Category:	Cultural Tourism
Title:	West Arkansas Tourism
Listing URL:	http://www.westarkansastourism.com
Description:	istoric Times & High Adventures abound in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier. This unique part of the Natural State rolls out an exciting welcome mat of Old West, Victorian era and Old Country legacies, mountain majesties, metropolitan pleasures and outdoor adventures. Welcome! Enjoy your visit: come back soon! ample the beauty of The Natural State from Queen Wilhelmina State Park atop Rich Mountain. Take a ride aboard a historic trolley in Fort Smith. Ride the rails across the mountains, departing from Van Buren. These adventures and much more await you in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier. The history of Fort Smith is depicted through exhibits in the Fort Smith National Historic Site. Located in downtown Fort Smith, the National Historic Site embraces the remains of two frontier forts and the courthouse and jails of the Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas. The historic building and park grounds underwent a major $7.5 million rehabilitation project in 2000. An overlook and educational panels highlight the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail which passes through the site. The panels were written and designed with the assistance of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), Chickasaw and Seminole tribes. The exhibits were funded by a grant from the National Park Foundation. The National Historic Site commemorates a significant phase of America's westward expansion and stands as a reminder of 80 turbulent years in the history of federal Indian policy. "The Territory was set apart for the Indians in 1828. The government at that time promised them protection. That promise has always been ignored. The only protection that has ever been afforded them is through the courts. To us who have been located on this borderland has fallen the task of acting as protectors," said Federal Judge Isaac C. Parker in 1896. The renovated parks' building holds many stories from the past. It was first used in the early 1800s as an army barracks by the military sent to the post to keep peace and administer government policies over tribal peoples. Beginning in 1872, it was used as the federal courthouse and a jail. In 1887, a new jail was constructed adjacent to the courthouse. With the recent rehabilitation project the historic courthouse and jail building have been restored and now include a visitors center. Fort Smith's role in history continues into the mid-1800s. During the Civil War, the Confiscation Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1862, stated that Confederates who did not surrender within 60 days of the act's passage were to be punished by having their slaves freed. The act declared all slaves taking refuge behind Union lines captives of war who were to be set free. As troops advanced, these "freedmen" faced a new dilemma, where to turn for refuge. In turn, how to care for those former slaves became a plaguing problem for field commanders occupying Southern territory and for federal posts. In northwest Arkansas, many freedmen took up refuge at Fort Smith where aid and relief were provided to former slaves who sought refuge in the city and garrison from 1863-1865.
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