The Military Fort That Gave Rise to a City

Fort Smith received its foundational beginning just over 200 years ago when the U.S. Military western frontier military post along the banks of the Arkansas River (1817). Named after General Thomas Adams Smith, the active status of the fort waxed and waned for decades while a community developed it. With the help of town founder John Rogers, the City of Fort Smith became incorporated on Christmas Eve, 1842.

The U.S. military officially abandoned the military post in 1871. Today, parts of the original fort are still visible, and the Fort Smith National Historic Site offers visitors an exciting glimpse into America's western heritage.

The city's history as a defense community didn't end with the closure of the western fort. Just before WWII, the U.S. government reinvested in the area and constructed Camp Chaffee, which would serve as a location to train soldiers and detain German prisoners during the war. In 1956, the federal government renamed Camp Chaffee to Fort Chaffee. Soon after, in 1958, a very well-known and popular "King" would make headlines for receiving his first military haircut at the base.

The military installation infused Fort Smith with diverse cultures while it served as a settlement place during history's unsettling times. During the mid-'70s, Fort Chaffee provided safe shelter to Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian, and Hmong refugees. In the 1980s, Fort Chaffee provided sanctuary to thousands of Cuban refugees, and in 2005, Fort Chaffee opened its doors to thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

The Continuation of a Strong Military Presence

Today, the Arkansas National Guard's Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center ("FCJMTC") operates as a premier training site for the Department of Defense – as well as a variety of local, state, and federal agencies. The FCJMTC base sits on more than 64,000 acres and offers training space for live fire exercises, river crossing operations, and maneuver and urban combat training. FCJMTC is one of the most extensive JMTC facilities in the central United States.

Fort Chaffee is not the only location in Fort Smith that holds a military presence. The Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Wing at Ebbing Air National Guard Base operates on property near the Fort Smith Regional Airport. The 188th Wing oversees the U.S. military's Remotely Piloted Aircraft program that supports ground forces worldwide. The 188th Wing in Fort Smith is the only location where all three missions exist on one base.

As the military's footprint has shifted over time, the City of Fort Smith has ensured support, flexibility, and proper planning. Following the Base Realignment and Closure Commission of 1995, the government turned over surplus land to the State of Arkansas Legislature, which formed the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority. The FCRA oversees the planned development of the approximately 7,000 total surplus acres. Formally dubbed Chaffee Crossing, the organization contributes to the development of Fort Smith by working with the city and private developers to create well-designed, high-quality private developments with attractive, modern-day amenities.