The city of Fort Smith stands on the Arkansas/Oklahoma border, in the centre of America's mid-south region and very well connected to other regional hubs such as Memphis, Oklahoma City, Dallas and Kansas City. It began as a military frontier post in the 'wild west' of 1817 and was named after a General Smith. Fort Smith sits in the Arkansas Valley between the National Forests of the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, in a predominantly quiet, rural region. If you hire a car in Fort Smith you'll soon find it marks the intersection of Interstate Highways 40 and 49, and has a handful of landmark bridges over the Arkansas River.
If you pick up a hire car in Fort Smith, it's easy to explore the city and its attractions. These range from the giant modern Central Mall shopping area to attractions connected with the old Wild West. You'll discover the remains of the National Historic Site, which features the original fort and the restored courtroom of 19th-century 'hanging judge' Parker. Nearby, Miss Laura's Social Club, once a frontier town bordello, is now the city tourist office. Other quirky highlights include a vintage Ferris wheel, a museum of history, a museum of electric trolleybuses and even a museum celebrating where Elvis Presley had his first army haircut.
