Southeast

Real life is often more sensational than make believe. Being a fan of westerns, I was excited to finally visit Fort Smith, Arkansas. It was in this city that a real life legend held court during the Wild West days. While many are unaware of Judge Parker's court, it left an indelible mark on the history of the American West. Our visit to Fort Smith included a wide range of experiences, but learning more about facing "the Hanging Judge" was high on our list of must-dos. We want to thank Experience Fort Smith and the Fort Smith National Historic Site for hosting our visit. Rest [...]

It seems to me that I'm always hungry when we arrive at a new destination. While this could be tied to the length of time spent in the car, often it is more about getting to know the culinary vibe of the city. We always hear about the importance of first impressions, but what about first tastes? Our visit to Fort Smith was focused on the downtown region, which is filled with enticing eateries. The compact nature of the area makes it easy to navigate by foot, so we ditched the car and headed off toward Bricktown Brewery for our first meal. We [...]

The story of Fort Smith begins with the Louisiana Purchase. Before this, the lands along the Arkansas River were used by nomadic Native Indians. A military post, erected in 1817, signaled the beginning of the town, which sprung up along the eastern shores of the river. The fort, and subsequent city, were named after Thomas Adams Smith, a brigadier general in the War of 1812. Since we were about to embark on the exploration of the city, we felt it was wise to get some historical context. A stop at the Fort Smith Museum of History would help. While the city is filled [...]

Like many frequent travelers, we have a list of destinations that we hope to visit in our lifetimes. Every once in a while, we will discover one that has flown below our radar. This was the case for Fort Smith, Arkansas. The city's slogan is "Where the New South meets the Old West". It is one of the largest cities in Arkansas, with around 90,000 residents. Its position along the Oklahoma border meant that it was on the edge of the Western Frontier. While the days of the wild west are long gone, the city has worked hard at preserving the past. We [...]