The charming city of Fort Smith is the county seat of Sebastian County and is the third-largest city in Arkansas.

It’s located on the border between Arkansas and Oklahoma, the convergent point of the Poteau and Arkansas Rivers, or Belle Point.

Fort Smith was established in 1817 as a western frontier military fort, the center for fur trading.

The trade enabled its growth into a modern city.

Nowadays, Fort Smith is famous as part of the “Wild West.”

It hosts many historical sites, museums, activities, and attractions.

Here are some free things to do in Fort Smith, Arkansas:

Follow the Trail of Tears at the Fort Smith National Historic Site

The Fort Smith National Historic Site is one of the most popular places to visit in Fort Smith for the rich and diverse history found on the site.

This historic site was founded in 1961 to preserve the remnants of the two historic U.S. military forts established in the 19th century.

Here you can visit Belle Point, which is the site where the first fort was erected in 1817 and whose ruins overlook the convergence point of the Arkansas and Poteau Rivers.

There is also a cool ¾ mile-walking trail along the Arkansas River, where you can enjoy reading the exhibit panels on the Trail of Tears.

The panels tell the story of the five civilized tribes forced to migrate to Indian Territory.

You can also see the commissary, the oldest building on the site, which still looks like it was in the 1850s.

It was used to supply the military with food and rations.

If you’re interested in how justice was served in the old days, a replica of the Fort Smith Gallows exists, where many outlaws of the Wild West met their end.

Visit the Fort Smith National Historic Site at 301 Parker Avenue and go back to see, feel, and imagine 19th-century Fort Smith.

Watch a Concert at Harry E. Kelley River Park

The Harry E. Kelley River Park is a riverfront park in Fort Smith.

It’s one of the best spots in Fort Smith to catch festivities such as concerts.

You can visit the Riverfront Glass Pavilion, a unique, transparent pavilion that offers a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding Arkansas River.

You can’t miss the Riverfront Park Amphitheatre, an outdoor stage and amphitheater where many bands perform and festivities commence.

The Harry E. Kelley River Park is under the Arkansas River Bridge at 121 Riverfront Drive.

Ride a Train around Creekmore Park

Creekmore Park is…