Founded in 1817 by the US Army to contain a volatile Indian feud, Fort Smith continued to serve as a major supply depot for western military posts and from 1872 through 1889 as a headquarters of the Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas.

The federal government used this location to establish and maintain law and order in the western district and in the Indian Territory in present day Oklahoma.

On April 23, 1861, the US garrison at Fort Smith abandoned the post as the Confederate military approached. The Confederate forces moved into the fort and began recruiting and training operations.

Confederate troops from Fort Smith fought at Wilson′s Creek, Missouri soon after and also participated in the battle of Pea Ridge during 7-8 March 1862. Confederate General T. C. Hindman led his army from Fort Smith to fight at Prairie Grove on 7 December 1862. Fort Smith remained under Confederate control until the Union forces regained Fort Smith on 1 September 1863/

From the establishment of this fort until the final days of Judge Isaac C. Parker, who was known as the Hangin judge of the Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas, Fort Smith served for nearly eighty years as the Law in the Indian Territory of Oklahoma. Judge Parker had jurisdiction over the Indian Territory, where he presided in the court at this location for twenty-one year.

The Fort Smith National Historic Site includes the remains of two frontier forts and the Federal Court. This historic site preserves those eighty years of history in stories from many of the soldiers who served here, some of the dangerous outlaws imprisoned here, frontier lawmen who pursued those outlaws, and from the sad tales of the Trail of Tears saga.

These stories are many and include those of heroism, great battles, social justice and sadly, social injustices.

Located at 301 Parker Avenue in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the once frontier fort is now a National Historic Site for the National Parks Service.