Features of the Chaffee Crossing Historic & Entertainment District
The Enchanted Chapel
The Enchanted Chapel is a historic military chapel built in 1942. Its design features include a 20 ft. cathedral ceiling, an entry room, and a choir chamber behind the altar. It is located at the corner of Ward Ave. and Terry St., Fort Smith. The new owner, Rival Commercial Real Estate, is renovating the chapel for private and public events.
Expansion of the Museum of Chaffee History Museum
Building #823, the Fort Chaffee Barrack where Elvis Presley slept during his tenure at Fort Chaffee, is undergoing renovation to provide expanded exhibit space for the Museum of Chaffee History. When complete, the building will house exhibits dedicated to the people who have passed through Fort Chaffee including American soldiers, World War II German P.O.W.s, Cuban refugees, and Vietnamese refugees.
Vietnam Veterans Museum
Local Vietnam Veterans have helped create this tribute to those who served in the Vietnam War. An Army personnel carrier, an Apache helicopter, a jeep garage, and a converted shipping container similar to those used for offices and other uses during the conflict sit just outside the museum for the public to view up close. Tours are available by appointment only. Call (479) 478-0110 for more information.
Other Historical Attractions in Chaffee Crossing
Maness School House
The Maness School House, completed in February 1937, is the only building in the entire area that was not moved or destroyed when the Department of Defense acquired 72,000 acres to build Camp Chaffee. German POW's built the back porch in 1943 and engraved a stone on the steps leading up to the porch to commemorate their work. The schoolhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 29, 2003. It was renovated in 2016 to become StoneHouse at Chaffee Crossing Restaurant. The restaurant is located at the corner of Massard Road and Chad Colley Blvd. in Fort Smith.
McClure Amphitheater
An original Camp Chaffee-era structure built for army training, the outdoor, hillside stadium provides the most beautiful views of the city of Fort Smith in the area. The outdoor "training facility" was taken apart stone by stone in 2011-2012 and was rededicated in 2012. It is now a public park owned and operated by the City of Fort Smith Parks & Recreation Department. It is available for public events and private gatherings. The Sebastian County Bike Trail passes next to the amphitheater, offering a perfect rest stop for bike riders, walkers, and runners. McClure Amphitheater is located on McClure Drive just east of Massard Road, Fort Smith.
