Hidden History of Fort Smith, Arkansas

Ben Boulden

• Publisher: The History Press
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN:
  9781609494506
• eBook ISBN:
  9781614234678
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

During the days of American westward expansion Fort Smith was the gritty frontier town whose lawless reputation became known both east and west of the Mississippi. Dubbed "Hell on the Border," the last developed township just before unsettled native territory, Fort Smith laid low more than its fair share of settlers, pioneers, and outlaws alike. Yet after years of disorder, reformers and lawmen helped tame the city's wild ways, beginning Fort Smith's transformation into the prosperous city it is today. Yet buried beneath Fort Smith's infamous past are forgotten stories, untold tales, and little known facts concealed just below the city's historical surface. After years spent researching the city's history for his historical column in the Times Record, journalist Ben Boulden uncovers Fort Smith's hidden history.

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Introduction
• The Fort Cavorts: Wholesome Fun, Playing and Partying
• Rambling Boys of Pleasure and Ladies of Easy Leisure
• Lost and Fading: Places Long Gone or Going
• Getting There: Rail, Roads, River and Air
• Rocks and Ruins: Geology and Prehistory of Fort Smith
• Famous Fort Smith: Visitors and Natives of Note
• Namesakes: The Origins of Place Names Present and Forgotten
• Lost Communities
• First, Tallest, Most: Weird and Unique Features of Fort Smith
• List of Sources
• About the Author