County historical society visits Fort Gibson
Members of the Sequoyah County Historical Society recently took a fall trip to Fort Gibson, a National Historic Landmark and listed as Oklahoma’s oldest town.
Members of the Sequoyah County Historical Society recently took a fall trip to Fort Gibson, a National Historic Landmark and listed as Oklahoma’s oldest town.
Eleven members boarded a KATS bus for the scenic drive through Lake Tenkiller State Park, and along the military road built from Fort Gibson to Fort Smith. The group also viewed an Army base in Braggs that once housed German prisoners during World War II. The military base is still used for National Guard training sessions.
SCHS members then visited Fort Gibson military fort, seeing reconstruction of the early log fort, as well as original buildings from the 1840s through the 1870s. Exhibits detailing history of the fort are located in the Commissary Visitors Center. One special exhibit was a 200-year-old brick oven in which bread was baked for soldiers. It is still used for special occasions. The members also toured the long mess hall, which features wooden plank tables, lamps and living quarter barracks.
Eastern Oklahoma was occupied by Osage tribe Indians when the Five Civilized Tribes were moved by the government from East and Southern states. However when members of the Five Civilized Tribes arrived in Eastern Oklahoma, they were massacred by Osage Indians because they intruded on their territory.
The government then built the fort at Fort Gibson to protect the Five Civilized Tribes. Built in 1824, Fort Gibson served as a staging area for military expeditions exploring the West and for keeping peace.
The fort was abandoned in 1857, and reactivated during the Civil War. The Army stayed through Reconstruction and the Indian War periods, combating problems of outlaws and squatters.
In 1890, the Army abandoned Fort Gibson for the final time.
The fall tour group enjoyed a buffet luncheon at Charlie’s Chicken for eating, visiting and rest.
The group then toured Fort Gibson National Military Cemetery, an area of rolling hills filled with beautiful, white memorial stones of fallen soldiers from the past 200 years. The older stones were placed in the center with a circular walkway fro viewing from the cemetery visitors center, which maintains burial records for thousands of deceased.
Among the oldest interred at the cemetery are Talahina (or Tahlihina or Tiana) Houston, the Cherokee wife of Sam Houston, who died in 1838, and Vivia Thomas, who was awarded burial in the officers circle. Sam Houston, who settled in Texas in 1832, played an important role in the Texas Revolution and served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas, and also served as governor of Tennessee. Talahina was first buried in Wilson Rock Cemetery, south of Muldrow near the Arkansas River. In 1905, her body was removed and reburied in the National Cemetery at Fort Gibson.
The Fort Gibson National Military Fort, cemetery and town are located six miles northeast of Muskogee. The Arkansas River flows nearby, which was an early way to travel and to explore.
The group recommends the historic fort and community as a day trip destination.
Historical society members participating in the tour were Phyllis Barnes, Gina Erdmon, Phil and Lynda Hayden, Sharon Huff, Peggy Merely, Jackie Snow Pop, Emily Rowe, Janice Sanders, Earl Strebeck and Mildred Taylor.
Members of the Sequoyah County Historical Society recently visited Fort Gibson for their annual tour. Those involved in the trip included (from left) Gina Erdmon, Earl Strebeck, Sharon Huff, Janice Sanders, Mildred Taylor, Linda and Phil Hayden, Jackie Snow Pop, Peggy Morely, Phyllis Barnes and Emily Rowe (not pictured).
