DETAILS, DETAILS: The wood frame antebellum Clayton House has a history as rich and detailed as its exterior hints. It is located in the Belle Grove Historic District northeast of downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Locals and out-of-town tourists alike become time travelers when they enter The Clayton House in Fort Smith, Arkansas, northeast of downtown.
How could we not? The only Victorian-style home that’s also a museum here has ties spanning from the Civil War to the 21st Century and all eras in between.
In fact, The Clayton House’s own story continues.
I was surprised to find that this regal mansion also has a direct connection to a U.S. legal system tool still used today.
Poised for a tour, I was excited to learn:
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The Clayton House is a whopping 6,000 square feet
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William H.H. Clayton holds a record related to murder
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Weddings, parties, and more are still held here
Take a journey through time with me, won’t you?
IT’S ORIGINAL: Wide cypress planks from the 1880s are preserved in The Clayton House. Here, they are adjacent to the intricately carved walnut staircase in the historic home northeast of downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Original Features, Complexity Set The Clayton House Apart
There are plenty of rooms in The Clayton House that showcase the specifics of its Victorian Gothic Italianate style.
The cypress double front doors are original, towering above visitors. I marveled at the stunning black walnut staircase in the center of the home.
The fresco on the parlor ceiling, multiple bay windows, elaborate molding throughout, and beautiful woodwork abundant in the home reveal the affluence of its day.
ONE-OF-A-KIND FEATURES: The staircase spindles or balusters in The Clayton House in Fort Smith, Arkansas, show ornate carving in an age when woodworkers practiced their trade without the precise machinery of the 21st century.
Visitors today can see these details and much more. To truly appreciate the mansion’s story, start with these Clayton House basics:
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Originally built in 1852 by wealthy merchant William Sutton
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Briefly a Union hospital during the Civil War
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Purchased, remodeled, and expanded in 1882 by William H.H. Clayton, chief prosecutor in the famed Judge Isaac C. Parker’s court
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Comprised of eight main rooms, a common area on the upstairs landing, and reconstructed servants’ quarters and kitchen
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Served as the Clayton family residence for 15 years
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Used at one time by the Fort Smith Military Social and Athletic Club and then for decades as a boarding house
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Saved from demolition in 1969 by the newly formed Fort Smith Heritage Foundation
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Opened in 1977 as a Victorian house museum after seven years and $100,000 in authentic renovations
As I looked around during the tour of The Clayton House, I began to wonder more about the people who lived here.
Who was William Henry Harrison Clayton?
FOUR BROTHERS: In the study of Fort Smith, Arkansas, historic site The Clayton House, portraits of the four Clayton brothers (with William at the bottom right) are displayed above the fireplace.
William H.H. Clayton’s Influence Continues Nationwide Today
Known for his prosecutorial prowess, William Henry Harrison Clayton catalogued 80 murder convictions during his career.
That record still stands, here in the 21st century.
Clayton was named after the ninth U.S. president and, most famously, chosen in 1874 by President Ulysses S. Grant as district attorney of the Western District of Arkansas and Indian Territory.
Via that post, he worked closely with “the hanging judge,” Judge Isaac Parker, and the numbers tell the tale:
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14 years as U.S. attorney
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More than 10,000 cases managed
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74,000 square miles of jurisdiction
Notably, Clayton prosecuted notorious outlaw Belle Starr and her husband. Both were convicted and sent to federal prison for horse theft.
Later, Starr attempted but failed to assassinate Clayton at a Wild West Show at the Sebastian County Fair.
Perhaps prosecutor Clayton’s most lasting impact came via the 1896 United States v. Allen case. It is the basis for Allen charge jury instructions, given to a hung jury to urge them to agree on a verdict. These still are in use today.
As an attorney, Clayton famously defended legendary U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves when the latter was accused of murder.
In a trial before Judge Parker, who once described Clayton as a “close, shrewd and prudent examiner of witnesses,” a jury acquitted Reeves.
Learning all this, I started to wonder how William H.H. Clayton managed to find time to do anything outside a courtroom.
But he did marry Florence Alabama Barnes in 1869, helped raise seven children, and maintained a leadership role in the Fort Smith, Arkansas, community.
TELLTALE VICTORIAN: The Clayton House includes well-known Victorian-era features such as this bay window in the parlor of the historic home and museum in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
History Is Still Being Made At The Clayton House
Exuding elegance and the rich history of more than a century, The Clayton House is still in use today, even beyond its priceless role as a museum.
This fact surprised me and, truthfully, delighted me as well.
The mansion can be rented to host luncheons, dinners, weddings, receptions, and more. Its grounds offer space for outdoor components for many occasions.
Its gathering room is connected to the kitchen, ideal for club meetings or other small gatherings seating up to 45 people.
SPACIOUS DINING: The formal dining room in The Clayton House historic home and museum in Fort Smith, Arkansas, has plenty of space for large buffets or seating for up to 16 people.
Authentically restored to its 1880s heyday, The Clayton House has earned its spot on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a crown jewel among Fort Smith’s historic destinations.
Nonetheless, its own history is still being made.
The mansion remains versatile, hosting historic tours, helping educate young people, serving as the setting for private parties, and regularly presenting special events.
Indeed, The Clayton House is on a journey with unwritten history yet to come.
FASCINATING INSIDE AND OUT: The Clayton House, located northeast of downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas, has spacious grounds surrounding the 6,000-square-foot mansion.
Info To Go: Places To Park, Nearby Sites
Parking at The Clayton House is available along the street in front of the site and in the alley area behind the grounds. Handicapped access is at the back, with a large ramp easily visible adjacent to alley parking.
The location is also near many of Fort Smith’s best places to visit: the U.S. Marshals Museum, the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, Miss Laura’s Brothel Museum, the Fort Smith Museum of History, and more.
An hour to absorb all the stories at The Clayton House is time well spent.
One step into this elegant mansion will take you farther than you might think.
I hope you enjoy The Clayton House as much as I did!
Fort Smith, AR 72901
Phone: (479) 783-3000
Website: claytonhouse.org
Hours: 12 to 4 p.m. CST Tuesday through Saturday; 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Closed on Mondays. Other hours by appointment.
Admission: Suggested donation for tours: $6 for adults; $5 for seniors 65 and above; $3 for ages 6-17; and free for children under 6.
Estimated time to tour: Guided tours start at the top of the hour and last about 50 minutes.
