Fort Smith Guardhouse

Guardhouse

NPS/Pat Schmidt

Quick Facts

Location:

North end of Parade Ground

Amenities

3 listed

Accessible Sites, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Wheelchair Accessible

Guardhouse 1849-1871

Constructed in 1849, the guardhouse served as the initial check-in point for soldiers, supplies, and visitors to the fort. It was also the place of confinement for soldiers under arrest for offenses like drunkenness, desertion, fighting, and other crimes. After the U.S. Army closed the fort in 1871, the guardhouse was converted to a jail building for the Federal Court, primarily housing women suspected or convicted of federal crimes.

While the original building no longer stands, the existing open structure fills most of the space where the guardhouse once stood.