It would be impossible to house a full accounting of more than 200 years of a community’s people, events, and growth in one building. But, let me tell you: The Fort Smith Museum of History feels like it comes close. Only an in-person visit can truly convey the sheer number of fascinating tales told within this treasure chest of history.
SYMBOL OF GROWTH: The “New American” Engine, Fort Smith’s first professional fire engine, was purchased in the early 1900s. It signified the city’s expanding population and is among approximately 40,000 artifacts at the Fort Smith Museum of History near downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas.
What piqued my interest the most included:
- Frontier-era headliners, including the 1817 military fort and famous outlaw Belle Starr.
- A permanent exhibit featuring William O. Darby, a Fort Smith native and World War II hero, and Darby’s Rangers.
- Treks through technology from the telegraph and Morse code to telephone operator switchboards and a TV station studio.
- Strategically placed kid-friendly activities at many exhibits.
Gather the reins and hang on as we gallop ahead!
FRONTIER FAME: This side saddle of the style used by notorious 19th-century outlaw Belle Starr can be seen at the Fort Smith Museum of History in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Fort Smith Was Rip-Roaring In Its Frontier Days
Fort Smith was on the edge of America when it was established in 1817 as a western frontier military post and trade center. By the late 1800s, as the hub for white law enforcement in the adjoining Indian Territory, Fort Smith hosted the United States Court for Western Arkansas.
The community soon became rich with tales of the good guys versus the bad guys (and girls):
- Judge Isaac C. Parker became known as “the hanging judge” after being tasked with cleaning up Indian Territory starting in 1875.
- Outlaw Belle Starr gained notoriety during this time and was prosecuted by Fort Smith resident William H.H. Clayton in Parker’s court.
- Former slave and Texas native Bass Reeves became famous for his work as a deputy U.S. marshal based out of Fort Smith.
Starr remains among the figures who draw interest to this day. “The Bandit Queen” built a reputation as an outlaw and, being female, was a rarity among criminals at the time. The Fort Smith Museum of History’s artifacts related to Starr include a side saddle, like the kind she used.
Nearby, on the second floor, “In the Shadow of the Gallows” is an exhibit that delves into Parker’s work as a judge and includes furnishings from his Sixth Street court.
From the frontier days, it wasn’t long until a Fort Smith native played a key role in World War II.
NORTH AFRICA DUTY: On display at the Fort Smith Museum of History in Fort Smith, Arkansas, this photo by Army photographer Phil Stern shows William Orlando Darby in North Africa in 1943.
U.S. Army Rangers Trace Origin to Fort Smith Native Darby
The permanent exhibition in the William O. Darby Memorial Room at the Fort Smith Museum of History in Fort Smith, Arkansas, is a testament to the heroism of this Fort Smith native.
I’m embarrassed to admit I’m not sure I had heard of Darby before visiting the museum. Thankfully, my ignorance has been cured through the museum collection, which includes Darby's medals, military records, and uniforms.
Born in Fort Smith in 1910, Darby attended West Point after high school before serving as the organizer and founding commander of the First Ranger Battalion, known then as “Darby’s Rangers.” The fighting regiment later evolved into the U.S. Army Rangers.
During World War II, Darby served in North Africa and Italy. He earned multiple awards and accolades for his bravery and leadership. His remarkable contributions to the era came to an end on April 30, 1945, in Italy when he died instantly due to shrapnel from a German shell that exploded nearby.
Almost three decades later, the passage of time took Fort Smith into a new age, with modern technology leading the way.
OPERATOR, OPERATOR: In this photo on display at the Fort Smith Museum of History in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Dorothy Charlene Girard, switchboard operator, works boards 101 and 102 for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. in Fort Smith. The scene is from about 1970.
Switchboard Operators Connected Fort Smith Telephone Callers
In the middle of the 20th century, advancing technology began to play a bigger role in the history of Fort Smith. This is reflected in multiple exhibits on the second floor of the Fort Smith Museum of History.
One that caught my eye was a telephone operator switchboard from Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. It was used in Fort Smith for decades. As the exhibit literature notes, these switchboards were used to connect circuits of telephones to establish phone calls. Using electrical cords or switches, the operators and the boards they used were essential in their day.
In modern times, phones attached to wires may be foreign to youngsters, but they’ll be comfortable with plenty of other things at this museum.
Di-di-di-dit, Dit, Da-di-da-dah: Young visitors to the Fort Smith Museum of History in Fort Smith, Arkansas, can try many history-related activities, including this equipment focusing on the Morse Code Alphabet.
Not A Children’s Museum But Children’s Activities Abound
The Fort Smith Museum of History brings children along for fun education on days gone by via kids’ activities at many exhibits.
Yellow signs mark stations that are kid-friendly with things to do such as grinding corn with a stone; rowing a six-oar skiff in the shadows of 1817 soldiers arriving at Fort Smith; sitting in a Victorian-era classroom; and seeing themselves on television in a replica studio.
The first-floor working soda fountain is sure to be a kid favorite, too. Stopping for refreshments in the old-fashioned drugstore likely appeals to most of us.
The four-story brick structure housing the museum has two floors of displays and artifacts. It’s a lot to see and it’s worth taking time to go. Behind the scenes on the top two stories, rows and rows of shelves upon shelves hold thousands more relics that await their turn in the spotlight.
Many stories are yet to be revealed here.
SPEND SOME TIME: To absorb the pair of spacious floors of displays and information, plan to take all day or at least 2-4 hours at the Fort Smith Museum of History in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Info to go: Parking, Self-Guided Tours, and No Flash Photos
Free parking for museum visitors is in front of the building and a lot to the west. More parking is convenient along Rogers Avenue and South Fourth Street. On the east side of the facility, disabled parking and a handicapped-accessible entrance are available.
Individual and group rate tickets are offered, as are school group tours. Take a self-guided cell phone audio tour using instructions provided at the museum front desk.
It’s worth noting that NO flash photography is allowed in the museum.
With more than 89,000 residents, Fort Smith is the third-most populous city in Arkansas today. Tour this Museum of History and see how a lonely little frontier military fort transformed into this bustling community.
I think you’ll have a great time — especially if you try an ice cream float!
