Fort Smith, Ar, the second largest city in Arkansas and a gateway to the west. Located on the Oklahoma-Arkansas border, it was a major stop on the trail of tears. Today the fort itself is a historical site, but it did see action during the Civil war when the Confederacy occupied it before the Union took it over after a small battle. Not long after the end of the war, the fort was abandoned but the town thrived. One famous resident was Judge Isaac Parker, the "Hanging Judge," who sentenced 160 people to death by hanging. A few movies take place in the fort/town, including both versions of True Grit, one starring John Wayne and the other written and directed by the Coen brothers. I haven't visited the fort, but I do drive through the city every now and then. Since watching the latest True Grit, every time I'm in the area I appreciate how different it is from their arid, treeless depiction.