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The statue of African American Bass Reeves stands tall looking towards Oklahoma, which used to be Indian Territory. This is often were U.S. Marshals, including Bass Reeves, would travel to from Fort Smith in search of criminals.            Bass Reeves was born as a slave in 1838 in Crawford County, Arkansas.<a href="#_ftn1" target="_blank">[1]</a> Reeves master, William Reeves, moved the family and slaves to Texas in 1846.<a href="#_ftn2" target="_blank">[2]</a> Bass Reeves soon became George Reeves servant. This lead to George taking Bass with him when the Civil War started.<a href="#_ftn3" target="_blank">[3]</a> Somehow during the war, Bass escaped from George and fled to Indian Territory as a free slave.<a href="#_ftn4" target="_blank">[4]</a> After the war was over, he returned to Van Buren, Arkansas.           Following Judge Isaac C. Parker’s appointment as judge of the Federal Western District Court in May of 1875, Bass Reeves was recruited as a U.S. Deputy Marshal by U.S. Marshal James F. Fagan.<a href="#_ftn5" target="_blank">[5]</a> Despite being illiterate, Reeves brought in more outlaws form eastern Indian Territory and western Arkansas than anyone else.<a href="#_ftn6" target="_blank">[6]</a> <a href="#_ftnref1" target="_blank">[1]</a> “Bass Reeves – Black Hero Marshal, Legends of America, <a href="https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-bassreeves/" target="_blank">https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-bassreeves/</a> (accessed December 13, 2019).<a href="#_ftnref2" target="_blank">[2]</a> Ibid.<a href="#_ftnref3" target="_blank">[3]</a> Ibid.<a href="#_ftnref4" target="_blank">[4]</a> Ibid.<a href="#_ftnref5" target="_blank">[5]</a> Ibid.<a href="#_ftnref6" target="_blank">[6]</a> “Bass Reeves Monument,” Fort Smit, Arkansas, <a href="https://www.fortsmith.org/bass-reeves-monument/" target="_blank">https://www.fortsmith.org/bass-reeves-monument/</a> (accessed December 13, 2019).

Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves-Click the link below to learn more about this book

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Entry about the statue on State of Arkansas Tourist website 

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Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves

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This statue is of a local African American named Bass Reeves. He was the first African America west of the Mississippi River to become a U.S. Marshal.  He served under the jurisdiction of Judge Isaac C. Parker.  This 25-foot statue depicts Reeves on horseback, with a rifle in his hand, and a dog at his side, as they head into what used to be Indian Territory. 

Bass Reeves Statue

While the 1969 novel "True Grit" by Charles Portis is a work of fiction, Portis's Western is deeply researched and reflects realities of life in Arkansas and Indian Territory (later Oklahoma) in the 1870s and 1880s. This tour seeks to bring the novel to life for visitors along the True Grit Trail.

Beginning in 1820 the Cherokee Chief Tahlonteskee asked the Presbyterian missionaries in Oklahoma to come over to Central Arkansas to establish a mission.  Reverend Cephas Washburn and Reverend Albert Finney decided to travel to Arkansas to answer the request from Chief Tahlonteskee. A good reason a mission was requested by the Cherokee was because the U.S. wanted to establish trading post amount Native Americans to trade furs and other resources to keep up diplomatic ties.                Major William Lewis Lovely, Colonel David Brearley, Colonel Matthew Lyon, and Major Lovely, all were Indian Agents in Arkansas and attempted to create better diplomatic relations between the Native American and the Whites. Even Major Lovely attempted to bring a detachment of federal troops to keep the peace between rebellious whites, Osage, and Cherokee Indians. 	Reverend Cephas Washburn and Reverend Albert Finney and their families encountered several problems. One was the families waited to travel to late into the year and faced the hard rainfalls and floods. Later in the year they would fight insects, heat, and malaria during the summer months. After meeting with the Cherokee committee, the Dwight Mission was selected to be in the Illinois Bayou, four miles above its mouth. 	The mission consisted of a mill dam, grist mill, sawmill, along with at least thirty-five other buildings. The construction cost of the entire mission would cost upwards to $10,250.00 at the time. The mission also bolstered a large crop of corn and potatoes along with cattle. The school at the mission also had over fifty students that would do missions to other tribes after graduation to help educate them. The mission would go on to print some of the first Cherokee alphabet pamphlets to help the Cherokee learn more. 	Towards the turn of the century the Dwight Mission would go in to decline. Most of the schools started to shutdown or were neglected. The Presbyterian Church Committee wanted to focus on matter more to the West rather than the East which did not help the Mission. There were also natives who did not learn English and felt that they were neglected since sermons were conducted in English. Eventually with the changings of border, Native American migrations to reservations would also hinder the mission until  its closing in the 1930’s.

During the 1820s Presbyterians from Oklahoma established the Dwight Mission in the Russellville area. This undertaking was the largest experiment that the Oklahoman Presbyterians would attempt to achieve. The goal was to convert and educate the Cherokee in the related area.  There were many obstacles in the way that would make this journey difficult for everyone.

Dwight Mission

In the year 1865, then Arkansas governor Isaac Murphy appoint a new sheriff to Pope County Arkansas, named Dodson Napier, who was a former federal officer in Civil War, along with his Deputy Albert M. Parks. On October 25th, 1865, both were shot in a horseback ambush, which leads to their deaths; this crime was committed by George W. Newton, a former confederate major. Their deaths sparked the controversy of sheriffs that were shot due to their connection with the union and the federal presence in Arkansas during reconstruction. Sheriffs that were shot include Morris Williams, who was shot by Matt Hale. After Williams’s death, Elisha W. Dodson and the younger brother of Williams, John H. Williams, were appointed by the governor. All of this set the bloody footwork for what was to come in the Pope County Militia War. Confederate sympathizers formed a militia and decided to act against the federal presence in the county. According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas:“In the spring of 1867, two federal companies under a Major Mulligan were stationed in Dover to help the civil authorities bring order to the area. The troops remained until 1869 when Governor Powell Clayton removed them. However, violence flared up again with the July 5th, 1872, assassination attempt upon Deputy Williams. In response, Dodson received permission from Orzo A. Hadley, who was serving as governor following Clayton’s 1871 resignation, to organize a company of Militia to clamp down on the violence.”This quote highlights the importance of these men’s actions and the near-constant stream of appointments and deaths that struck this small and relatively rural county. Then, in the county seat of Dover, Arkansas, on July 8th, 1872, with a population of about 8,500 to 14,000 people during this proto war.However, the issues came to a head when Sheriff Dodson and William A. Stewart arrested Jack Hale, William Joseph Tucker, and Isham Liberty West for their roles in several assassinations and other crimes. The Militia and their prisoners were transported into Yell County on their way to Dardanelle’s county seat when shots were fired in the darkness of night. These shots ultimately killed Rucker and William Hale; however, Nicholas Hale was bucked from his horse and hid in the path’s underbrush, and fled the crime scene. However, while the assailants were never identified, there was a search. The Hale’s posse and family maintained that they were not involved in the actions the night of July 8th.Throughout the rest of the year, leading into 1873, pope county continued to be embedded with strife and conflict. During these years, it is thought to have been the large Democratic Party presence in the county that helped to aid in these events occurring and recurring over these years, according to Gene Boyett, author of “The Black Experience in the First Decade of Reconstruction in Pope County, Arkansas.” According to David L. Vance, former Historian for Pope County, the peace was soon restored to the county after reconstruction and federal action inside the county.

The Pope County Militia War was an action involving several families and local elected officials during the Reconstruction years in Pope County, Arkansas. While these historic actions stand the test of memory now, this small county war stories should not be forgotten. With times of conflict and strife during reconstruction, it is no shock that federal reconstruction workers would soon send deep divides in the small rural county just to the north of the Arkansas River. While these historic locations no longer stand, we can see the Pope County Courthouse's current site, which during the time of these events would have been located in Dover.

The Pope County Militia War  

John Kirkbride Potts arrived in Arkansas with two families of enslaved persons and settled in an area south of the Arkansas River. He later met his wife, Pamelia Logan, and the couple moved to a two-story log cabin by Crow Mountain. Using John Potts' profit from a cattle drive, they built another home that was 2 and 1/2 stories using slave labor. It was a similar design to Potts' previous home in Pennsylvania.The Potts home soon became a waystation for travelers and was also a meeting place for area residents, and the home soon earned the nickname of "Pottsville." Mrs. Potts was popular among travelers for having the cleanest beds and best food, as was stated by many. It is known as one of the best-preserved places and is a fine example of antebellum architecture. There are 9 rooms, all featuring bricks made at the homesite. The community room or family room was where the men would smoke cigars and discuss serious politics. The first post office, known as "Galla Creek Post Office," in the area was located in the wide hall of the Potts home. It occupies a spot in the community room. This home had many important dinner guests including governors, military officials, and Cherokee chiefs. The parlor room was used for occasions such as tea parties and musicals. The attic was where the children would sleep among pallets when the inn was completely occupied. It remains in its original state. This previously hotel now operates as the "Potts Inn Museum" and offers artifacts, exhibits, and information about local history. Several of the fourteen original buildings constructed at this location have been preserved and the complex includes a doll museum and hat museum.

This local history museum preserves and shares the history of Pottsville within the former location of Potts Inn, a hotel constructed in the 1850s by Kirkbride and Pamelia Potts.

Potts Inn Museum

The migration of the Cherokees into the land that would become the Territory of Arkansas started in the 1780s and went through the 1820s. The Arkansas Cherokees came from east of the Mississippi River from their native lands in eastern Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. This immigration of the Cherokees into the soon to be Arkansas Territory was caused mainly by the pressure of white settlers moving west into native American lands, although some of the Cherokees came from eastern Tennessee because of Indian wars. One group of eastern Cherokees from Tennessee, led by chief Tahlonteskee, arrived in the Arkansas Territory in 1810. By 1812 this group had moved into the Arkansas River Valley. Two treaties were agreed to in 1817 and 1819 between the eastern Cherokees and the United States. In these treaties the Cherokees agreed to an exchange of land from their native territory in Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina for lands west of the Mississippi River. The Treaty of 1819 gave the Cherokees over three million acres of land in Arkansas Territory located north of the Arkansas River. This new land reserve for the Arkansas Cherokees covered almost the entire Arkansas Ozarks. Tahlonteskee died in 1819 and was replaced by his brother, John Jolly, as Principal Chief of the Arkansas Cherokees. Besides dealing with disputes over the boundaries of the Cherokee Territory, Chief John Jolly had to contend with a constant conflict between the Arkansas Cherokees and the Osage Nation who bordered the Cherokee lands. Another area of contention was also the delay in the payment of an annuity promised to the Cherokees in the treaties with the United States government. These issues of land boundaries, the conflict with the Osage Indians, and the non-payment of annuities were all reasons for council meetings between the Arkansas Cherokees and officials of the United States government. Many of these council meetings took place in Dardanelle at a Cherokee council site located on the Arkansas River under the canopy of white oak trees. The famous meeting, for which the city park in Dardanelle was dedicated, took place on June 24, 1823 at the Cherokee council site. The Arkansas Cherokees were represented by Principal Chief John Jolly, Chief Black Fox, Chief Walter M. Webber, Chief Water Minnow, Chief Young Glass, Chief Thomas Graves, and Chief George Morris. The United States delegation was led by Robert Crittenden, the Acting Governor of the Arkansas Territory. The Cherokee chiefs in a letter to Secretary of War John C. Calhoun wrote, “on this day we have had a talk in council to Robert Crittenden the acting governor of this Territory, in which council, amoung other things the boundaries of our nation was discussed.” One of the main points of contention after the Treaty of 1819 was that a number of Cherokees were living on the south side of the Arkansas River. According to former Cherokee Agent, Col. David Brearley in a letter, dated April 24 1823, to Secretary Calhoun, “about two fifths of the Cherokees, are Settled on the South side of the Arkansas River…”. Crittenden concurs with Brearley in a letter to Secretary Calhoun when he writes that “the Cherokees Twelve Hundred of whom are residing on and cultivating the land ceded by the recent treaty to the Choctaws.” This was the territory south of the Arkansas River. The Cherokee Nation in Arkansas wrote to President James Monroe in 1819 that “the President had given the Cherokees land at the Dardanelles. We were so much pleased that we came here, where we now are.” Also, the Cherokees now claimed that the Choctaw Indians were allowing them to be on the south side of the Arkansas River and that it was of no concern to the United States. Crittenden writes in the same letter to Secretary Calhoun, “I told them the Choctaw Treaty was founded on mistake, and consequently no Treaty;”. The result of the council meeting was that the Cherokees did receive payment of their annuity but there was no final agreement on the boundaries for their nation until 1828. Due to the encroachment of white settlers into Cherokee lands and the need for new citizens in any future application for statehood, the United States put pressure on the Arkansas Cherokees to exchange their lands in Arkansas Territory for lands west in what would become Indian Territory (the future state of Oklahoma). The Arkansas Cherokees were reluctant to make this agreement, especially Chief John Jolly. But after a much-disputed tract of land, Lovely’s Purchase, part of which was ceded to the Cherokees, the Treaty of 1828 was agreed on. The Treaty of 1828 between the Arkansas Cherokees and the United States saw the removal of the Cherokee Nation from the Arkansas Territory. Council Oaks Park was dedicated on March 20, 1930 by the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) of Arkansas. The park is also famous for the massive white oak trees that occupied the council site. Only one of these old oaks is still standing. It received the award, from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, in 2011 as White Oak Champion Tree, signifying that it was the largest white oak tree (Quercus alba) in Arkansas at that time. Council Oaks Park is open year-round and is located in a beautiful, quiet part of Dardanelle.

From the years 1817 to 1828, Council Oaks Park was a Cherokee council site. At this location, many meetings took place between representatives of the Arkansas Cherokees and the United States government. One important meeting occurred on June 24, 1823 between several Cherokee chiefs, led by Principal Chief John Jolly, and Robert Crittenden, the Acting Governor of the Arkansas Territory. This council meeting concerned the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation in the Arkansas Territory.  The result of this negotiation was that both parties wrote letters to John C. Calhoun, the Secretary of War, appealing for his help.

Council Oaks Park

In January 1865, Union forces held control over much of Northern Arkansas and had established multiple encampments along the Arkansas River between Little Rock and Fort Smith. Colonel Abraham H. Ryan of the Union army sent a flotilla consisting of the Ad. Hines, the Annie Jacobs, the Lotus, and the New Chippewa up the Arkansas River from Little Rock to deliver supplies to Fort Smith. Major James D. Jenks of the First Iowa Cavalry and the detachment of cavalry soldiers of the Seventh Army Core in his command accompanied the flotilla on its journey. Around the same time, Confederate Colonel Robert Brooks* led 1,500 Confederate troops from southwest Arkansas to Dardanelle. His company was comprised of his own men along with cavalry from Colonel Ras. Stirman’s and Colonel Robert C. Newton’s ranks. Their purpose was to occupy the town, assess how strong Union presence was along the Arkansas River, and to maintain control over the South bank. On January 14, 1865, the flotilla arrived at Dardanelle in the morning and Major Jenks left the flotilla with 276 union cavalry soldiers to occupy the stockades and streets of Dardanelle while the steamboats continued on their course. Jenks and his men manned the earthworks in Dardanelle for four hours before Major Brooks began his attack. Despite being vastly outnumbered, Jenks’ men made use of their two pieces of artillery, trading shots with the Confederates and their single artillery unit for four hours. Brooks withdrew his men at that point in order to pursue the flotilla, which he engaged on its return journey three days later at Ivey’s Ford. Confederate losses totaled 81 while the Union lost about 17 men in this last major conflict between the Union and the Confederacy in Arkansas. During the course of the battle, a soldier under Jenks’ command, First Sergeant William Ellis (Elise)** showed his courage and valor by remaining at his assigned post after receiving three separate gun-shot wounds, only leaving his post after receiving a fourth wound and a direct order from his commanding officer to seek medical help for his injuries. Ellis was promoted to Second Lieutenant on March 9, 1865 after becoming the first Arkansan to be awarded the Medal of Honor for Valor for his action at Dardanelle. Today, the area on the south bank of the Arkansas River where this skirmish occurred is built up as a residential area. Dardanelle Rock is located at the west edge of the site and serves as a natural overlook for the battle area. There is a short but steep trail that leads to the top with a commemorative marker which is located at the base of the trail. The marker was placed at the pinned location on the map in 2010 by the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission and the Arkansas National Heritage Commission. *Colonel Robert Brooks is also referred to as Colonel William H. Brooks at times. **Though he enlisted as William Ellis, his last name was misspelled as ‘Elise’ on his medal and now appears this way on some official documents.

By 1865, though the Civil War had begun to wane, battles and skirmishes continued to unfold as the Confederacy executed its final attempts to withstand the Union. While the Union ultimately won the war and Reconstruction was already in motion to some degree, the spirit of soldiers on both sides can be seen in these last efforts to stand their ground, as they did at Dardanelle.

Action at Dardanelle

The Logan County “Old Jail” was built in 1903. It was a two-story building that was built northwest. The jail was broken up into two sections, one for the warden and his family to live in and the other side was where the prisoners were located.In August of 1971, the jail did not pass fire safe codes and was condemned and closed. It was unsafe for prisoners and the warden and his family to live in. The jail was used for over sixty-seven years, housing many prisoners and jailers.One of these prisoners was John Arthur Tillman, the last man hung in the state of Arkansas. John Arthur Tillman (1891-1914) was the last man hung in Arkansas. From the day he was arrested to the day he was hung, Tillman stated he was innocent. Tillman was arrested in 1913. He was arrested for the murder of Amanda Stephens, age 19, on March 10, who lived north of Delaware. Amanda left a note on her pillow suggesting that she was running away, but told her friends she was going to a dance with Tillman.  When she didn’t come home, he contacted authorities and they issued a warrant for Arthur’s arrest for seduction. On March 18, 1913, Amanda Stephens was found dead in a well on the property of Ambrose Johnson. Johnson said he saw a man from his porch who looked like Arthur Tillman, sneaking up to his well and looking inside. Later, he looked in the well and found that it had been filled with rocks. With the help of friends, Johnson removed the rocks finding Amanda’s body. Amanda had been shot in the head. It was concluded that she was shot in the head from above with a .22 caliber weapon and also concluded that she was four months pregnant. Tillman was found hiding at his uncle’s house in Clarksville, after he heard there was a warrant for his arrest. He wasater caught in Fort Smith. His first trial began August 27, 1913 and ended with a hung jury. The second trial ended on November 1 with a conviction and sentencing. His hanging was originally scheduled for March 10, 1914, the anniversary of Amanda’s murder, but attempts to appeal the sentence postponed the hanging until July. Years later following Tillman’s hanging, his first cousin and best friend, James Frank Tillman, told the true story to his granddaughter when she had asked him about Arthur’s innocence. James Tillman stated that Arthur had killed Amanda because she was pregnant, claiming it was Arthur’s baby, and he was in love with another woman. He said, “Don’t worry yourself sweetheart, they hung the right man”. The jail would not lose its history, as a museum was established in the fall of 1972. The museum is still open to this day where many people come and go to see where Arthur Tillman was hung. The gallows are still there where Arthur was hung.

The Logan County Jail was built in 1903, on the northwest side of the town square. The jail section was built so it was above ground. The warden and his family lived in one section of the building while the jail was in the other section. The jail section had its own entrance apart from the warden and his family.This landmark is considered a national site, where the last man in Arkansas was hung.The last hanging was Arthur Tillman, which they used the gallows, on July 15, 1914. 

 Logan County "Old Jail" Museum - Last Man Hung in Arkansas

Arkansas seceded following the Confederate firing upon Fort Sumter and Abraham Lincoln's call for troops in April 1861. That same month, Fort Smith was evacuated by the United States army and occupied by the Confederacy. During the Civil War, Fort Smith and Sebastian County provided many recruits to the Confederate army, although a number of local citizens enlisted in the Union army as well. In August of 1863, following Confederate defeat at the Battle of Honey Springs in nearby Indian Territory, Union forces occupied the town. They fortified and controlled the town until war's end, although Confederate forces tested its defenses several times. In 1867 following the war, the government designed the post's cemetery as Fort Smith National Cemetery, in which nearly 500 Confederate casualties are buried. The first efforts to commemorate the Confederate dead arose in the 1870s, when a small sandstone monument was erected in the cemetery honoring dead Confederate Generals Alexander E. Steen and James McIntosh. It was destroyed by a tornado, however, in January 1898. A temporary marker to "The Unknown Confederate Dead" was erected, but a local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy was formed, in part from a desire to "to fulfill the sacred charity toward monuments to our dead."[2] Through various civic events and the help of the United Confederate Veterans, the UDC raised over $2,300 for the monument. The marble monument depicts a Confederate soldier standing vigil atop a granite shaft. The monument is inscribed: "Lest We Forget1861-1865Our Confederate DeadErected by the Varina Jefferson Davis Chapter,Daughters of ConfederacyFort Smith, Ark. 1903"[2] The monument was intended to go into the National Cemetery as its predecessors, but in 1902, the Quartermaster General of the United States Army and Secretary of War Elihu Root denied the UDC permission to place the monument on cemetery grounds. As the monument featured a Confederate soldier, Confederate flags, and the phrase "Lest We Forget," the government "suggested modifications."[2] The Federal government's rejection of these Lost Cause symbols infuriated the local press. The city of Fort Smith stepped in and allowed the UDC to place the monument on Sebastian County Courthouse grounds. The monument was dedicated on September 10, 1903. The mayor asked local business to close for the ceremony, and citizens and veterans alike poured into the town. The Fort Smith Times noted, "octogenarians lost the shuffle of age and stepped briskly along the streets with minds quickened and the spirit of '61 dominant."[1] The mayor asked lo Among the speakers was Senator James H. Berry, himself a Confederate veteran and active member of the United Confederate Veterans. Berry blasted the government's refusal to allow the monument into the National Cemetery, stating "it is our cause, it is our monument, and they are our dead, and we will never permit any man who is not in sympathy with the cause to say what shall be engraved upon it, or write the dedication or epitaph of our dead soldiers.”[1] In 2020, amidst a nationwide reckoning with systemic racism and Confederate monuments, local resident Danielle Hoopes began a petition calling for the monument's removal from courthouse grounds. The petition declared, "As citizens of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the U.S., that want to see our cities grow and prosper, we should be open and welcoming to all people. This statue is a clear and present ode to the values of the Confederacy that we do not share."[3] The local UDC opposes the monuments removal. As their lawyer Joey McCutchen claimed, "Many Confederate monuments were to remember the dead. The Confederate monument on the Sebastian County Courthouse is just that -- a reminder that too many people died. Learn from the past and do not repeat it."[6] The county is apparently weighing options and reaching out to various parties, but has not yet taken any action regarding the monument. Fort Smith Mayor George McGill praised the discussion: "We are watching democracy at work, citizens are finding meaningful and effective ways to participate in the decision-making processes and the actions that affect them in their city."[6]

During the Civil War, Fort Smith and Sebastian County primarily supported the Confederacy, and the town was occupied by both United States and Confederates forces. Many Confederate dead were buried in the post's cemetery, which was designated as Fort Smith National Cemetery in 1867. In the 1870s, a small monument was erected in the cemetery to several Confederate generals, but it was destroyed by a tornado in 1898. A local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy formed shortly after and raised over $2,300 to erect a large replacement monument honoring Confederate dead. The United States government refused to allow the Confederate monument on cemetery grounds, so the city allowed the monument to be erected on courthouse grounds. It was dedicated on September 10, 1903 to much fanfare. In the summer of 2020, a local petition circulated calling for the monuments removal, but the city has yet to take any course of action regarding the monument.

Fort Smith Confederate Monument

The Fort Smith National Cemetery dates back to the first burials at this location in 1819, just a few years after Fort Smith was founded. It is believed that Fort Smith surgeon Thomas Russell was the first person interned here. Numerous Confederate soldiers and two generals were buried here during the Civil War years, including 475 unknown soldiers. President Grant ordered in 1871 that cemetery be revitalized by the War Department and remain operational for future military burials. A majority of the cemetery uses the headstones provided by the government, but there are also many civilians buried here including Joel Stubblefield, an educator and administrator who helped build the local college into a four-year institution. The infamous Judge Parker, known as "the hanging judge" is also buried here. The cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 29, 1999.

Fort Smith National Cemetery is located at the site of a local cemetery that was originally created in the early 1800s. Over 13,000 soldiers and some notable civilians have been buried at Fort Smith National Cemetery. There are multiple Civil War generals and over 1000 unidentified soldiers buried in the cemetery which continues to accept new internments. \

Fort Smith National Cemetery

<div>To Eastern Americans,&nbsp;particularly&nbsp;those in the west, Native Americans were foreign, and&nbsp;therefore&nbsp;something to be feared and resented in their eyes. For a long&nbsp;time,&nbsp;the land that they had inhabited for years&nbsp;was seen as&nbsp;desirable, but the claimed “Indian&nbsp;Problem” was&nbsp;debated in how to best deal with the&nbsp;Native&nbsp;Americans. Some, such as&nbsp;George&nbsp;Washington, said that the best method was to “civilize them,” or rather, to make the Native Americans behave in manners that were&nbsp;like&nbsp;European&nbsp;customs. This meant converting them to Christianity, teaching them English, and practicing&nbsp;European&nbsp;economics. Some members of the&nbsp;Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, Creek and Cherokee tribes would conform to this, becoming known as “The&nbsp;Five&nbsp;Civilized&nbsp;Tribes.”&nbsp;</div><div>Regardless of how “civilized” these people were in some eyes, there were others that still despised them and desired&nbsp;Native&nbsp;American property for its value. Native American livestock would be stolen, houses burned to the ground, and mass murders would ensue throughout&nbsp;Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida. Eventually state&nbsp;governments&nbsp;would come to aid in Native American removal by passing laws stripping them of their rights and&nbsp;liberties, and although these were fought against, such treatments would endure. President Andrew Jackson, who had long been a fan of removing&nbsp;Native&nbsp;Americans would eventually sign the Indian Removal Act in 1830, and in 1831, against the laws stating that the Native Americans needed to agree to the terms peacefully, he would send his government to threaten them to leave. The&nbsp;Choctaw&nbsp;were the first to be forced away, a journey entirely on foot with no food, supplies, or help from the government, and thousands would die. Next would be the Creeks in 1836, where 3,500 of the 15,000 who left for the journey would not survive.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>The&nbsp;Cherokee&nbsp;were divided on the best method to resolve the issue. Some felt that they should remain and fight, while others believed that they could come up with a deal that would prove to be favorable to them. In 1835, some&nbsp;self-appointed&nbsp;representatives of the tribe made a treaty with Congress to leave in exchange&nbsp;for&nbsp;five&nbsp;million dollars, relocation assistance, and compensation for lost property. Congress agreed, however,&nbsp;many&nbsp;Cherokee felt that this was an act that did not properly represent their people, and nearly 16,000 would sign a petition saying this. Congress would ignore this plea, however, and&nbsp;President Martin Van Buren&nbsp;would send General Winfield Scott&nbsp;and 7,000 soldiers to remove the Cherokee people. Cherokee houses were pillaged by the soldiers, and then the Cherokee would be&nbsp;marched over 1,200 miles&nbsp;by&nbsp;bayonet&nbsp;across the Mississippi River.&nbsp;Whooping cough, typhus, dysentery, cholera and starvation were all major concerns to the Cherokee who received no aid and had no supplies, and 5,000 would die as a result.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Tens of thousands of&nbsp;Native&nbsp;Americans would be removed from their homeland by the 1840’s with thousands more dying along the way. What little territory they were given continued to decrease and decrease, and with the creation of&nbsp;Oklahoma&nbsp;as a state in 1907, all Native American territory would be removed despite the federal government’s promise to leave their land alone. The Trail of Tears marker within the last camp for the Cherokee would be created&nbsp;in&nbsp;1936&nbsp;by The Noon Civics Club as a constant reminder of the journey that so many were forced to make.&nbsp;</div>

In the early 1830’s in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida, over 100,000 Native Americans lived on land that had been owned by them for generations. By the end of the decade, however, few Native Americans lived in Southeastern U.S. Due to the valuable land that they lived on, European Americans desired such territory for the cotton that it could grow. Eventually the Federal Government would step in, forcing the Native Americans to leave into their now designated “Indian Territory.” The long and deadly journey along the Mississippi River would come to be known as the Trail of Tears, and in 1936 a monument would be created at one of the last resting camps of the traveling men and women along the trail. 

Trail of Tears Monument

These two museums provide visitors with great experiences at viewing the history of Fort Smith in unique ways. The Museum of History has a few hands-on exhibits that allow guests to experience history. The Trolley Museum provides trolley rides, in which they will sometimes allow young kids to help drive.The Fort Smith Museum of History is located in the 1906 Atkinson-Williams Warehouse and includes exhibits such as an old fashioned soda fountain, where visitors can purchase ice cream sodas, floats, sundaes , and other items within a recreated pharmacy from the early 20th century. The Fort Smith Trolley Museum interprets the history of public transportation in the region which dates back to 1883 when the Fort Smith Railway Company started operations.

The Fort Smith Museum of History was established in 1910 and offers exhibits that interpret the history of Native Americans, early settlers of European descent, and the growth of the community in the 19th and 20th century. Highlights of the museum include the courtroom, collections of military memorabilia, exhibits related to agriculture and business, and a collection of radios and other items related to the history of technology. The historic trolley, which is part of the Fort Smith Trolley Museum, stops right outside the museum to provide rides for visitors between the two museums. 

Fort Smith Museum of History and Historic Tolley

The Fort Smith National Historic Site shares 80 years of Fort Smith history with visitors from across the country and around the world. When guest enter the visitor center, they are greeted by National Park Rangers who give them an overview of what they can see inside the building and outside. 	Inside the main building, visitors typically begin by watching a short film that provides the 80 year history in about 15 minutes. After the film, visitors can make their way down the hall to see the first jail, nicknamed the “Hell on the Boarder” jail. Visitors can then continue upstairs where they can see a recreation of the second jail that was built. In this area, there are also exhibits on Deputy Marshals. Continuing on through the latter portion of the museum, visitors can see exhibits on military and the Trail of Tears before entering Judge Parker’s courtroom. This exhibit is what most people come to see. When visitors finish inside they can explore the grounds where they can see a recreation of the gallows, the Commissary which is the oldest building in Fort Smith, and they can travel out to see the foundations of the First Fort Smith.	For those wanting to come to the museum they are open from 9 am to 5 pm every day except New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.<a href="#_ftn1" target="_blank">[1]</a> To go through the museum it will cost $10 for those sixteen and older and those under sixteen are free.<a href="#_ftn2" target="_blank">[2]</a> This price will cover seven consecutive days of reentry.<a href="#_ftn3" target="_blank">[3]</a> The museum also accepts any America the Beautiful National Park Passes.<a href="#_ftn4" target="_blank">[4]</a> This is a great museum for all ages. <a href="#_ftnref1" target="_blank">[1]</a> “Operating Hours &amp; Seasons,” National Park Service, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/fosm/planyourvisit/hours.htm" target="_blank">https://www.nps.gov/fosm/planyourvisit/hours.htm</a> (accessed December 13, 2019).<a href="#_ftnref2" target="_blank">[2]</a> “Fees &amp; Passes,” National Park Service, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/fosm/planyourvisit/fees.htm" target="_blank">https://www.nps.gov/fosm/planyourvisit/fees.htm</a> (accessed December 13, 2019).<a href="#_ftnref3" target="_blank">[3]</a> Ibid.<a href="#_ftnref4" target="_blank">[4]</a> Ibid.

The Fort Smith National Historic Site covers around 80 years of Fort Smith, Arkansas history from 1817 to 1896.  This site primarily focuses on the years in which Judge Isaac C. Parker served the Federal Court of the Western District of Arkansas, 1875-1896.  This site includes an indoor museum, several outdoor exhibits, and a walking trail that leads visitors to the foundations of the First Fort Smith. This National Park Site is a great place to take friends and family to learn more about the history of the town.

Fort Smith National Historic Site

The four story Judge Isaac C. Parker Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse was constructed in 1936 and planned by architect Louis A. Simon. The courthouse was the primary location from where United States law was enforced in the Arkansas territory. 	At the time this court house enforced law in the frontier of the American government at times punishing criminals that resided within the Indian territory.	Judge Isaac Parker, The Hanging Judge, was the most famous arbiter of law that presided in this courthouse. Although Isaac Parker was born in Ohio on October 15, 1838 he soon moved to Missouri to pursue a career in law. 	Judge Isaac Parker presided over 13.490 cases over 74,000 square miles, 9,454 of such cases resulted in conviction and 160 people in those cases were sentenced to death. This record gave Isaac Parker his nickname. The Hanging Judge.

The federal courthouse is not a tourist attraction and is still in operation. This was the courthouse where famous Judge Isaac Parker practiced law. Isaac Parker is famous for bringing law to the furthest extents of American territory(at that time) and notorious for his use of hanging as a punishment. Hence his moniker 'The Hanging Judge.'

Judge Isaac Parker's Courthouse

The statue of African American Bass Reeves stands tall looking towards Oklahoma, which used to be Indian Territory. This is often were U.S. Marshals, including Bass Reeves, would travel to from Fort Smith in search of criminals.            Bass Reeves was born as a slave in 1838 in Crawford County, Arkansas.<a href="#_ftn1" target="_blank">[1]</a> Reeves master, William Reeves, moved the family and slaves to Texas in 1846.<a href="#_ftn2" target="_blank">[2]</a> Bass Reeves soon became George Reeves servant. This lead to George taking Bass with him when the Civil War started.<a href="#_ftn3" target="_blank">[3]</a> Somehow during the war, Bass escaped from George and fled to Indian Territory as a free slave.<a href="#_ftn4" target="_blank">[4]</a> After the war was over, he returned to Van Buren, Arkansas.           Following Judge Isaac C. Parker’s appointment as judge of the Federal Western District Court in May of 1875, Bass Reeves was recruited as a U.S. Deputy Marshal by U.S. Marshal James F. Fagan.<a href="#_ftn5" target="_blank">[5]</a> Despite being illiterate, Reeves brought in more outlaws form eastern Indian Territory and western Arkansas than anyone else.<a href="#_ftn6" target="_blank">[6]</a> <a href="#_ftnref1" target="_blank">[1]</a> “Bass Reeves – Black Hero Marshal, Legends of America, <a href="https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-bassreeves/" target="_blank">https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-bassreeves/</a> (accessed December 13, 2019).<a href="#_ftnref2" target="_blank">[2]</a> Ibid.<a href="#_ftnref3" target="_blank">[3]</a> Ibid.<a href="#_ftnref4" target="_blank">[4]</a> Ibid.<a href="#_ftnref5" target="_blank">[5]</a> Ibid.<a href="#_ftnref6" target="_blank">[6]</a> “Bass Reeves Monument,” Fort Smit, Arkansas, <a href="https://www.fortsmith.org/bass-reeves-monument/" target="_blank">https://www.fortsmith.org/bass-reeves-monument/</a> (accessed December 13, 2019).

The United States Marshals Museum was scheduled for a September 2019 opening but as of December 2019 the building is almost complete and work continues on the interior. When complete, the museum will be dived into five sections that cover the history of the U.S. Marshals as well as a Hall of Honor that was dedicated on September 24, 2019, the 230th anniversary of the creation of the U.S. Marshals Service. The exterior of the building is designed based on the star badge worn by Marshals.

The United States Marshals Museum was located in Laramie, Washington until 2002. In 2007, the federal government selected Fort Smith as the new location of the museum and as of December 2019,  the museum is still being constructed. This museum will feature exhibits that share the history of the United States Marshals with artifacts and interpretive panels with the goal of expanding knowledge about the history of federal law enforcement.  

United States Marshals Museum

The Belle Grove Historic District consist of 22-square blocks of homes from the late 1800s along with brick-lined streets and contributing properties that date back to as early as the antebellum period. Many of these homes belonged to political leaders, merchants, attorneys, bankers, and physicians of early Fort Smith. This historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 16, 1973.One of the most notable homes in the district, Clayton House, belonged to William Henry Harrison Clayton. Clayton was the chief prosecutor for Judge Isaac C. Parker and purchased this antebellum home and transformed into an Italianate-style mansion. The home fell into disrepair in the 20th century and would have likely been demolished had it not been for the efforts of local resident Julia Yadon. Today Clayton House is home to a local history museum that offers a variety of exhibits as well as a guided tour thanks to the Fort Smith Heritage Foundation.

The anchor of the Belle Grove Historic District, Clayton House belonged to William Henry Harrison Clayton and now serves as a small museum operated by the Fort Smith Heritage Foundation. The museum interprets the history of Fort Smith at the turn-of-the-century through exhibits as well as guided tours, special events, and themed fundraisers that are held throughout the year such as the "Gaslight Gala." The Belle Grove Historic District is a 22-square block area on the northwestern side of Fort Smith, Arkansas that included numerous homes that date back to the late 18th century.

Clayton House and Belle Grove Historic District

The Fairview Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Van Buren and it was built in the year 1816. This still active cemetery has been around since the early years of Van Buren’s existence dating back to when early settlers came into the town. As the city expanded, a man named John Drennen donated 10 acres to create the first public cemetery for the town. There are a few significant portions of the cemetery. The first is the section where Civil War Confederate soldiers are buried. There are reportedly 442 known Confederate soldiers that are buried here in the Cemetery with only 8 Union soldiers buried here as well.The cemetery is also the final resting place for many significant individuals and families of early Van Buren history as well as criminals who were executed and not claimed by their families.There is one piece of Van Buren history that is located in Fairview Cemetery that has always interested people, the “Mystery Grave.” Not much is known about the gravesite that is made of four large flat rocks that create a rectangle shape with a curved rock as the headstone. This grave is believed to belong to one of two people with those people being one of Hernando de Soto’s soldiers or a Viking. It started out as a private burial ground before becoming an actual cemetery.The Confederate section of the Fairview Cemetery made it on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. The whole cemetery itself would follow suit years later in 2005. It made it on the Register for its relevance to the history of Van Buren. The Confederate section made it on, because of the association to the Civil War and other local organizations. It is a very important historical place filled with much historical knowledge for the town’s early days.

Built in 1816, The Fairview Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Van Buren, Arkansas. This cemetery is home to the graves of early settlers to the region and, most significantly, Confederate soldiers that fought during the American Civil War. The Confederate troops even have their own section inside the cemetery. The burial of individuals at this cemetery began around 1846 after the land donation by John Drennen. There are around 460 soldiers who are buried at this cemetery.

Fairview Cemetery

Crawford County, Arkansas was established in 1820 and included portions of eight counties as well as a section of Indian Territory. The Crawford County Courthouse was originally built in 1840-41. The original building burned in 1876. Due to portions of the building not being damaged, they were able to rebuild and enlarge the building in 1890. The clock tower on the structure is part of the original building.On the grounds of the courthouse stands another historic structure, the Albert Pike Schoolhouse. The schoolhouse was originally built in 1820. It was kept at its original location for a little over one hundred years until 1936 when it was moved to the University of Arkansas. In 1974 it was brought back to Crawford County and has been located next to the courthouse ever since.These two structures are located at the Southwest end of Historic Main Street. Many other historic building have stood on Main Street. These buildings, those that are still standing, are now homes to local stores, restaurants, and a stage theater. This road has also been used in films, most notable was The Blue and the Gray.

Portions of this historic courthouse date back to 1840 when the original building was constructed. While much of that structure was destroyed in an 1876 fire, some of the original building survived and were part of an 1890 expansion of the historic courthouse. This building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as being the oldest active courthouse west of the Mississippi River.  On the grounds of the courthouse stands another historic building, the Albert Pike Schoolhouse. This schoolhouse was built in 1820 and the future Confederate General Albert Pike taught students here before he moved to Little Rock. 

Crawford County Courthouse and Albert Pike Schoolhouse

The Drennen-Scott House was the home to Van Buren co-founder John Drennen, an Indian agent responsible for paying Cherokee Indians settlements for relocating. The home was owned by the family until 2005 when it was donated to the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.The land for the home was purchased in 1836, selected due to its location providing ease of visibility to the Arkansas River below. This area, called Phillips Landing, allowed Drennen and his brother-in-law David Thompson to see the arrival of their steamboats without having to worry about constant flooding. The home began as a one-room structure that grew as the family grew. Drennen’s daughter, Caroline, married Charles Scott, who would continue the family legacy. This is why the home is known as the Drennen-Scott House.The house is now used by the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Historical Interpretation Program, which welcomes visitors to explore the ground outside the house and the interior, which contains some of the original structure and furniture.

The Drennen-Scott House was the residence of Van Buren co-founder John Drennen and his descendants. This house is owned by the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and used by the Historical Interpretation Program as a way to provide students with real-life experience in public history. As such, the house is open to the public and offers a visitor center.

Drennen-Scott House

Mississippian Culture

The Mississippian Period refers to the time period around
1000-1550 A.D., when millions of people belonging to at least sixty independent
American Indian tribes from the Midwest and Southeast were loosely united by
trade, religious and political systems, cultural practices, and a common
iconographic writing system [1; 3; 4]. The Mississippians were
horticulturalists and shared the practice of mound-building, not only for burials,
but also as building platforms. Mississippian Culture (also called the
Southeastern Ceremonial Complex) stretched from Oklahoma and Texas to Ohio and
from Minnesota to northern Florida. There were four regional mound centers at
Cahokia in Illinois, Moundville in Alabama, Etowah in Georgia, and Spiro in
Oklahoma. The southwestern Mississippian Culture is referred to as Caddo
Mississippian, though there is ongoing debate as to whether or not the earlier
culture is tied to the present-day Caddo-speaking tribes of Oklahoma [1; 3; 6].&nbsp;

Spiro, from Seasonal Camp
to Ceremonial Center

Archaeological evidence indicates that the Spiro Mound land
was used as a seasonal campsite as many as 8,000 years ago, developing into a
small farming village around 800 A.D. and growing into a large city and
important ceremonial center over the next few centuries. Each of the twelve
mounds on the site are built up of layers of earth which was carried basket by
basket. Nine of the mounds were constructed as house platforms for Spiro's
leaders, two were platforms for temples, and one (known as Craig Mound) was for
elite burials. Around 1300, the bulk of the population moved to surrounding
areas, leaving the Spiro Mounds as a primarily ceremonial and mortuary site
until 1450, when its importance in the region declined for unknown reasons.
Only a small population remained at Spiro until it was abandoned altogether
around 1600 [1; 2; 4; 6].



In the nineteenth century, the area was home to Choctaw
farmers who left the mounds undisturbed. From 1933-1935, the burial mound
(Craig Mound) was looted by commercial diggers, resulting in the destruction of
a third of the structure itself and the sale of thousands of unstudied artifacts
to collectors. Fortunately, as the site's importance became evident based on
the number of artifacts, their sophistication, and the quality of their
preservation (even fabric and basketweave were recovered), the state of
Oklahoma placed the Spiro Mounds under protection, and the commercial looting
was stopped. The following year, in 1936, the University of Oklahoma began
academic archaeological excavation of the site, employing WPA workers for the digging
[1; 2; 4]. What remained of Craig Mound held over 600 burials, and the site overall
contained trade goods from the East, West, and Gulf coasts, as well as the
Great Lakes [6]. The Spiro Mounds have yielded the largest collection of sacred
objects in North America deposited at a single site [5]. The wealth of Spiro is
attributed to its position on the Arkansas River, as a trade hub for the
Mississippian Culture to the east and the Great Plains to the west. Most of the
non-local goods at Spiro come from Mississippian locations including Cahokia in
Illinois, the Appalachian Mountains, and the Gulf Coast. It is speculated that
the people of Spiro traded perishable items such as bison meat and hides, bows,
and bow wood in exchange [6].&nbsp;

Precisely who the people of Spiro might have been is a
subject of academic debate. The most widely accepted theory is that Spiro's residents
were speakers of the Caddoan language, ancestors of today's Wichita, Kitsai, or
Caddo peoples [4]. The Caddo Homeland to the north of the Arkansas Basin (where
the Spiro Mounds are located) appear to have had distinct cultures from 800-1600
A.D. There are, however, many cultural similarities, and the Caddo people
showed significant diversity from one local area to another. To blur the lines
further, the peoples of both areas traded peacefully with one another for over
800 years, with evidence suggesting cultural exchanges as well as goods [6].



The Spiro Mounds Archaeological
Center opened in 1978, owned and operated by the Oklahoma Historical Society
[1]. Since 2011, the Spiro Landscape Archaeological Project has been
investigating the site using non-invasive technologies such as ground
penetrating radar and electrical resistance to identify new archaeological
features on the site. This research has revealed the presence of rows of temporary
shelters erected for visitors attending ceremonies held at Craig Mound [5].

The 150-acre Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center includes an interpretive center and trail system connecting the twelve mounds on the site. The mounds were part of a ceremonial complex created between 600 and 1450 C.E. It became part of the larger Mississippian Culture, with trade networks and cultural influences spanning from California to the East Coast. Offering tours led by professional archaeologists, rotating exhibits, and nature and cultural trails, it is the only American Indian archaeological site in the state of Oklahoma which is open to the public [2; 4].

Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center

It is believed that Sequoyah was born between 1770 and 1776 in the village of Tuskegee. No one knows who Sequoyah's father was, but some believe that he was Nathaniel Gist, a fur trader from Virginia. Facts concerning his mother are also skewed, it is believed that his mother was either the daughter or niece of a Cherokee Chief in the Red Paint Clan, her name was Wut-teh. Sequoyah did not have any sibling and was raised solely by his mother. While growing up Sequoyah never learnt English, him and his mother only spoke in Cherokee. When Sequoyah was a child he was very intelligent and was able to work well with his hands. As he got older he picked up the trade of silversmithing producing items with silver coins that trappers and traders had with them. 

	After his mother's death it is believed that Sequoyah took over her trading business. He started drinking alcohol and soon let the majority of his farm and the business crumble in order to stay drunk. Once he realized that he was wasting the majority of his life he began to draw and started to work as a Blacksmith. Sequoyah was able to establish a self-run business by repairing items and selling the ones that he had created. Many people purchased the bridle bits and spurs because he decorated them using silver. 

   During the War of 1812, Sequoyah along with other Cherokee Indians enlisted in the United States army in order to fight the British alongside General Andrew Jackson. Prior to enlisting Sequoyah had moved to the state of Alabama. The daughter of a Cherokee Chief, Wut-teh, was his mother. During the War of 1812 Sequoyah and other Cherokee Indians enlisted to fight alongside General Andrew Jackson. 

     Sequoyah was impressed by the written aspect of the English language often referring to their correspondence as &ldquo;talking leaves.&rdquo; He realized that this was a way in which people with a great amount of distance between them could communicate. The Cherokee nation believed that writing was a form of sorcery; however he did not follow these explanations. By the year 1809 Sequoyah began working on a system of writing for the Cherokee language. The first year he spent working on creating a character for each word in the language. This original copy is believed to have been burnt by his wife. After a few failed attempts Sequoyah created a system of eighty six characters, some of which were Latin letters that he had seen in a book. Sequoyah's language was accepted by the Cherokee Nation in 1825. He moved to a spot outside of present day Sallisaw, Oklahoma were he built Sequoyah's cabin. This cabin was his home for the rest of his life.

Sequoyah's Cabin

Created between 1996 and 1999, this local history museum preserves and interprets the early history of Oklahoma from its earliest Native inhabitants, and the arrival of Cherokee and other tribes from the American Southeast, the period of European settlement, all the way to the present. Krebs began as a coal mining town in the early 1900s--a history that is preserved by the local history society and museum. The museum's establishment was largely due to the efforts of the late Eugene Defrange, a leading resident and a passionate supporter of education and history. 

Krebs Heritage Museum

<div>The city of McAlester is located in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma.&nbsp; With a population of around 18,000, McAlester is the county seat of Pittsburg County and the largest city in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. </div>McAlester gets its name from J.J. McAlester.&nbsp; J.J. McAlester started a general store that was an immediate success.&nbsp; Later the Katy Railroad came through the area official naming their depot the McAlester Rail Depot.&nbsp; J.J. McAlester went on to become the Lt. Governor of Oklahoma.&nbsp; The J.J. McAlester General Store served as the basis for the store visited by US Marshall Rooster Cogburn in the 1968 Novel, True Grit, by Charles Portis.McAlester has a rich history which is evident by the Museums in the area.&nbsp; Museums like the &nbsp;J.J. McAlester Mansion which was completed in 1885.&nbsp; It was placed on the National Register of Historical Places in 1980.&nbsp;McAlester is also the home of the annual Italian Festival.&nbsp; The first Italian Festival was held in 1971. It was the idea of Krebs restaurant owner Bill Prichard.&nbsp; The festival was to honor and prolong the Italian heritage in this area of Oklahoma.&nbsp; The first few years it was a one day festival held around Columbus Day at McAlester's Chadick Park.&nbsp; In 1975 it became a two-day festival on Labor Day Weekend. Then in 1977 it moved to Memorial Day Weekend and is currently held at the Pittsburg County Regional Exposition Center just west of McAlester on the south side of Highway 270.&nbsp; The festival has grown into one of the largest festivals in the state.&nbsp; The two day event features one of the largest arts and crafts shows in Oklahoma&nbsp;along with the delicious, freshly prepared Italian food.&nbsp; All the labor for the festival comes from volunteers.&nbsp; The festival is&nbsp;operated by the McAlester Italian Festival Foundation, Inc. a not-for-profit, charitable foundation.&nbsp; All money raised by the festival is contributed to various community public efforts and charities.

Located in the historic home of Lieutenant Governor James Jackson McAlester, this local history museum preserves and shares the history of the town that shares the McAlester family name. The home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. 

J J McAlester Mansion

Robbers Cave State Park became a state park in 1935 due to the efforts of&nbsp;Carlton Weaver, a state&nbsp;legislator from nearby Wilburton. Following his election,&nbsp;Weaver spent several years securing legislation and sponsors who would build the park. His accomplishment meant so much to the local leader, Weaver requested that he be buried at the park.&nbsp;When Carlton Weaver died in 1943 he was buried right by the entrance of the park.Archaeologists believe the park was popular in prehistoric times just as it is today but mostly for wild animals and the natural food supply for the early natives. In 900 AD, people showed up under the dominant Native American religious and ceremonial center at Spiro Mounds which had become a major influence through Oklahoma and other joining States until the Spiro eventually declined. In the 1600s Robbers, Cave was hunting ground for the truth Osage Caddoan. It is also believed that French fur trappers passed through as well due to all the French names such as San Bois Mountains.The State Park is most famous for outlaws like Belle Starr, who evaded law enforcement by hiding in the area.&nbsp;Jesse James, the&nbsp;leader of the James-Younger Gang, may have also hid out in this area after&nbsp;committing a stagecoach robbery near Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Famous as a hideout for outlaws, this small state park in the hills of southeast Oklahoma covers over eight thousand acres. The park includes a visitors center and many markers and exhibits dedicated to the history of the famous outlaws who evaded law enforcement by hiding in these woods. The park has many family-friendly amenities such as fishing hunting hiking horse trails camping, cave tours, and cliff climbing.

History Along the True Grit Trail

Bass Reeves Statue

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information