07 Nov, 2009
Miss Laura’s Visitor Center — Our Brothel Still Takes Care of Our Visitors
Posted by: Beach Reporter In: travel
Location: A California beach town. Time: Saturday afternoon. Activity: Dreaming.
I was sitting at my computer trying to figure out how to tie up all the loose ends and unposted events I had promised to post to a million non-profit organizations. Suddenly my eye spotted something unusual on my desk! It was a brochure that I caught a glimpse of with the words, “Our Brother Still Takes Care of Visitors!” In delayed response, my mind told me that this was something out of the ordinary. I reached over and picked it up, wondering ‘Who actually advertises a brothel in this day and age?’
Miss Laura… Oh Yes! The scrappy town of Fort Smith, Arkansas–an old frontier outpost with all the charm of Sunday ice cream socials, beautifully preserved houses from the pages of a story book and even a brothel–takes me back to my visit there. Today’s Fort Smith was mostly built in the 1800’s and early 20th century, and captures not just hearts, but tourists with its historical points of interest that have faded from other cities more eager to tear down the old and forget about the past.
Your first stop on a visit to Fort Smith is Miss Laura’s Social Club. While you won’t be treated to the same type of welcome that once attracted visitors to this brothel, the restored former bordello (the first listed on the National Register of Historic Places,) is a Victorian mansion, museum and welcome center, next to the banks of the Arkansas River. It was a convenient stop for men who sought comfort and women who sought income in the Old West frontier. Today, it is the beginning of one of the most historic and memorable vacations you can experience.
Miss Laura’s Visitor Center - Museum, Gift Shop, tours, local information. Location: 2 North “B” Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas. Call: (479) 783-8888, toll-free (800) 637-1477. Hours: Open 7 Days, Monday - Saturday, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM; Sunday, 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM. fortsmith.org
