First and North A streets in Fort Smith

Looking west from North A Steet circa 1896, the Lindell Hotel stands left, followed by the intersection of First Street with North A, a railroad freight depot also shown left and finally in the distance beyond the tree in the center is the Arkansas River. On the right is the old Frisco Depot, built before the one still standing on Garrison Avenue on the south side of the bridge. First Street was the home of vice in Fort Smith, including prostitution first and foremost. From 1907 to 1923, prostitution was legal and regulated in Fort Smith within the "segregated district" around First. The area was already notorious by the turn of the century though and the Frisco was moved to the new building in 1903, in part so visitors would not get a bad first impression of the city.




				Courtesy of the Fort Smith Public Library Looking west from North A Steet circa 1896, the Lindell Hotel stands left, followed by the intersection of First Street with North A, a railroad freight depot also shown left and finally in the distance beyond the tree in the center is the Arkansas River. On the right is the old Frisco Depot, built before the one still standing on Garrison Avenue on the south side of the bridge. First Street was the home of vice in Fort Smith, including prostitution first and foremost. From 1907 to 1923, prostitution was legal and regulated in Fort Smith within the "segregated district" around First. The area was already notorious by the turn of the century though and the Frisco was moved to the new building in 1903, in part so visitors would not get a bad first impression of the city.
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