Sebastian County

Sebastian County was formed on January 6, 1851, from parts of Crawford, Scott and Polk counties and was named for William K. Sebastian, a judge, state senator and U.S. senator from Arkansas. The landscape of Sebastian County is rolling farmlands, forested ridges, isolated mountains and lakes. The county seats are Fort Smith and Greenwood. The economic base is strong and diversified, with manufacturing, service industries, timber, and agriculture (beef, dairy, spinach, turnip greens). A strong Asian community brings a variety of influences, businesses and restaurants. The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith offers a four-year degree. Fort Smith’s arts center, community theater, and symphony further enrich the culture of the area. The stately limestone courthouse in Fort Smith, which has 254 rooms, houses early history of the county. Among several markers on the courthouse grounds is a statue of a Confederate soldier on top of a pedestal nearly three stories tall. It stands with its back toward a national cemetery a few blocks away from where it was originally planned to stand. The U.S. secretary of war at the time refused to consent to the words “Lest we forget.” The Confederate veterans and residents who raised funds to erect the monument would not agree to the omission, and the statue was placed on the courthouse lawn. The Greenwood Courthouse, a more modern structure, is a living part of the community. On April 19, 1968, this building’s predecessor shared the fate of much of the rest of this county seat when it was demolished by a tornado. A bronze plaque on the present building demonstrates the determination of county residents with the words “This building embodies the continuous spirit of Sebastian County as its courthouses have risen from ashes and other disasters since the county was created in 1851.” The flag of the city of Greenwood is flown along with the Arkansas and American flags in front of the courthouse. The population of Sebastian County is 127,799 (2020 Census).

35 S. Sixth St.
Fort Smith 72901

301 E. Center
Greenwood 72936

(479) 783-6139
www.sebastiancountyar.gov/