What a beautiful day for a drive...actually for anything! We left Oklahoma City around 10:00 for our drive to Alma, Arkansas...no reason to be stopping in Alma other than it is halfway to Hot Springs (our next destination) and they have a KOA. An added benefit...Alma is only a few miles from Fort Smith. The city began as a frontier military post in 1817 and would later become known for its role in the settling of the "Wild West" during the era of "Indian Removal and the Mexican War", and it's law enforcement heritage. Fort Smith was the home of Judge Isaac Parker, nicknamed "the Hanging Judge" because in his first term after assuming his post he tried 18 people for murder, convicted 15 of them, sentenced 8 to die, and hanged six of them in one day. His courthouse is now a national historic site where "more men were put to death by the U. S. Government than in any other place in American history". Also, many people who lived in Fort Smith and the Indian Territory have inspired numerous novels and movies, i.e., True Grit and Hang 'Em High.
We got here early enough to go to the Fort Smith National Historic Site. Actually, we arrived 15 minutes before they closed but the ranger allowed us to do a quick "run through" of the building and told us we could spend as much time as we wanted on the "outside" site. And, boy, did we make the most of it in the short time we had! When we left, we passed the Fort Smith Trolley Museum where they restore old streetcars and decided to stop. They were also closing but let us in anyway and, I think, would have "chitchatted" for hours! We really wish that we had another day here to explore more of the history of the area. What started off being just a "good stopping point" ended up being a fun and educational stop!
Tomorrow...Hot Springs, Arkansas for two nights. We were there 20 something years ago for a Southern States Correctional Association Conference at The Arlington Hotel and have fond memories of the town. This time we plan to visit the National Park too! Until tomorrow.....
Click on the two links below to see our pictures from today! Hopefully you will be as pleased as we are that we accomplished so much in such a short time!!!
https://picasaweb.google.com/104959812223133937279/September202011AlmaArkansas?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPOZxd2Wp8O6ew&feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/104959812223133937279/September202011AlmaArkansasGlenn?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLb4nIT32sm_3QE&feat=directlink
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