212,000 (Nation of Oklahoma 2023)
85-581: The Old Military Road site near Carey, Ohio is a segment of the historic military road built in 1832 from Fort Smith, Arkansas to Fort Towson, Oklahoma . The road facilitated commerce and development in the region, particularly in the Oklahoma Territory . The War Department and the Bureau of Indian Affairs collaborated on the development of the road, with Captain John Stuart overseeing
170-541: A Catholic grade school for black children, St. John the Baptist School; it closed in 1968. The Southwest Times Record is the largest newspaper in the city, as well as the region. It is owned by Gannett . The Hispanos Unidos is the only Spanish-language publication in the region. Other publications in the Fort Smith area include Entertainment Fort Smith and Do South Magazine . AM radio Stations in
255-795: A four-year institution. In 2001, the Sebastian County electorate voted to support the merger. A formal request to change affiliation status to that of a bachelor's degree-granting institution under the name of the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith was submitted to the Higher Learning Commission in August 2001 and approved by the Institutional Actions Council on November 19, 2001. The merger, which became official on January 1, 2002, endorsed
340-682: A junction with the mail route from Memphis, Tennessee , an important port on the east side of the Mississippi River. For roughly a year of the American Civil War , the fort was occupied by the Confederate States Army . Union troops under General Frederick Steele took control of Fort Smith on September 1, 1863 . A small fight occurred there on July 31, 1864, but the Union Army maintained command in
425-534: A large tornado, part of the April 1996 tornado outbreak sequence , destroyed and heavily damaged much of historic downtown Fort Smith around the Garrison Avenue Bridge. The storm tracked from eastern Pittsburg County, Oklahoma into Fort Smith and Van Buren, Arkansas. The tornado left four people dead in western Arkansas. Days later, the damaged Eads Brothers Furniture building in downtown Fort Smith
510-593: A military post. It was named after General Thomas Adams Smith (1781–1844), who commanded the United States Army Rifle Regiment in 1817, headquartered near St. Louis. General Smith had ordered Army topographical engineer Stephen H. Long (1784–1864) to find a suitable site on the Arkansas River for a fort. General Smith never visited the town or the forts that bore his name. A stockade was built and occupied from 1817 until 1822 by
595-576: A people in the 16th century and had developed at least three distinct political and geographical divisions prior to European contact: the western Okla Falaya ("Long People"), the eastern Okla Tannap ("People on the Other Side"), and the southern Okla Hannali ("Six Towns People"). Eventually these different groups would create distinct, independent alliances with nearby European powers. The Choctaw were first noted by Europeans in French written records of
680-475: A small troop of regulars commanded by Major William Bradford . A small settlement began forming around the fort, but the Army abandoned the first Fort Smith in 1824 and moved 80 miles further west to Fort Gibson . John Rogers, an Army sutler and land speculator, bought up former government-owned lands at this site and promoted growth of the new civilian town of Fort Smith. Due to the strategic location of this site,
765-576: A total population of 30,000). Jedidiah Morse estimated the Choctaw at 25,000 people in about year 1820. A census taken in 1830, shortly before the removal , reported a total population of 19,554. A report by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs dated 25 November 1841 indicates that by then 15,177 Choctaws had already moved to Oklahoma ( Indian Territory ). Few thousand more emigratted to the west in subsequent years. The Indian Office in 1856 reported
850-560: A winter house, which latter was made circular, and was also known as the 'hot house'. The colorful dresses worn by today's Choctaw are made by hand. They are based on designs of their ancestors, who adapted 19th-century European-American styles to their needs. Today many Choctaw wear such traditional clothing mainly for special events. Choctaw elders, especially the women, dress in their traditional garb every day. Choctaw dresses are trimmed by full diamond, half diamond or circle, and crosses that represent stickball sticks. Choctaw stickball ,
935-691: Is a Western Muskogean language . Today, Choctaw people are enrolled in four federally recognized tribes : the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma , Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians , Jena Band of Choctaw Indians in Louisiana, and the Yowani Choctaws enrolled under the confederacy of the Caddo Nation . The Choctaw autonym is Chahta. The proper noun "Choctaw" is an anglization of "Chahta." Anthropologist John R. Swanton reports that
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#17327799224381020-687: Is based upon the English version of the Roman alphabet and was developed in conjunction with the "civilization program" of the United States in the early 19th century. Byington's alphabet and a version modified by John Swanton is seen here. The following table is an example of Choctaw text and its translation: English language : That all free men, when they form a special compact, are equal in rights, and that no man or set of men are entitled to exclusive, separate public emolument or privileges from
1105-543: Is called in the native language, is closely related to the Chickasaw language. Some linguists consider Choctaw and Chickasaw to be dialects of a singular original language. This idea is supported by Choctaw and Chickasaw origin stories which both state that the Choctaw and Chickasaw people arose out of a singular ancestral people. The Choctaw language is at the heart of Choctaw tribal culture, tradition, and identity. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma currently offers courses in
1190-502: Is home to several corporations, including ABB Motors & Mechanical , ArcBest and poultry company OK Foods . According to the city's 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Various television programs and movies have been filmed in Fort Smith, including The Blue and The Gray (1982), A Soldier's Story (1984), Biloxi Blues (1988) Trespass and Tuskegee Airmen (1995) There are multiple museums in Fort Smith, located primarily in
1275-497: Is part of the University of Arkansas System . The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith was founded in 1928 as an extension of the Fort Smith Public School system, with the superintendent, James William Ramsey, acting as the college president and the high school principal as dean. Known originally as Fort Smith Junior College , the institution operated within the Fort Smith public school system until 1950, when
1360-474: Is that of Le Page du Pratz who estimated the Choctaw at 25,000 warriors (and therefore around 125,000 people) in year 1718. Other estimates from that time period were usually lower, but it is possible that they represented only a part of the tribe. Similar figures were given by St. Denis who estimated the Choctaw at 18,000 warriors (or 90,000 people) in 1714 and by W. Bull who estimated them at 16,000 warriors (or 80,000 people) in 1738. According to B. R. Carroll
1445-491: Is the main shopping destination of Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma. Central Mall is the state's largest indoor shopping center in terms of area. Some notable shopping locations in the city of Fort Smith are: In addition to sports teams sponsored by Fort Smith Public Schools and University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, Fort Smith has several independent recreational sports programs and annual tournaments administered by local organizations: The city has one major university that
1530-693: Is the mid-summer Choctaw Indian Fair hosted by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. This event hosts Choctaw people from all over world and includes hospitality and events such as cooking, entertainment, dancing, and stickball. The Choctaw culture is an ancient culture that continues to thrive within the nations and communities of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma in Oklahoma, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in Mississippi,
1615-756: The 2020 census , the population was 89,142. It is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area , a region of 298,592 residents that encompasses the Arkansas counties of Crawford , Franklin , and Sebastian, and the Oklahoma counties of LeFlore and Sequoyah . Fort Smith lies on the Arkansas–Oklahoma state border, situated at the confluence of the Arkansas and Poteau rivers, also known as Belle Point . Fort Smith
1700-545: The Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM), a private, non-profit institution, welcomed its inaugural class in August 2017. Graduates of ARCOM receive a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. The public schools in the majority of Fort Smith, as well as a section of Barling , are operated by the Fort Smith School District . Currently, the district includes 26 schools. During
1785-573: The Jena Band of Choctaw Indians in Louisiana, and the Yowani Choctaws in Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, and in Oklahoma as part of the Caddo Confederacy. The traditional Choctaw tribal structure prioritized two distinct moieties : Imoklashas (elders) and Inhulalatas (youth). Each moiety had several iksas or clans and in rare cases a totemic clan. Identity for the Choctaw people was established first by moiety and second as part of
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#17327799224381870-571: The Mother goddess was also reflected in their religious and spiritual reverence for the sacred mound of Nanih Waiya which is known as the "Mother Mound." Nanih Waiya is a great earthwork platform mound located in central-east Mississippi. This site remains a place of female pilgrimage for prayer, song, and dance to this day. Early American writings record some of the names of the historical Choctaw iksas. Anthropologist John R. Swanton made his contribution through his 1931 book Source material for
1955-535: The 17th century. Early Spanish explorers of the mid-16th century in the Southeast encountered ancestral Mississippian culture villages and chiefs. Eventually the Spanish, French, and English would all, through their various explorers, governments, and peoples, discover the Choctaw as a complex society with firmly established tribal governments, alliances, religious practice, and culture. Early contact between
2040-605: The 2019–2020 school year, the district had an enrollment of more than 14,748 students. It has 2 high schools, 4 middle schools, 19 elementary schools, and 1 alternative learning center. Fort Smith public schools provide education from kindergarten through the 12th grade, as do some private Protestant schools. Catholic parochial schools offer education through the ninth grade. Middle Schools in Fort Smith include Chaffin Middle School, Ramsey Middle School, Kimmons Middle School, and Darby Middle School. Private schools covering
2125-730: The Americans during the American Revolution , War of 1812 , and the Red Stick War , most notably at the Battle of New Orleans . European Americans considered the Choctaw to be one of the " Five Civilized Tribes " of the Southeast. The Choctaw and the United States agreed to a total of nine treaties. By the last three, the US gained vast land cessions in the Southeast. As part of Indian Removal , despite not having waged war against
2210-533: The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, followed by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, respectively. Since the 20th century, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians were federally recognized in 1945, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma in 1971, and the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians in 1995. The highest of early estimates - possibly representing the population peak -
2295-676: The Choctaw and Europeans include the French , based on the Gulf Coast and in Louisiana; the English of the Southeast, and Spain in Florida and Louisiana during the colonial era. These interactions introduced Choctaw communities to new and extensive social interactions and trade with Europeans, including more formal interactions with the governments of Spain , France , and England . These relationships with Europeans were influential in shaping
2380-451: The Choctaw derived their name from an early leader of the Choctaw people. Swanton's report was taken directly from the Choctaw people as they recounted a story of their early history regarding a journey to seek a new homeland. On this journey, the ancestral group of people divided into two groups over different interpretations of a totem the people were consulting on how they might proceed on their journey. A leader named "Chahta" proposes that
2465-542: The Choctaw in both Indian Territory and Mississippi mostly sided with the Confederate States of America . Under the late 19th-century Dawes Act and Curtis Acts , the US federal government broke up tribal land holdings and dissolved tribal governments in Indian Territory in order to extinguish Indian land claims before admission of Oklahoma as a state in 1907. From that period, for several decades
2550-565: The Choctaw language. Choctaw is regularly spoken as part of daily life on the Mississippi Choctaw reservation. Although Choctaw had begun to diminish in the 20th century it remains a living language and in recent years has shown a resurgence among the people of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, and the Yowani Choctaws. The written Choctaw language
2635-533: The Choctaw nation during their Great Famine in the mid-nineteenth century is remembered to this day and recently marked by a sculpture, ' Kindred Spirits ', in a park at Midleton, Cork. Both, the Chickasaw and the Choctaw Indians traditionally made three kinds of buildings, per family, consisting of 1) a summer house (made into an oblong square), 2) a corn house (also made into an oblong square), and 3)
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2720-466: The Choctaw were reckoned by the French to be the most numerous nation of Indians in America and consisted of many thousand men. John R. Swanton enumerated a total of 102 Choctaw villages and towns in his book. Robert Rogers estimated the Choctaw at 10,000 warriors in 1775 (indicating a total population of 50,000). According to Gilbert Imlay they mustered 6,000 warriors around the year 1800 (implying
2805-498: The Fort Smith area include: FM Radio Stations in the Fort Smith area include: Television stations in the Fort Smith area include: Choctaw 11,000 (Mississippi Band 2020) The Choctaw ( Choctaw : Chahta Choctaw pronunciation: [tʃahtá(ʔ)] ) are a Native American people originally based in the Southeastern Woodlands , in what is now Mississippi and Alabama . The Choctaw language
2890-554: The Fort Smith district. At that time, the Fort Smith district not only held the responsibility for law in Western Arkansas, but also the Indian Territory. Judge Parker served as U.S. District Judge 1875–1896. He was nicknamed the "Hanging Judge": in his first term after assuming his post, he tried 18 people for murder, convicted 15 of them, and sentenced eight of those to die. Six of these men were later hanged on
2975-491: The Mississippian ancestors of the Choctaw placed the sun at the center of their cosmological system. Mid-eighteenth-century Choctaws did view the sun as a being endowed with life. Choctaw diplomats, for example, spoke only on sunny days. If the day of a conference were cloudy or rainy, Choctaws delayed the meeting until the sun returned, usually on the pretext that they needed more time to discuss particulars. They believed
3060-535: The Native Americans held in collective stewardship. The United States systematically obtained Choctaw land for conventional European-American settlement through treaties, legislation, and threats of warfare. Although the Choctaw made treaties with Great Britain, France, Spain, and the Confederate States of America; the nation signed only nine treaties with the United States. Some treaties which
3145-543: The Southeast; they were the last of the tribes to leave. Remnants of the Five Civilized Tribes remained in the southeast, and some of their descendants have reorganized and been federally recognized. The Cherokee called the forced migration the Trail of Tears , as some of their people and the people who were enslaved died from starvation, hypothermia, exhaustion and many illnesses along the way. The army enforced
3230-663: The U.S. acquired large territories in the Southwest, and later annexed the Republic of Texas, which had been independent from 1836-1846. Sebastian County was formed in 1851, separated from Crawford County north of the Arkansas River. In 1858, Fort Smith was designated as a Division Center of the Butterfield Overland Mail 's 7th Division route across Indian Territory from Fort Smith to Texas and as
3315-468: The US made with other nations, such as the Treaty of San Lorenzo , indirectly affected the Choctaw. Reservations can be found in Louisiana ( Jena Band of Choctaw Indians ), Mississippi ( Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians ), and Oklahoma ( Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma ). The Oklahoma reservation is defined by treaty. Other population centers can be found throughout the United States. The Choctaw coalesced as
3400-644: The United States Bureau of Indian Affairs appointed chiefs of the Choctaw and other tribes in the former Indian Territory. During World War I , Choctaw soldiers served in the US military as some of the first Native American codetalkers , using the Choctaw language . Since the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, the Choctaw people in three areas have reconstituted their governments and gained federal recognition. The largest are
3485-548: The United States, the majority of Choctaw were forcibly relocated to Indian Territory from 1831 to 1833. The Choctaw government in Indian Territory maintained the tri-union tradition of their homeland by having three governmental districts. Each district had its own chief, who together with the town chiefs sat on the Choctaw National Council. Those Choctaw who chose to stay in the state of Mississippi were considered state and U.S. citizens; they were one of
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3570-469: The absence of federal troops. Two of Fort Smith's most notable historic figures were Judge Isaac C. Parker and William Henry Harrison Clayton, also known as W. H. H. Clayton . In 1874, William Clayton was appointed United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas by President Ulysses S. Grant . Fort Smith was a bustling community full of brothels, saloons, and outlaws, just across
3655-421: The age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.03. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under
3740-460: The age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 32,157, and the median income for a family was $ 41,012. Males had a median income of $ 29,799 versus $ 22,276 for females. The per capita income for
3825-510: The area until the war ended in 1865. As a result, many refugee slaves, orphans, Southern Unionists , and others came here to escape the guerrilla warfare raging in Arkansas, Missouri, and the border states . The slaves were freed under the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln . Federal troops abandoned the post of Fort Smith for the last time in 1871. The town continued to thrive despite
3910-401: The central United States. The city has been struck by three major tornadoes , which occurred in the years of 1898 , 1927 and 1996 . As of the 2020 United States census , there were 89,142 people, 36,210 households, and 22,349 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 census , there were 86,209 people, 34,352 households, and 21,367 families residing in the city. The population density
3995-482: The city was $ 18,994. About 12.1% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over. Fort Smith has long been a regional manufacturing center, with major plants located in the city operated by Rheem , Trane, Georgia-Pacific , Gerber, Kraft Heinz Company-Planters Peanuts, Mars Petcare, Umarex USA, Graphic Packaging, International Paper, Pernod Ricard-USA, and many others. Fort Smith
4080-587: The city's mayor (the first African American in its history), and a city Board of Directors composed of three members elected at-large and four members elected by ward. The United States acquired the territory and large areas west of the Mississippi River from France in the Louisiana Purchase (1803). Soon after, the government sent the Pike Expedition (1806) to explore the areas along the Arkansas River . The U.S. founded Fort Smith in 1817 as
4165-527: The community, but in consideration of public services. The traditional Choctaw belief system evolved out of the North American Southeastern Ceremonial Complex. The Choctaw believed in a good spirit and an evil spirit. They may have been sun, or Hvshtahli , worshippers. The historian John Swanton wrote, [T]he Choctaws anciently regarded the sun as a deity ... the sun was ascribed the power of life and death. He
4250-468: The concept of UA-Fort Smith as a unique university, one that offers applied and traditional baccalaureate degree programs, one- and two-year associate and technical programs, and noncredit business and industry training programs. While the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith is the city's only state supported institution of higher learning. In addition to the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (UAFS),
4335-623: The downtown area and the Chaffee Crossing Historic District. Fort Smith has an active music scene. There are frequent live performances in the downtown area by local and national Jazz, Blues, Country, Americana and Rock bands. Local bands regularly frequent the riverfront area highlighting the river valley's finest. As the third largest city in western Arkansas, Fort Smith offers many activities and attractions. Fort Smith's theater and event venues regularly host major concerts and touring theater companies. Fort Smith
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#17327799224384420-750: The evolution of their respective North American cultures for hundreds and even thousands of years. However, the Choctaw people as they are known today are believed to have coalesced during the 16th century . The original peoples involved in this coalescence likely formed in Alabama and were made up of populations such as the Plaquemine culture . Prior to their arrival in the Americas the founding populations of both North and South American indigenous peoples are generally explained to be Beringian populations broken down into several groups which are illuminated within
4505-574: The federal government re-established a military presence at Fort Smith during the Indian removal era of the 1830s, primarily of tribes from the American Southeast to west of the Mississippi River in Indian Territory , which is present-day Oklahoma. In 1838, the Army moved back into the old military post near Belle Point, and expanded the base. They used troops to forcibly relocate the Choctaw and Cherokee , from their ancestral homelands in
4590-604: The fields of Archeology , Anthropology , and Genomics . Advances in DNA science and technology are allowing for many breakthroughs in the study of the genetic history of the Indigenous peoples of North and South America . Until modern times the connection between North and South American indigenous people was unknown in modern scholarship. The Choctaw language is a member of the Muskogean language family. The Choctaw language
4675-473: The first major non-European ethnic groups to be granted citizenship. Article 14 in the 1830 treaty with the Choctaw stated Choctaws may wish to become citizens of the United States under the 14th Article of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek on all of the combined lands which were consolidated under Article I from all previous treaties between the United States and the Choctaw. During the American Civil War ,
4760-449: The high stays at or below freezing on 3.8 days, reaches 90 °F (32 °C) on 77.8 days, and 100 °F (38 °C) on 11.1 days annually. The average first and last occurrences for freezing temperatures are November 6 and March 25, respectively. Extreme temperatures range from −15 °F (−26 °C) on February 12, 1899 to 115 °F (46 °C) on August 3, 2011. Fort Smith is situated near an area known as Tornado Alley in
4845-471: The individuals iksa. The Choctaw people existed in a matrilineal kinship system, with children born into the iksa of their mother and the mother's iksa conferring her children's social status. Another tradition of this maternally oriented system was the role of the maternal uncle as an important figure in the lives of his sister's children. Maternal uncles acted as fathers and caretakers to the children of their sisters. The Choctaw people's adoration of woman and
4930-491: The known iksas when Swanton's aforementioned book was published are as follows: After the U.S. government had broken several treaties with the Choctaw people, and eventually when the Choctaw were forcibly removed from their traditional lands in Mississippi during the American tragedy of the Trail of Tears , the Choctaw reestablished themselves in Indian Territory according to the three most powerful districts in their lost homeland. The Choctaw named these three districts after
5015-456: The land of present-day Alabama and Mississippi in North America . (Caitlin, Letters and Notes, 1841) A Choctaw origin in South America is supported by DNA evidence as well as the similarities between the beliefs, art, and customs of the people of the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex in North America and the Indigenous peoples of South America . The ancestral people of the Choctaw and other indigenous peoples in North America have participated in
5100-431: The larger area to be served and reflecting the more comprehensive mission. The name of the college was changed yet again in February 1998 to Westark College , more accurately portraying the role and scope of the institution. On December 15, 2000, the Board of Trustees of Westark College entered into an agreement with the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas to merge with the University of Arkansas System as
5185-408: The leading chiefs from each of those districts. Moshulatubbee was the name given for the district of the Okla Tannap, Apuckshunubbee was given for Okla Falaya, and Pushmataha was given for Okla Hannali. Early Choctaw communities worked communally and shared their harvest. They had trouble understanding why English settlers allowed their poor to suffer from hunger. In Ireland, the generosity of
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#17327799224385270-402: The modern Choctaw people. After the United States was formed and its settlers began to move into the Southeast, the Choctaw were among the Five Civilized Tribes , who adopted many of their ways. Many Choctaw transitioned to yeoman farming methods and incorporated European Americans and African Americans (as tribal members, prisoners, and slaves) into their society. Most Choctaw allied with
5355-407: The name is derived from the Choctaw phrase Hacha hatak (river people). This view has little support. One Choctaw origin story relates how in pre-historic times the Choctaw people lived in areas near or around what is now known as the Yucatan Peninsula . This story explains that when the ancient South American homeland of the Choctaw people became overcrowded many of them sailed across the sea to
5440-490: The number of the Choctaws as 22,707. Emmanuel Domenech estimated the Choctaw at up to 25,000 people in about 1860. Enumeration published in 1886 counted 18,000 Choctaws in Oklahoma as of year 1884. The census of 1910 counted 15,917 Choctaws. Around years 1916–1919 there were in Oklahoma 17,488 Choctaws by blood, 1,651 by intermarriage and 6,029 freedmen, and in addition to that there were also at that time 3,099 Mississippi Choctaws and around 200 Choctaws living elsewhere. In
5525-529: The oldest field sport in North America, was also known as the "little brother of war" because of its roughness and substitution for war. When disputes arose between Choctaw communities, stickball provided a civil way to settle issues. The stickball games would involve as few as twenty or as many as 300 players. The goal posts could be from a few hundred feet apart to a few miles. Goal posts were sometimes located within each opposing team's village. A Jesuit priest referenced stickball in 1729, and George Catlin painted
5610-621: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race (11.6% Mexican, 2.2% Salvadoran, 0.4% Guatemalan, 0.3% Puerto Rican, 0.2% Honduran, 0.1% Cuban, 0.1% Peruvian, 0.1% Colombian). In language, Fort Smith has more than ten Asian languages spoken by more than two percent of the population. Also, the increase in immigration from Latin American countries in the late 20th century increased the number of residents who speak Spanish. 7.10% reported speaking Spanish at home, while 3.38% speak Vietnamese and Lao , and 2.50% speak Tagalog . In 2000, there were 32,398 households, of which 30.8% had children under
5695-435: The project. The route was laid out by frontiersman Robert Bean, who was assisted by a young Jesse Chisholm . This article about a property in Oklahoma on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Fort Smith, Arkansas Fort Smith is the third-most populous city in Arkansas , United States, and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County . As of
5780-406: The removal of these tribes to the reserved Indian Territory, where the federal government set aside land that was less fertile while imposing detentes between distinct nations. Many displaced people stopped walking and settled in Fort Smith and adjoining Van Buren on the other side of the river. The U.S. Army also used Fort Smith as a base during the Mexican–American War (1846-1848). As a result,
5865-426: The river from Indian Territory. William Clayton realized a strong judge would be necessary to bring law and order to the region. He knew that Parker was a strong judge. But Parker had been appointed Chief Justice of Utah Territory and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. With the help of President Grant and U.S. Senator Powell Clayton , former governor of Arkansas, William Clayton was able to gain the appointment of Parker in
5950-490: The same day. Over the course of his career in Fort Smith, Parker sentenced 160 people to death. Of those, 79 were executed on the gallows. His courthouse is now marked as a National Historic Site , where "more men were put to death by the U.S. Government... than in any other place in American history." Parker was assisted in his law enforcement efforts by famed African-American marshal Bass Reeves . William Clayton served as U.S. Attorney under four different presidents and later
6035-408: The same grade range include Trinity Catholic School, Union Christian Academy, and Northside Christian Academy. High schools in Fort Smith include the public Northside High School and Southside High School , along with the private Union Christian Academy and Northside Christian Academy. Some portions of Fort Smith in the south are zoned to Greenwood School District . Fort Smith previously had
6120-415: The school was incorporated as a private, nonprofit institution with its own governing board. In September 1952, the college moved from borrowed facilities in the high school to its current site, initially occupying 15 acres (6.07 ha ). In 1966, the institution's name was changed from Fort Smith Junior College to Westark Junior College and in 1972, it was renamed Westark Community College , indicating
6205-465: The social and ceremonial life of the Choctaw Indians . The main iksas holding significant sway over all others at the time of his writings were the Okla Falaya meaning "Long People", the eastern Okla Tannap meaning "People on the Other Side", and the southern Okla Hannali meaning "Six Towns People." Swanton reported from both personal contact and previous scholarship in his writings. The names of
6290-400: The subject. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians continue to practice the sport. Chunkey was a game using a disk-shaped stone that was about 1–2 inches in length. Players would throw the disk down a 200-foot (61 m) corridor so that it could roll past the players at great speed. As the disk rolled down the corridor, players would throw wooden shafts at it. The object of the game
6375-631: The sun ..." Choctaw culture as it's understood today has its historical roots going back to the 16th century. Prior to this period what is known of the Choctaw culture comes from oral traditions and the obvious participation of the Choctaw people in the wider Southeastern Ceremonial Complex . From at least the 16th century until the present-day a definable Choctaw culture has been expressed through rich traditions of song, dance, dress, beading, pottery, basketry, and stickball. Choctaw people maintain their ancient traditions in their personal and daily lives as well as participating in community events. One example
6460-476: The sun made sure that all talks were honest. The sun as a symbol of great power and reverence is a major component of southeastern Indian cultures. Choctaw prophets were known to have addressed the sun. John Swanton wrote, "an old Choctaw informed Wright that before the arrival of the missionaries , they had no conception of prayer. He added, "I have indeed heard it asserted by some, that anciently their hopaii, or prophets, on some occasions were accustomed to address
6545-519: The totem indicates they should proceed to the north while another leader, Chahta's brother "Chiksa'", proposes the indication is to proceed to the east. The people chose which leader they would follow which split them into two groups. Those who followed Chahta became the Chahta or Choctaw people and those who followed Chiksa' became the Chiksa' or Chickasaw people. Henry Halbert, a historian, suggests that
6630-479: Was 1,391.2 inhabitants per square mile (537.1/km ). There were 37,899 housing units at an average density of 612.3 per square mile (236.4/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 69.3% White , 9.0% Black or African American , 1.8% Native American , 5.3% Asian (2.2% Vietnamese, 1.7% Laotian, 0.3% Asian Indian, 0.2% Filipino, 0.1% Korean, 0.1% Chinese, 0.1% Hmong, 0.1% Pakistani), 0.1% Pacific Islander , 10.3% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races . 16.5% of
6715-610: Was admitted to the Union in 1907. Governor Frantz and Judge Clayton both lost their territorial positions when Oklahoma became a state; a new governor was elected and the Roosevelt administration appointed a new judge. During investment in the military prior to World War II, the Army returned to Fort Smith in 1941. It established the Fort Chaffee Military Reservation east of the city. On April 21, 1996,
6800-537: Was appointed as Chief Justice of Indian Territory. He was instrumental in achieving statehood for Oklahoma in 1907, after Native American claims were extinguished by distribution of communal lands under the Dawes Act and the breakup of tribal governments. Together with Territorial Governor Frank Frantz , Clayton took a copy of the Oklahoma Constitution to President Theodore Roosevelt after the state
6885-695: Was destroyed by one of the largest fires in the city's history. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 64.6 square miles (167 km ), of which 61.7 square miles (160 km ) is land and 3.9 square miles (10 km ) (6.3%) is water. Fort Smith has a humid subtropical climate with generally mild winters and hot, humid summers. The monthly mean temperature ranges from 40.4 °F (4.7 °C) in January to 83.1 °F (28.4 °C) in July; on average,
6970-405: Was established as a western frontier military post in 1817, when it was also a center of fur trading. The city developed there. It became well known as a base for migrants' settling of the " Wild West " and for its law enforcement heritage, as it was the hub for white law enforcement of the adjacent Indian Territory. The city government is led by Mayor George McGill (D), who in 2018 was elected as
7055-439: Was represented as looking down upon the earth, and as long as he kept his flaming eye fixed on any one, the person was safe ... fire, as the most striking representation of the sun, was considered as possessing intelligence, and as acting in concert with the sun ... [having] constant intercourse with the sun ... The word nanpisa (the one who sees) expressed the reverence the Choctaw had for the sun. Anthropologist theorize that
7140-419: Was to strike the disk or prevent your opponents from hitting it. Other games included using corn, cane, and moccasins. The corn game used five to seven kernels of corn. One side was blackened and the other side white. Players won points based on each color. One point was awarded for the black side and 5–7 points for the white side. There were usually only two players. Land was the most valuable asset, which
7225-528: Was well known among the American frontiersmen of the early 19th century . In 1870, a Christian Missionary and fluent Choctaw speaker Cyrus Byington published a Choctaw Dictionary Grammar of the Choctaw Language. Revised additions include contributions from American historian Henry S. Halbert , who was also a fluent Choctaw speaker, and Anthropologist John R. Swanton. Choctaw or Chahta, as it
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