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Fort Smith National Historic SiteHarper's Weekly illustration of steamboat along the Arkansas River with officers' quarters and town of Fort Smith in distance. (c. 1850s)
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Fort Smith National Historic Site
Operating Hours & Seasons
The visitor center is open daily, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed December 25 and January 1.

The park grounds, including the paved river trail, remains accessible to visitors even when the visitor center is closed.

Portrait of Anna Dawes  

Did You Know?
A woman was responsible for the building of a modern federal jail at Fort Smith, AR, in 1888. Anna Dawes, daughter of Sen. Dawes of MA, visited the "Hell on the Border" jail in 1885 and wrote an article describing its conditions. When read in Congress, money was quickly approved for a new jail.

Last Updated: May 18, 2008 at 12:08 EST