Fort Chaffee, Arkansas

In the last three generations, perhaps no single feature has more signified and dominated the history western of Arkansas history as Fort Chaffee. This army camp is located just to the east of Fort Smith and its suburb, Barling, along State Highway 22. It is remarkable how many men I have encountered over my lifetime who spent some time at this facility. A few years ago three such men scheduled a reunion at a church meeting in our area. They had spent time together at Fort Chafee (then Camp Chaffee) and wanted to mark that relationship by spending some time together in the "old stomping grounds."

The link below gives a brief history of the facility, but it cannot possibly demonstrate just how huge a factor it has played in the lives of the people of western Arkansas.

LINK