDillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
,
J. C. Penney-External links:*...
,
SearsSears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
,
Wal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
,
TargetTarget Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
,
Best BuyBest Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
, Home Depot, Lowes and
Kohl'sKohl's Corporation is an American department store chain headquartered in the Milwaukee suburb of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, operating , 1,089 stores in 49 states. In 1998, it entered the S&P 500 list, and is also listed in the Fortune 500...
. Additionally, several smaller and niche retailers can be found throughout the city.
Landmarks
- Fort Smith National Historic Site
Fort Smith National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located primarily in Fort Smith, Arkansas along the Arkansas River, and also along the opposite bank of the river near Moffett, Oklahoma....
, the most prominent landmark, which includes the remains of the original 1817 fort on the Arkansas River. Inside is the restored courtroom of the famed "Hangin' Judge" Isaac C. Parker, and the dingy frontier jail aptly named "Hell on the Border." Eventually, this would become the unofficial nickname for all of Fort Smith.
- Belle Grove Historic District, a 22-block area in downtown Fort Smith comprised nearly 25 restored homes that span 130 years of varying architectural styles.
- Miss Laura’s Social Club, a former brothel and the only remaining building from the Row, is home to the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau and the only former house of prostitution on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Fort Chaffee
Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center is in the northwest Arkansas region adjacent to the city of Fort Smith, located one mile southeast of Fort Smith Regional Airport. The Arkansas River flows eastward along the northern border of the post. Interstate 40 is five miles to the north on the...
, primarily used as a training facility by regional National Guard and Reserve Corps units as well as active military units from other installations. In 1958, the entertainer Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
stopped off at Fort Chaffee en route to his basic training in Texas. It was here that the public information officer John J. Mawn told a news conference that Presley would receive the standard "G.I. haircut" and would resemble a "peeled onion".
Annual attractions
- Old Fort Days Rodeo, Fort Smith's annual Old Fort Days Rodeo and Barrel-Racing Futurity offers nearly ten days of Wild West activities. It has been held every May since the mid-1930s and is now rated as one of the top all around rodeos in the country.
- Hanging Judge Border Feud High School Rodeo, the rodeo is held every March or April schedule permitting. This event is held at Kay Rodgers Park, and includes all of your usual rodeo events as well as the spring livestock show. The events are open to any high school students.
- Fort Smith Riverfront Blues Fest, since it began in 1991, the Riverfront Blues Festival has become one of the biggest, hottest and jazziest annual June events in western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma, attracting jazz aficionados from a wide area of the blues-rich south, and "name" blues artists and performers from all over. The two-day event makes for a delightful music-filled weekend in Fort Smith, hearing blues, blues, blues on the banks of the Arkansas River.
- Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair, One of the largest bi-state fairs in the nation, Fort Smith's Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair attracts thousands of fair-goers during its ten-day run in late September. They come to see exhibitor competition in everything from arts and crafts to livestock, and enjoy carnival rides, the midway excitement, nightly big-name grandstand entertainment, and plenty of good food.
- Fort Smith Airshow, Sponsored by the 188th Fighter Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard, the spectacular Fort Smith Airshow occurs bi-annually every other spring or fall.
Medical
Hospitals in Fort Smith include:
- St. Edward Mercy Medical Center
- Sparks Regional Medical Center
- HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital
- Vista Health of Fort Smith
Accolades
- Named by Forbes as having the lowest cost of living in the United States.
- Fort Smith is also ranked the number six city in America for cost of doing business.
- Fort Smith Regional Airport bathrooms were voted the best public restrooms in the United States in 2005.
Notable residents
Notable figures who were born in, lived in, or are otherwise associated with Fort Smith.
Athletes
- Ron Brewer
Ronald Charles Brewer is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'4" guard from the University of Arkansas, he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1978 NBA Draft.-Prep years:Brewer played basketball at Fort Smith Northside High School, leading the...
, Former National Basketball Association player.
- Harry Feldman
Harry "Hank" Feldman was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Giants from 1941 to 1946. In 1962, at age 42, the 6' 0",...
, Former Major League Baseball player
- Bryant Reeves
Bryant Reeves is an American retired professional basketball player for the NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies...
, Former National Basketball Association player.
- Priest Holmes
Priest Anthony Holmes is a former American football running back of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at Texas.Holmes earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV...
, Former National Football League player.
- Brett Goode
Brett Goode is an American football long snapper for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Arkansas....
, National Football League player.
- Jim Files
James Dale "Jim" Files is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants 13th overall in the 1970 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma....
, Former National Football League player.
- Ryan Franklin
Ryan Ray Franklin is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played for the Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, and St. Louis Cardinals.-Early life:...
, Pitcher for St. Louis Cardinals and Olympic Gold Medalist.
- Jack Fleck
Jack Fleck is an American professional golfer best known for winning the 1955 U.S. Open. He is the oldest living U.S. Open champion....
, Professional Golfer. 1955 US Open winner.
- Martine Bercher
Martine Bercher was an American football defensive back for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks football team from 1962-1966...
, Former University of ArkansasThe University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
All-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n defensive backIn American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
.
- Jim King
James Staton "Country" King is a retired American professional basketball player and former college coach.A 6'2" guard from the University of Tulsa, King was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 1963 NBA Draft...
, Former National Basketball Association player and NBA All-Star.
- Ravin Caldwell
Ravin V. Caldwell, Jr. is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1987 to 1992. He played college football at the University of Arkansas and was drafted in the fifth round of the 1986 NFL Draft....
, Former National Football League player.
- Scotty Robertson
Robert Scott Robertson, III, known as Scotty Robertson , was an American basketball coach of four NBA teams. He was the first coach for the New Orleans Jazz , and he later coached the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons...
, born in Fort Smith in 1930, coached at C.E. Byrd High School in ShreveportShreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, LouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Louisiana Tech UniversityLouisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
in RustonRuston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
, and for four NBA teams.
Actors, musicians, and writers
- Rudy Ray Moore
Rudy Ray Moore was an American comedian, musician, singer, film actor, and film producer. He was perhaps best known as Dolemite , the uniquely articulate pimp from the 1975 film Dolemite, and its sequel, The Human Tornado...
, singer, and screen actor.
- Laurence Luckinbill
Laurence George Luckinbill is an American actor.-Life and career:Luckinbill was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the son of Agnes and Laurence Benedict Luckinbill. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1956 and The Catholic University of America in 1958.He starred in the 1976 Broadway play...
, stage, screen and television actor.
- Katharine Alexander
Katharine Alexander was an American actress. She appeared in 44 films between 1930 and 1951.She was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas and died in Tryon, North Carolina. She was one eighth Cherokee Indian...
(1898–1981), Stage actress.
- Jerry Keller, singer.
- Stouffer brothers, Marty Stouffer
Martin Luther Stouffer Jr. , is the narrator and producer of the animal documentary show Wild America. He was raised in Fort Smith, Arkansas.-Life:...
, Mark Stouffer, and Marshall Stouffer, creators of the famous "Wild America" TV series.
- Brad Neely
Brad Neely is a American comic book artist and television writer/producer known for his work on books such as Wizard People, Dear Reader, I Am Baby Cakes, The Professor Brothers, and China, Illinois, and TV series such as South Park and China, IL.-Personal life:Brad Neely is originally from Fort...
, modern web artist.
- Alphonso Trent,jazz band leader and jazz pianist.
- Rossi Morreale
Rossi Morreale is a television personality and former college football player.Morreale was a wide receiver & punt returner for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks football team, lettering from 1997–1999. After graduation he sought television exposure...
, reality show star, actor, and television host.
- James Cotten
-Early life:Cotten was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Following his 8th grade year in Arkansas, his parents moved to Sallisaw, Oklahoma where they owned a movie rental store...
, film director, actor, writer, producer.
- Bradley Hathaway
Bradley Hathaway is a spoken word poet and a folk singer and songwriter from Fort Smith, Arkansas-Biography:Bradley Hathaway was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas and lived there until 1997, when he moved to Alma, Arkansas, where he graduated from high school in 2000.After high school, he attended the...
, spoken word poet and singer.
- Brandon Keener
Brandon Keener is an American actor living in Los Angeles, California. He was born and raised in Fort Smith, Arkansas and graduated from University of Arkansas....
, screen and television actor.
Politicians, statesmen, legislators, lawyers, judges
- Fay W. Boozman
Fay W. Boozman was a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Arkansas, a close friend of former Governor Mike Huckabee and a brother of U.S...
(1946–2005), Republican nominee for the United States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1998
- John Boozman
John Nichols Boozman is the junior U.S. Senator for Arkansas . A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the U.S. Representative for .Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, he was the brother of state Senator Fay Boozman...
(born 1950), United States Senator and former United States Representative from Arkansas's 3rd congressional districtArkansas's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The district covers Northwest Arkansas and takes in Bentonville, Fayetteville, Springdale and Fort Smith....
; Northside High School graduate and American footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player for the Arkansas RazorbacksThe Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same name...
; brother of Fay Boozman.
- Charles Winchester Breedlove
Charles Winchester Breedlove was an invalided U.S. Marine, an actor and a motion picture director who died in office while a member of the Los Angeles City Council in the 1930s.-Biography:...
, Los Angeles City Council member, 1933–45, born in Fort Smith
- Clifton R. Breckinridge
Clifton Rodes Breckinridge was a Democratic alderman, congressman, diplomat, businessman and veteran of the Confederate Army and Navy. He was a member of the prominent Breckinridge family, the son of Vice President of the United States and Confederate General John C. Breckinridge and the...
(1846–1932), a Democratic alderman, congressman, diplomat, businessman and veteran of the Confederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Army and Navy.
- William Meade Fishback
William Meade Fishback was the 17th Governor of Arkansas and selected to be a member of the United States Senate but was not allowed to serve....
(November 5, 1831 – February 9, 1903) was a Democratic Governor of Arkansas and selected to be a member of the United States Senate but was not allowed to serve.
- Asa Hutchinson
William Asa Hutchinson is a former U.S. Attorney for the Fort Smith-based Western District of Arkansas, U.S. Congressman from the Third District of Arkansas, Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the first-ever Under Secretary for Border & Transportation Security at the U.S...
(born 1950), Republican U.S. representative, Drug Enforcement Administration head, Under Secretary of Homeland Security, U.S. Senate nominee in 1986, and Arkansas gubernatorial candidate in 2006.
- Carolyn Pollan
Carolyn Joan Clark Pollan is an American politician and former Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives who served for twelve consecutive two-year terms from 1975-1999 from a portion of Sebastian County, which includes the state's second largest city of Fort Smith...
(born 1937), former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, the longest serving Republican and the longest serving woman member of the chamber.
- Isaac C. Parker (1838–1896), the "Hanging Judge".
Other
- Benjamin Bonneville
Benjamin Louis Eulalie de Bonneville was a French-born officer in the United States Army, fur trapper, and explorer in the American West...
(1796–1878), explorer of the American West.
- William O. Darby (1911–1945), heroic World War II general.
- Alyse Eady
Alyse Cynthia Eady, holds the title of Miss Arkansas 2010 and was 1st Runner-Up in the Miss America 2011 Pageant on January 15, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is a 22-year-old graduate of Ouachita Baptist University with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications and Speech Communication...
(born 1988), Miss Arkansas, 2011 Miss America 1st runner-up
- Arlie Metheny
Captain Arlie Metheny was a United States Army officer during World War II and the Cold War, who served as public information spokesman at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, at the time Elvis Presley was inducted into the military.Metheny was the eldest of seven children born to a cotton farmer in Silverdale...
(1918–2008), U.S. Army officer at Fort Chaffee, coordinator of Elvis Presley's induction; later school superintendent in Conway
- Bass Reeves
Bass Reeves was one of the first African Americans to receive a commission as a Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River....
(1838–1910), thought by most to be one of the first African Americans to have received a commission as a U.S. Deputy MarshalMarshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
west of the Mississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
Fort Smith in popular culture
- "Brüno
Brüno is a 2009 British mockumentary comedy film directed by Larry Charles and starring Sacha Baron Cohen, who produced, co-wrote, and starred as the gay Austrian fashion journalist Brüno...
", features a cage-fight match filmed in Fort Smith
- "Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
". It was worldwide news when the King of Rock and Roll, having joined the service, received his first military haircut at Fort Chaffee in Fort Smith.
- Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood
Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood is a Western themed first-person shooter video game set in the years of 1864-1866. Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood was announced on January 14, 2009 and uses the Chrome Engine 4, the fourth generation of Techland's game engine.Developed by Techland and published by...
. The McCalls stop in Fort Smith
- True Grit
True Grit is a 1968 novel by Charles Portis that was first published as a 1968 serial in The Saturday Evening Post. The novel is told from the perspective of a woman named Mattie Ross who recounts the time when she was 14 years old and sought retribution for the murder of her father by a scoundrel...
, a 1968 serialIn literature, a serial is a publishing format by which a single large work, most often a work of narrative fiction, is presented in contiguous installments—also known as numbers, parts, or fascicles—either issued as separate publications or appearing in sequential issues of a single periodical...
by Charles PortisCharles McColl Portis is an American author best known for his novels Norwood and the 1968 classic Western novel True Grit , both adapted as films. The latter also inspired a film sequel and made-for-TV movie sequel...
later adapted to film.
- True Grit, a 1969 Western
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
film directed by Henry HathawayHenry Hathaway was an American film director and producer. He is best known as a director of Westerns, especially starring John Wayne.-Background:...
and starring John WayneMarion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
, is set in and around historic Fort Smith in the 1870s.
- True Grit
True Grit is a 2010 American Western film written and directed by the Coen brothers. It is the second adaptation of Charles Portis' 1968 novel of the same name, which was previously filmed in 1969 starring John Wayne. This version stars Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross and Jeff Bridges as U.S....
, a 2010 WesternThe Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
film directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and starring Jeff BridgesJeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
, is set in and around historic Fort Smith in the 1870s.
- Trespass, a 1992 film directed by Walter Hill. The opening scene is set in Fort Smith.
External links
- Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau - Current Calendar of Events, Lodging, Things to Do, Attractions, History, Museums, Restaurants, Conventions, Tours and Special Events
- City of Fort Smith
- KTCS 99.9FM
- Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce
- The University of Arkansas, Fort Smith
- History of Fort Smith's Jewish community (from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life)
- Collection of photographs and articles about the 1996 tornado
- Fort Smith Regional Airport
- Fort Smith National Historic Site
- The Southwest Times Record, the regional newspaper based in Fort Smith
- Entertainment Fort Smith Magazine, a monthly city/regional magazine based in Fort Smith
- Fort Smith National Historic Site
- "The Real Fort Smith: the Fact and Fiction Behind True Grit" Posted on AwardsDaily.com, 11/17/2010. A look at the veracity of the True Grit novel and both film adaptations, from a Fort Smith history perspective.