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Fort Smith National Historic Site
Perhaps the most prominent stop is the Fort Smith National Historic Site, which includes the remains of the original 1817 fort on the Arkansas River. One of the highlights is the two-story barracks from the second fort, which in the early 1870s became the Federal Courthouse for the Western District of Arkansas. Inside are the restored courtroom of the famed "Hangin' Judge" Isaac C. Parker, and the dingy frontier jail aptly named "Hell on the Border."
Open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's
9 a.m. - 5 p.m., 7 days a week
Admission $4. Ages 15 and under, Free
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Fort Smith Museum of History
Adjacent to the Historic Site is the Fort Smith Museum of History, a three-story building containing numerous exhibits, displays and artifacts that tell the story of Fort Smith's colorful history: from the first fort in 1817, through the westward expansion, the Civil War, Fort Chaffee, and the emergence of a modern city. One of the highlights is an old-fashioned drug store and a working soda fountain.
Closed on Sunday and Monday.
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Fort Smith Trolley Museum/ Trolley Rides
 During the 1920s and 30s, streetcars were popular in most cities. The Fort Smith Trolley Museum features a working, fully-restored 1926 electric streetcar that makes regular half-mile runs between the Fort Smith National Cemetery and a west-end stop at the Varsity Sports Grill on Garrison Avenue (Main Street). Tickets can be purchased at the the Fort Smith Museum of History.
Inside the Trolley Museum—a stop on the route—is a fascinating collection of old railroad passenger cars, engines, old Fort Smith buses, and other transportation artifacts.
See Trolley Museum website for schedule. Rides $2 for adults, $1 for children. Group rates available.
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Fort Smith Air Museum
 The Fort Smith Air Museum, a series of permanent exhibits at the Fort Smith Regional Airport, is dedicated to preserving the history of the development of aviation in Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma. Visitors can view a wide variety of displays honoring the pioneer and military aviators from the area, and chronicle the history of airline service to Fort Smith. Special exhibits feature the 188th Air National Guard, the Fort Smith Civil Air Patrol and the growth of corporate and general aviation in the Fort Smith area. Visitors can enjoy a self guided tour at the museum. Free.
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Clayton House
 Originally built in the 1850s, this classic Victorian Renaissance baroque mansion was greatly enlarged when bought in 1882 by William Henry Harrison Clayton, who was District Attorney during Judge Parker's tenure on the federal bench. Now fully restored and containing some Clayton family period pieces, the home features a double-door entrance and hand-carved staircases. It exemplifies the beauty and grace of the Victorian era, and is reportedly quite haunted.
Ask about the Lamplight Ghost Tours, Clayton Conversations special events, and upcoming children's programs. Groups of 25 or more can schedule a private Victorian High Tea served for your group!
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Darby House
 General William O. Darby, founder of the famed "Darby's Rangers" group that fought in Italy during World War II, grew up in this modest home. Today it contains numerous mementos of his early years. Darby was killed in action in May of 1945. Also on display are Rangers' memorabilia and items from the Fort Smith's sister city, Cisterna di Latina, Italy. Darby's Rangers evolved into what is now the Army Rangers.
More Darby exhibits are on permanent display at the Fort Smith Museum of History, and the General is buried in the Fort Smith National Cemetery.
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Belle Grove Historic District 
Beautifully restored homes and buildings line the streets of the 22-block Belle Grove historic District and refelct an architectural span of 150 years, including Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne, Eastlake Victorian Renaissance, Gothic Revival, Craftsman, Prairie, Federal and Neoclassical architecture. Structures in Belle Grove include the homes of noted figures such as William Henry Clayton, the prosecuting attorney for Judge Parker's court; Southern Jewish author Thyra Samptor Winslow; Fort Smith forefather John Rogers; General William O. Darby, founder of Darby's Rangers (which evolved into the modern Army Rangers), the widow of brevet Brigadier General Benjamin Bonneville, former commander of Fort Smith and famed Oregon Trail explorer; and other leading citizens of early Fort Smith. The District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the 1970s. Brochures for self-guided walking tours are available at Miss Laura's Visitors Center.
Newly added residential historic districts to the National Register of Historic Places include Fort Smith's May-Lecta-Sweet and Fishback neighborhoods, which are similarly full of original architecture and beautiful streets. Garrison Avenue and the downtown area also include notable commercial architecture, much of which has been preserved or restored over the past 80-120 years.
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United States National Cemetery
 When the first Fort Smith was plotted 1817, land was set aside for a military cemetery. Granted national status in 1867, the 21-acre U.S. National Cemetery contains approximately 13,000 graves, among
them Judge Isaac Parker, General William O. Darby, founder of the "Darby's Rangers," and Bertha Gale Dean, long-time madam of Miss Laura's Social Club. It is one of two national cemeteries in the United States that have both Union and Confederate solders buried.
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Oak Cemetery
 More than 80 deputy U.S. Marshals who served under Federal Judge Isaac Parker and least 28 outlaws ordered hanged by Judge Parker in the late 19th century are buried in Fort Smith's 20-acre Oak Cemetery, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
Every spring, a Fort Smith Tales of the Crypt living history event takes place during a weekend in April or May. Costumed re-enactors give free guided tours of the cemetery, stopping to hear the colorful tales of those buried there from actors portraying their characters.
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Zachary Taylor's Chimney
 During the 1840s, future U.S. President Zachary Taylor was commander of the military garrison at Fort Smith. His private home was once located near what is now Immaculate Conception Church and St. Anne's Academy, at 13th and Garrison. A fire destroyed the home just before the turn-of-the-century, but what is referred to as Zachary Taylor's Chimney is still standing.
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