Abandoned and Forgotten

Artist's rendition of the first Fort Smith.

NPS/Michael Haynes

Quick Facts

Location:

First Fort Smith

Amenities

2 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Wheelchair Accessible

Between December 25, 1817, and April 9, 1824, the soldiers of the Regiment of Riflemen and 7th Infantry accomplished a lot. On the edge of the frontier, they built Fort Smith from the ground up and sustained themselves through long stretches of time with little outside communication and few supplies. They mapped and surveyed the area, built roads, developed supply routes, and worked to keep peace in the area. They also laid the foundation for what would become the community of Fort Smith, and for the United States to continue its westward expansion.

In 1824, the 7th Infantry received orders to push further west into Indian Territory, later establishing Fort Gibson in what is now the state of Oklahoma. The first Fort Smith was abandoned, and the buildings fell into disrepair. The site was eventually forgotten and lost to time until archaeologists uncovered the foundation in the 1950s.