Intresting Oklahoma History (Cushing, Canadian: insurance, homes, company)

[TheComputerGuy]

Speaking if reading...

Have you guys seen Project Gutenberg?:

http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/

Thousands and thousands of books in the public domain,
free to D/L and read...

And no, I didn't find Angie Debo or Forrest / Asa Carter.

[Gunluvver2]

If any of you want to learn about what life was like during the "Dirty Thirties" in the Oklahoma Panhandle pick up a copy of THE WORST HARD TIMES. I think the authors last name is Egan. The Boise City area of that time is covered in several chapters. It should be required reading in all schools in the Plains States.
GL2

[karibear]

This marginally OT, but I imagine some similar things happened in OK, too. Missouri, where I grew up, was one of the divided states during the Civil War. On one hand, there was the Dred Scott case which took place in the old courthouse in St Louis. On the other hand, the southern part of the state was definitely pro-South. When I was a kid, there was a state park at Pilot Knob, which included a 'fort' if it could be called that. What it was, was a small area enclosed on four sides by an earth berm where the defenders laid inside, while shooting at the attacking force. The fort was still there in the '50s. And as for the pro-South part, they had separate holidays. For instance, Memorial Day was celebrated by the yankee faction, and Memorable Day a week later by the southern faction. Again, this was still going on in the '50s.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

Good post, OKC pond lady.

This is a summary of some information in the Chronicles of Oklahoma.

South of Holdenville on the Little River near its junction with the Canadian, a trading post, known as Edwards' Store or Edwards' Settlement, operated trading with Comanche, Kickapoo, Shawnee, Delaware and other Indians. The trail leading to Edwards' Settlement crossed the Red River near Ryan, OK, and went through what is now Jefferson, Carter, Murray, and Pontotoc Counties.

In looking at maps, it looks like the trail would have gone from Edwards' store through Allen and Ada to Roff, generally the route of Highway 1. Then along what is now the Chickasw turnpike to Sulphur. It would have continued in a southwest direction to Ryan.

Jesse Chisolm, famous scout, was married to Edwards' daughter and lived there. The store traded for furs and hides and later also traded human beings. In 1834 General Leavenworth cut a road from Fort Gibson and established Old Fort Holmes, located near Edwards' Settlement. Edwards' Settlement became a clearinghouse for prisoners captured in Texas. From 1836 to 1843 the Comanches captured many white prisoners in Texas. Some they kept, like Cynthia Ann Parker, who was the mother of Quanah Parker, and some they traded either at the Red River trading post or Edwards' Settlement. The prisoners were sold to other Indians or traders, who would transport them to Fort Gibson where they could collect ransoms if offered.

In 1839, two young black boys who were slaves were captured in the Republic of Texas and sold to Mr. Edwards and Jesse Chisholm. Their owner traced them to the Edwards' post. While the slave owner, a Mr. Robertson, was at the Edwards' Settlement he dared not tell anyone he was from Texas, because a large band of Cherokees was camped there who had just been driven out of Texas and many members of their tribe had been killed. The slave owner reported the location of his stolen slaves to the Texas government. This became the subject of cabinet conferences in the U.S. government. President Harrison refused to recognize the right of Texas to demand the slaves' return, but in 1844 when Tyler became President, he ordered the young men returned to their owner.

Is there anything remaining of the two sites today? Old Fort Holmes was supposed to have been located across Little River from Edwards' Post. I think I read somewhere that there are the remains of an old bridge across Little River that may have connected the two.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Originally Posted by redbird4848

I believe the prison in Lexington, OK, used to be the site of a POW camp. Inmates used to find spent shells there.

That's Joseph Harp Correctional Center. It's the other prison, located one mile east and one mile north of LARC, which sits next to the highway.

It was actually the impact area for a US Navy gunnery range. This is where the Navy trained ships gunners during WWII. The prison ground is littered with spent .30 & .50 caliber bullets. Nor the of the prison is Lexington Public Hunting Area where there are still concrete gun mounts that the Crosstimbers have practically reclaimed.

[peggydavis]

I don't think there is anything left there, but there is no road that goes down there anymore. It would be fun to explore the old sites.

[mkfarnam]

I could look this up, but I'd rather hear it from some of you.

I'm curious the know how Oklahoma got the name "The Sooner State".

[peggydavis]

Talk about a softball question.

Certain parts of Oklahoma were settled by land runs. All people were to keep out of the areas before the actual land run signal shots were fired. However, some people cheated and sneaked out in the land run areas and staked claims ahead of time. They were there "sooner" than they were supposed to be.

We have a weird sense of humor here.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

I don't think there is anything left there, but there is no road that goes down there anymore. It would be fun to explore the old sites.

I've always wanted to. I guess the way to proceed would be to put in a canoe with a trolling motor and travel up Little River. Of course, you would first have to do some research at the courthouse and locate the landowners for permission.

[peggydavis]

That's a great idea, Crosstimbers Okie. I maybe would like an inflatable raft better than a canoe, since I would go in the late fall or winter when it is easier to see remains (not so much vegetation) and less bug problems. I wouldn't want to tip over in the cold water. I don't think getting permission from the land owners would be a big problem.