Chaffee Barbershop and
Military Museum

  • Fort Chaffee WWII display with soldier photos, camouflage, and artifacts, including a Field Artillery training sign.
  • Display of vintage soldier items at Fort Chaffee, including wallets, magazines, and bottles, showing life in WWII barracks.
  • Fort Chaffee display with a U.S. Rifle M1, soldier photos, and a 1959 Field Artillery training sign.
  • Vintage Fort Chaffee communications switchboard setup with operator chairs, surrounded by WWII soldier photos and memorabilia.
  • Vintage military phone directory with tabs on a rotating stand, part of Fort Chaffee display.
  • Wall of vintage military signs at Fort Chaffee, featuring a large 'Bowling Alley 2' sign and various no smoking and directional signs.
  • Fort Chaffee display about the historical use of the bugle in military camps, with an illustration of a soldier playing a bugle in front of an American flag.
  • Military display with a bugle and uniform inside an open suitcase at Fort Chaffee, with text about the bugle's role in military routines.
  • Fort Chaffee display of WWII soldier gear, including helmet, boots, canteen, flashlight, and ammunition belt.
  • Close-up of WWII soldier gear at Fort Chaffee, including boots, helmet, canteen, ammunition belt, compass, and snake bite kit.
  • Fort Chaffee display of WWII firearms and ammunition, featuring pistols, bullets, and military manuals.
  • Fort Chaffee display of a WWII soldier mannequin in uniform with gear, including a holster and goggles, inside a recreated bunker setting.
  • Fort Chaffee exhibit showing sandbags and barbed wire atop a wooden bunker structure, recreating a WWII defensive setup.
  • Fort Chaffee display honoring WWII Army nurses and the Women’s Army Corps, featuring a mannequin in uniform and posters highlighting women’s roles in the war.
  • Fort Chaffee display honoring the 14th Armored Division, featuring a mannequin in military uniform, photos of tanks and soldiers, and information about POW camp liberations.
  • Fort Chaffee display of WWII memorabilia, including a soldier's portrait, a personal letter, and service patches, honoring military service.
  • Model of a wooden barrack on display at Fort Chaffee, representing a WWII-era prisoner-of-war structure.
  • Fort Chaffee exhibit featuring WWII-era photographs, maps, and artifacts displayed on wooden walls with a display case of military items.
  • Large photograph of WWII-era workers or soldiers at Fort Chaffee, displayed on a museum wall with a case of artifacts nearby.
  • Fort Chaffee exhibit featuring a historical map labeled 'Pre-Camp Chaffee Master Real Estate Map,' displayed alongside framed photographs.

At Chaffee Crossing Historical Preservation Organization, we are committed to preserving our region’s rich heritage. Your support directly impacts our efforts to protect and share the history of Fort Chaffee through projects like the Chaffee Barbershop and Military Museum.

Why Your Donation Matters

The Barbershop and Military Museum tells the story of the famous moment Elvis Presley received his “buzzcut heard around the world” alongside stories of the soldiers, and community members whose lives intertwined in this historic space. The museum brings to life the sacrifices, courage, and camaraderie of those who served at Fort Chaffee, honoring our veterans and connecting our community to a proud legacy of service.

Your gift helps us:

  • Restore and maintain exhibits: From authentic displays to structural improvements, donations ensure these treasures remain open and accessible.

  • Educational programs: We bring history to life for all ages with interactive displays, guided tours, and hands-on experiences.

  • Create a meaningful community space: These museums are not only sites of historical importance but also places of community gathering, remembrance, and pride.

How You Can Help

By donating, you are investing in our community’s heritage and helping future generations understand and appreciate the stories that shape us. Whether you choose to make a one-time donation or become a recurring supporter, every contribution makes a difference.

  • Make a one-time donation to have an immediate impact.

  • Join our preservation society with a monthly gift, helping us plan for sustainable growth.

  • Honor a loved one with a brick in their name, supporting the preservation of local history and the service of our veterans.

Join Us in Protecting Our History

Fort Chaffee's legacy is a vital part of Chaffee Crossing’s identity. With your help, we can continue preserving these historic spaces, educating visitors, and celebrating the contributions of our community.

Donate today and be part of a legacy that honors the past while inspiring the future.

Chaffee Barbershop & Military Museum

7313 Terry St., Bldg. #803, Fort Smith, AR
Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, except on national holidays.
Admission is FREE!

 For tours and additional information, contact Cassie Burkard, Museum Curator, at cassie@chaffeecrossing.com

On March 25, 1958, Elvis Presley received his iconic G.I. buzz cut at the Fort Chaffee Barbershop, famously known as "the haircut heard 'round the world." Today, the barbershop is restored to its 1950s charm, showcasing memorabilia from that day, including the camera that captured the moment, news footage, and a letter from the National Archives.

The museum highlights Fort Chaffee's 70-year history, including its role in five wars, housing German POWs, Cuban refugees, and relocated Vietnamese citizens. Visitors can explore artifacts from U.S. Army operations and notable films shot at the base, such as Biloxi Blues and The Tuskegee Airmen.

Home to the largest collection of Fort Chaffee artifacts in the U.S., the museum offers a deep dive into its rich legacy. The Camp Chaffee Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011, preserves this vital piece of Arkansas and U.S. history.

Vietnam Veterans Museum

Local Vietnam Veterans have helped create this tribute to those who served in the Vietnam War. An Army personnel carrier and helicopter 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.

Chaffee Crossing Veterans Memorial Plaza

The Chaffee Crossing Veterans Memorial Plaza in the heart of the beautiful Chaffee Crossing Historic District will preserve the memories of those impacted by Fort Chaffee since 1941. Now YOU can mark your own place in history with a personalized engraved brick to honor a Chaffee veteran, a family member, a friend or a business that will become part of the plaza pathway.

The Chaffee Crossing Veterans Memorial Plaza in the beautiful Chaffee Crossing Historic District will preserve the memories of those impacted by Fort Chaffee since 1941. Now YOU can mark your own place in history with a personalized engraved brick to honor a Chaffee veteran, a family member, a friend or a business that will become part of the plaza pathway.

Brick Pricing/size

8" x 4" engraved brick with up to four (4) lines of text $100

8" x 8" engraved brick with up to seven (7) lines of text $200

24" X 24" paver with corporate logo  - Please contact us for more information.

DOWNLOAD BRICK FORM