1890 Map of Fort Smith

About this map

Fort Smith and Van Buren serve as the primary anchors of this late 19th-century landscape, positioned where the Arkansas River meets the Poteau River at the boundary of the Cherokee Nation. The terrain is defined by dramatic east-west ridges, notably Backbone Mountain and the Washburn Mountains, which dictate the paths of the region's expanding transportation network. The Kansas and Arkansas Valley Railroad and the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad are shown cutting through these gaps, connecting established towns like Greenwood and Huntington to the broader frontier.