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Fort Smith Light & Traction Co.
Original Trolley Routes






North Fifth Street Line
Beginning at North 11th (Midland Boulevard) and Division, cars proceeded on paved single track along the center of thestreet to 10th, moving to north side of the street on private right of way to 6th. Private right of way continued, crossing theSuburban railway, turning onto 5th with middle of paved street track beginning at North O and proceeding to Garrison.Passing sidings were near N, K, and G Streets. In early years the cars went to the foot of Garrison at First Street, at times serviceended at the loop comprised of a track surrounding the block bordered by Garrison, No.2nd, North A, and No.3rd. TheFifth Street line was later combined with the Little Rock Avenue line, when cars operated on Division and Fifth asdescribed, heading east on Little Rock Avenue line. Still later, the Fifth Street cars moved as decribed to Garrison, thenheaded out Towson Avenue as a combination with the Park Hill line during final years.

Eleventh Street - Van Buren Line
From foot of Garrison on double tracks in center of paved street to Texas Corner, cars turned onto 11th where the samestyle double tracks extended to a point where Midland Boulevard now begins, continuing double track private right of wayin the center median strip to Waldron Road, crossing the Suburban railway, junctioning with the rock crusher spur at QStreet, Fifth Street line at Division Street, the carbarn at Kelley Highway, the Frisco connection diverging at a point nearPlum Street, and a siding near the entrance to Electric Park. At Waldron Road, the route became single track private rightof way along the west side of the roadway to the Van Buren Bridge, where double tracks set in bridge pavement carried theline across the bridge, followed by single track extending across the viaduct, entering middle of pavement on Van Buren'sFourth Street west to Main, north to East main, east on East Main, north on Fifteenth, east on Poplar, north on 20th, parallelto Frisco tracks on a private right of way, east on Alma Boulevard, south on Arkebauer Lane, and east on private right ofway to the smelter. There was a passing track near 17th on Poplar.Except when smelter operation required through-service operation, local Van Buren service came from the so-calledstub car moving between Fourth Street and the smelter. A spur located at Fourth and Main permitted passing whenneeded.

South Fort Smith Line
From foot of Garrison, the route extended to Texas Corner on double track center of paved street, south on Towson onsingle tracks to Rogers, double track to South A, single track to Dodson, passing junction with the Park Hill tracks at SouthH Street. At Dodson, tracks moved to the west side of the roadway for private right of way, passing Arkoma line junction atSouth W Street, turning east on Fresno to Jenny Lind Road where tracks connected with Park Hill line at the fairgrounds.Continuing south along the side of Jenny Lind, crossing Suburban railway, extending south on private right of way,turning east on Savannah, and south on 31st to run along the side of the street to the South Fort Smith depot. Although theroute is described as running along certain streets in this outline, practically all the route beyond the Suburban crossingwas on private right of way. Although there were rutted and un-paved paths where motorists sometimes drove parallel tothe tracks, most of what we know as streets along the South Fort Smith line were not streets during the years of Light &Traction service.

Arkoma Line
From a terminal situated at various times at the foot of Garrison, Texas Corner, and finally Texas Road and South WStreet, (Texas Road became Towson) Arkoma service used tracks of the South Fort Smith line to the junction at South WStreet. From the junction, Arkoma tracks diverged southwest descending a grade on private right of way, then turned westcrossing Missouri Pacific tracks at grade. Proceeding west on what became Arkoma Road, the route crossed the Frisco atgrade, extended around a hill some distance south of Schulter, continued south and west roughly parallel to Lowery andcrossing that thorough fare near Blocker Street, continuing south on Choctaw, southwest on Gillette, turning ontoOsage, onto LeFlore, and terminating on Eames, only a short distance from the Poteau River. Much of the Arkoma line hasbecome automobile roadways.

Park Hill Line
Beginning at the foot of Garrison, but at various times using the 3rd Street loop, service began at first out Garrison to13th, continuing out Little Rock Avenue, turning south on 21st onto single track as far as South H Street. When tracks wereconstructed on South H, Park Hill service diverged from Garrison at Texas Corner, proceeding south on Towson, east onH Street with single track extending along the center of the pavement, for conection with the track on South 21st Street,continuing south on 21st to Dodson. There were passing sidings on H, between 17th and 18th, and when required, carsmet at the junction on 21st and H Streets. South of Dodson on 21st, park Hill cars moved on private right of way situated onthe west of the curb as far as South W Street. With construction of the fairgrounds, Park Hill track was extended from WStreet south to a connection with the South Fort Smith line. Anticipating increases in fairground traffic, a second track wasinstalled situated on the east side of 21St between Dodson and South W Street, extending further in concrete pavement toSouth X, and on private right of way southward to a point beyond what now is called Dallas Street at the fairgrounds.Following fairgrounds bankruptcy, the west track from Dodson to the fairgrounds was removed. With abandonment of theLittle Rock Avenue line, track between that line and H Street along 21st was removed. With South Fort Smith lineabandonment, track between the fairgrounds and South W was pulled up, leaving only a single track route via Towson,South H, and South 21st Street toward Park Hill service. Final period of Park Hill operation was as a combination with theNorth Fifth Street line, with cars moving between 11th and Division to 21st and South W Street in a continuous route.

Little Rock Avenue Line
Service began at the foot of Garrison, extending east on double tracks to 13th, and further east on Little Rock Avenue,passing junction with the Park Hill line at 21St. Double track ended just east of 23rd, single track continued to Greenwood,where the line turned south on private right of way at the east side of the curb line, with track ending at Oak Cemetery.

Grand Avenue Line
Beginning at the foot of Garrison, service extended to 13th, where cars turned northward on double tracks extendingalmost to D Street, further extending on single track, turning east on to Grand Avenue, passing a junction with the North EStreet line. Continuing eastward on Grand, the route ended at Albert Pike Road. Passing sidings were at 16th, and 32ndand track crossed the Suburban railway near 31st Street.

North E Street Line
From the foot of Garrison, cars moved over the same tracks as the Grand Avenue route to a junction at Grand Avenueand North E Street, diverging to the latter street to continue on center of paved street tracks onto Blackburn, turning southon May, and east on Park to cross the Suburban railway. Continuing east with tracks on private right of way beside theroadway, the North E Street line terminated at Albert Pike Road. Passing sidings were situated near 17th and near Lecta Avenue.

Copyright © 1995-2004 All Rights Reserved

Fort Smith Trolley Museum
100 South 4th Street
Fort Smith, Arkansas, 72901
(479) 783-0205
info@fstm.org

Owned and Operated By:
Fort Smith Streetcar Restoration Association Inc.
2121 Wolfe Lane
Fort Smith, AR 72901