Arkansas is one of the 50 states of the United States of North America. The state is located in the Southern region of the US and has 2,937,979 inhabitants (2011). The capital is Little Rock and the standard abbreviation for the state is AR.
Arkansas borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Oklahoma and Texas to the west.
Arkansas is located on the lower reaches of the Arakansas River. On both sides of the river are swamps and a lake-rich prairie area. About half of the state is forested.
Forests in the state lie on the Ozark plateau and in the Ouachita Mountains.
The eastern part of the Arkansas is located along the Mississippi. This is a low and swampy area.
The northwest of the state is slightly mountainous. The highest point is Magazine Mountain at 838 meters in the Ozark Mountains.
In western Arkansas, along the border with Oklahoma, are the Ouachita Mountains. Southern and eastern Arkansas consists of lowlands.
Rivers
The major rivers in Arkansas are the Mississippi, which forms the entire eastern border of the state, and the Arkansas, which flows into the Mississippi.
Climate and vacation
Oklahoma has a climate that is very hot and humid in the summer in the lower parts of the state, and quite cold in the winter.
The climate has different extremes, with tornadoes, thunderstorms, hailstorms and snowfall.
The parks in Arkansas attract many visitors. The state includes Hot Springs National Park, Fort Smith National Historic Site, and Pea Ridge National Military Park.
Cities Arkansas
Besides the capital Little Rock are a number of other cities in Arkansas: Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Springdale, Jonesboro, North Little Rock, Conway, Pine Bluff.
Counties Arkansas
Arkansas is divided into 75 counties.
Arkansas
Arkansas borders the states of Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas.
Fort Smith National Historic Site
Fort Smith is the second largest city in the US state of Arkansas, with a population of about 80,000. One of the city’s biggest attractions is the Fort Smith Military Fortress, the barracks and the prison building. These buildings were used between 1817 and 1871. The buildings are located at the confluence of the Arkansas and Poteau rivers. The history of this place was greatly influenced by both soldiers and civilians, as well as the original Indian inhabitants of the country. This place was one of the stops on a challenging road called the Trail of Tears, after which the original Indian population was taken into exile.
There was a federal court in Fort Smith, which at the time employed a large number of people, such as guards, guards, lawyers, judges and marshals. Judge Isaac C. Parker presided over the court for 21 years, sentencing 160 people to death. He had extensive powers and could even administer Native American territories. Between 1873 and 1896, eighty-six men were executed at the Fort Smith gallows. For some, however, it already meant liberation because the conditions in the federal prison were so dire that the place was nicknamed “Hell on the Border.” Sometimes up to 50 people were crammed into one room, where they could not be properly ventilated and the hygienic conditions were also absolutely catastrophic.
The first Fort Smith building was built in 1817 on a site called Belle Point. However, the American army left it relatively early, in 1824. The building gradually began to decay until it disappeared completely. In 1963, however, extensive archaeological excavations were carried out in these places, which revealed the foundations of this building. Today, visitors can view them undisturbed. The construction of the second fortress began in 1838. In the summer of 2000, the whole area, with all its historic buildings, underwent a complete reconstruction and was declared a National Historical Monument, which attracts many tourists every year.
Today, Fort Smith allows visitors a glimpse into daily life at a historic fort on the border of Arkansas and Native American territory. To this day, you can see the original furniture, valuable collections, materials, historical photos or weapons collections. Around Fort Smith is a city park where you can enjoy relaxing moments, observe the beautiful surrounding countryside, and if you are lucky, you will see one of the local wildlife.
