Fort Smith, Arkansas – Fort Smith will temporarily serve as Arkansas’ seat of government on October 21 under Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ “Capital for a Day” program, bringing senior state officials to the city to meet with their local counterparts.
Sanders signed the proclamation October 19, naming Fort Smith the 27th community selected during her administration. The initiative highlights cities across Arkansas while taking state government leaders into the communities they serve.
The proclamation invites senior officials to accompany the governor on the visit and draws attention to Fort Smith’s history, economic development, military presence and cultural attractions. It traces the city’s growth from a frontier military location to a regional center for manufacturing and other industries.
Named after General Thomas A. Smith, Fort Smith is one of Sebastian County’s county seats. It was incorporated on Christmas Eve in 1842, although its military origins date to the early 1800s.
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According to the proclamation, settlers and troops chose Belle Point as the location for a small fort because it offered visibility at the meeting of the Arkansas and Poteau rivers. The fort was established to help maintain peace between the Osage and Cherokee tribes.
By the 1840s, the Army’s continued presence had helped Fort Smith become an established military supplier. The community also served as an important outfitting point for thousands of people traveling to California in search of gold.
Another turning point came in 1887 with the discovery of natural gas in the area. That resource helped create opportunities for manufacturing, which became one of the city’s principal industries.
Manufacturing, food processing and related businesses remain major economic drivers in the region, the proclamation states. Their continued importance connects Fort Smith’s present economy with the industrial development that followed the natural gas discovery.
The document also references an episode from the Great Depression, when outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow sought refuge in Fort Smith while fleeing authorities.
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Fort Smith’s military role continues through Ebbing Air National Guard Base. The installation hosts the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Wing and the F-35 Foreign Military Sales program, which the proclamation identifies as a multinational defense effort.
Beyond its military and industrial connections, the city offers several places where residents and visitors can explore its history. Sanders’ proclamation highlights Garrison Avenue, the Fort Smith Museum of History and the U.S. Marshals Museum.
Other locations recognized include the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center, Fort Smith National Cemetery and the Spirit of the American Doughboy Monument. The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith is also named among the city’s institutions.
Together, those sites reflect the range of historical, educational and recreational resources featured in the governor’s recognition of the community.
The October 21 designation brings those local characteristics into focus while creating an opportunity for direct meetings between state and local officials. Fort Smith will take its place in the continuing series of Arkansas communities selected to host the governor’s “Capital for a Day” program.
