A Building Worth Saving

The Commissary, one of Fort Smith’s most iconic landmarks and the city’s oldest building, stands on a foundation that was originally a raised platform for firing cannons in defense of the fort. The military built the two-story structure on that foundation in 1846 for food storage. Over the years, it also served as a barracks for troops, federal court offices, a private residence, and the city’s first museum of history. In 1909, a local group of women successfully persuaded city leaders and citizens to save it from demolition, and it stands today as a testament to public dedication to preserving history.

Fort Smith, Arkansas · United States