Bentonville To Fort Smith

By Renée Gordon Travel History Writer

“You have miles to ride. Godspeed the horses.” -Character Judge I. Parker

It may seem odd to begin a voyage to the frontier days of Arkansas Territory with a trip to a world-class museum, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, established in 2011 under the auspices of philanthropist Alice Walton. The museum was founded to feature the American spirit through the lenses of cultural diversity, art and nature. The permanent collection contains approximately 3,000 artworks incorporating five centuries of creativity and art as a medium for transmitting stories and culture. greaterbentonville.com

Crystal Bridges American Art Museum was created by Alice Walton. She wanted to make art accessible to rural communities. The museum was designed by architect Moshie Safdie to blend into its 120-acre setting within a ravine in the Ozark Forest. It was named after a local, natural, spring. On the exterior there are six trails greater than 5-miles of pathways and sculptures. The trails join the museum with Downtown Bentonville. The museum is free with the exception of some special exhibitions.

Titus Kaphar’s equestrian portrait of Andrew Jackson is a perfect place from which to launch a journey into the early, frontier, history of the state. Andrew Jackson was a pivotal figure in the cultural and political movements in the early years of the US. He was hailed a hero but more recently his image has been seriously tarnished by his treatment of the indigenous people. Kaphar whose genius lies in his ability to “paint” a story that reveals itself in layers until truth and reality are made visible. The Jackson portrait has strips of canvas attached that feature his own statements regarding the displacement of the indigenous people. The hooves of his horse are golden and his facial expression is one of superiority and awareness of his total immunity from any consequences.

“Knowing the West” will be on view in the museum Sept. 14, 2024 – Jan. 27, 2025. The exhibition features artworks from 1785-1922 by both Native and non-Native Americans. The emphasis of the exhibit is on a more holistic approach to the events and people in the American West.

The Museum of Native American History (MONAH)was founded by David Bogle, a registered member of the Cherokee Nation, and features his private collection and curated donations. Visitors walk through 24,000-years of Native American history enhanced with videos, artifacts and artworks. A highlight of the tour is “Tusker,” a 12,000-year-old wooly mammoth skeleton that roars as you enter. Another showcase feature is a gallery diorama of authentic Osage wedding attire that was visited by the crew and used as a pattern for the outfits worn in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” This a gem of a museum and is not to be missed. MONAH.org

U.S. Marshals Museum

The 53,000-sq.-ft. museum opened in Fort Smith in July 2023 with the mission to relate the history of the Marshals’ service and showcase the impact of the ever evolving armaments and service. Stories are told through state-ofthe-art technology, artifacts, documents and photographs. Four major galleries are arrayed chronologically around a symbolic campfire with marshals representing 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st-century stories of field actions. The self-guided tour begins with the creation of the offices of U.S. Marshals and Deputy Marshal by the first Congress in 1789. Their initial charge was to support the Federal court system. The US Marshals Hall of Honor is on the premises. It highlights the 281 deputies who gave their lives in the line of duty.

The 13-foot “Lighthorseman,” a Native American lawman, stands on the exterior near the Arkansas River. The statue was a gift of the Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma.

Fort Smith National Historic Site was founded when a fort was built there in 1817 at the juncture of the Arkansas and Poteau rivers to maintain peace between the Indians. A second fort was constructed in 1838 to protect against Indian attacks. In 1831 Jackson had signed the Indian Removal Act and the 2,200-mile-long Trail of Tears passed through Fort Smith. A native encampment was located at Garland Avenue and 6th Street and several displays are in the Fort Smith Museum on the Trail of Tears. In 1872 the Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas was located in Fort Smith. In the 1870s no legal system was in place for non-Indians and Indian justice was meted out by the tribes. Many of the worst criminals gravitated into the territory because it was perceived as a lawless no man’s land. Only the marshals and, from 1875-96, Judge Isaac Parker stood for law and order.

The site includes a reproduction of the 1886 gallows. The Visitor Center houses the barracks, courthouse, jail and museum. The first jail, “Hell on the Border,” is located on the first floor with a museum display on the second floor with artifacts and information on some of the most notorious incarcerated. Parker’s courtroom is also on the second floor along with a reproduction of his 1880’s office. From this courtroom Parker sentenced more criminals to be hung than any other judge in US history. He sentenced 160 men but only 79 were actually hung.

Miss Laura’s Located in the 22-block Belle Grove Historic District. Miss Laura’s is the only former bordello that functions as a tourist center. Information and tours are offered. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The iconic symbol of the era and the city is Bass Reeves, an African American marshal of exceptional abilities. A 25-foot-tall monumental sculpture depicting Reeves astride his horse Blaze and his dog, simply called Dog, at his side stands in Pendergraft Park. He served for 32-years as a U.S. Marshal. Fort Chaffee is only a few miles from Downtown Fort Smith. This was the site of Elvis Presley’s army buzzcut on March 25, 1958. In the Elvis Barbershop Museum you can see the chair where it happened. fortsmith.org/ elvis-barbershop-museum

Not only Elvis but also Belle Starr and the James, Dalton and Youngers were known to frequent the area, now you can follow in their footsteps and experience Fort Smith.