The area overlooking the confluence of the Arkansas and Poteau Rivers had been named Belle Point by French fur trappers who traveled along the rivers in the 18th century. When the U.S. Army decided to establish a fort near the Osage boundary at the Arkansas River, Belle Point was the site chosen by Major Stephen H. Long of the Topographical Engineers. Long accompanied Major Bradford and the U.S. Rifle Regiment when they arrived in 1817 and drew up construction plans for the fort.
Postcards of Poteau and Arkansas Rivers Postcards showing views of the Arkansas and Poteau Rivers more...
Did You Know?
The conditions at the federal jail at Fort Smith were so horrible that it received the nickname "Hell on the Border." Up to 50 men were crowded into one large cell with limited ventilation and poor sanitary conditions.