Western Oklahoma

Last Update: 14/SEPTEMBER/2019

Compiled by Phil and Pete Payette - Š2019 American Forts Network

NOTE: Originally a part of Indian Territory, the western half of the state was known as Oklahoma Territory beginning in 1890, joining with what remained of Indian Territory for combined statehood in 1907.

Fort Sill (U.S. Military Reservation)
(1869 - present), Lawton
The Old Post and Museum is open to visitors. Built as a replacement for Fort Cobb. The post was originally called Camp Wichita or Camp at Medicine Bluff (or Medicine Bluff Creek). Some Kansas troopers called it Camp Starvation after it was first built. The name Fort Elliott was proposed by the Army's Seventh Cavalry under General Custer, but not approved. The post became the Indian Agency headquarters for the Comanche, Kiowa, Kiowa-Apache, Waco, Wichita, Kichai, and Caddo Indians. A pentagonal earthen redoubt (1871) was located behind the cavalry stables, and two smaller redoubts were also located near the main post. A separate fortified Quartermaster Corral (1871) was built east of the fort to prevent Indian raids on the quartermaster supplies. A blockhouse (1871) was built on Signal Mountain six miles west of the fort as an advance outpost.

The new modern post was built in 1911, surrounding the old post, with many of the original buildings still in use. Also located here is Apache Chief Geronimo's gravesite, a 1920's Army Balloon Hangar, and the U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum, which contains many pieces from the 1890's to the present. Also on display along the "Cannon Walk" is "Atomic Annie", a 280mm gun that fired the world's first atomic artillery round in 1953 in Nevada. The Field Artillery Half Section is a ceremonial horse unit established in 1963. The post is home of the Field Artillery School (since 1911). (Lt. Henry B.) Post Field was established in 1917 on the plateau south of the main post. The Air Service School and a Signal Corps Balloon School were here in 1917 - 1918. Army missile and rocket testing took place at Fort Sill from 1954 until 1968, when the Air Defense Command was transferred to Fort Bliss, Texas. There is an outdoor exhibit of several types of missiles that were developed here. The Air Defense Artillery Center and School, and the Air Defense Artillery Museum have recently been relocated back to Fort Sill, but the museum has not yet opened to the public. See also Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History

Camp Doniphan (1917 - 1918) was established on post near Grierson Hill and Observation Tower Two, as a Federalized National Guard cantonment mobilization center and training camp for the 35th Division. All buildings were removed after the war, but the site continued to be used by the Oklahoma National Guard for summer training. See also Military Yearbook Project by Richard Morgan

Auguste Pierre Chouteau's Fort (2)
(1837 - 1838), Lawton
A civilian fur trade post located about three miles below Fort Sill, on the west bank of East Cache Creek. Also known as Kiowa Trading Post. A representative period log stockade has been reconstructed as the Red River Trading Post located on the grounds of the Museum of the Great Plains, located at 601 NW Ferris Ave.. Admission fee.

Holland Coffee's Trading Post (2)
(1836), near Taylor
A civilian stockaded trading post on the Red River on the east side of the mouth of Cache Creek.

Abel Warren's Trading Post (2)
(1848 - 1849), near Taylor
A civilian stockaded trading post on the Red River on the east side of the mouth of Cache Creek, at or near the site of Coffee's Post (2).

Camp Auger
(1873 - 1874), near Grandfield
A field camp subpost of Fort Sill, located nine miles southwest of town on the Red River. Attacked by Indians in April 1874.

Holland Coffee's Trading Post (1)
(1834 - 1836), near Davidson
A civilian stockaded trading post on the Red River at an abandoned Wichita Indian village, nearly opposite the mouth of the Pease River.

Camp Robinson
(1871), near Tipton
A subpost of Fort Sill located on Otter Creek near the original site #1 of Camp Radziminski.

Fort Beach
(1874), near Tipton
Located at the original site #1 of Camp Radziminski on the south bank of Otter Creek. A subpost of Fort Sill, it was a temporary forward supply depot fortified by a redoubt. Officially called Camp Beach. Also called Fort Otter and Camp Otter.

Camp Davidson
(1878 - 1882), near Tipton
Located on Otter Creek about four miles north of town, and about four miles east of Humphreys. A subpost of Fort Sill to protect the cattle trails.

Camp at Soldier Spring
(1878 - 1882), near Blair
Located on the North Fork of the Red River about five miles northeast of town, about four miles downstream from Altus Lake. A subpost of Fort Sill to protect the cattle trails. The Battle of Soldier Spring (December 1868) occurred near here.

Camp Radziminski
(1858 - 1860), near Mountain Park
This was a temporary Army camp on Otter Creek, which occupied three different sites during its time of operation, and was also variously known as Camp Otter Creek and/or Otter Creek Station. Site #1 was a picket stockade located south near Tipton on the southeast bank of Otter Creek, from September to November 1858. It was later moved upstream to site #2 from November 1858 to March 1859 (exact location undetermined, west of Snyder), and then was moved again to site #3 on the west side of West Otter Creek about three and one-half miles west and two and one-half miles north of town. It was formally named after the final move. Finally abandoned in December 1859 by the Army but later occupied during much of 1860 by Texas Rangers. Army troops from the Sheridan-Custer Winter Campaign of 1869 returned to the site and camped within its ruins. See also Handbook of Texas Online

Camp Comanche
(1834), near Apache
Built by the Army Dragoons under Col. Henry Dodge in July 1834 during a conference with Comanche tribal leaders. It was composed of a tent camp formed as a hollow rectangle with East Cache Creek bending around on the three sides (north, west, south) of the camp. A field hospital was located nearby for another 20 days afterwards to shelter ill soldiers who could not continue the 1834 Leavenworth Expedition. Located on the east side of East Cache Creek about 12 miles north of the Fort Sill Military Reservation boundary. The actual site may be inundated by Lake Ellsworth.

Fort Cobb
(1859 - 1862, 1868 - 1869), Fort Cobb
Located on the east side of Cobb Creek, just above the Washita River. Originally built to protect the Wichita Indian Agency (1859 - 1869), three miles east at Washita. Abandoned in 1861 and occupied by CSA troops from Texas. It was partially burned down by Caddo Indians in 1862. The Confederates abandoned the post after the "Tonkawa Massacre" between the Caddo and Tonkawa tribes. After the war the Federals came back in 1868 and the Wichita Agency re-established with the arrival of the Kiowa from Kansas. The adobe and sandstone fort was abandoned after Fort Sill was established and the Indian Agency moved. The town was founded in 1899 one mile west of the fort site. No remains at original site, now private property. A stone monument was erected in 1960 at the fairgrounds. Highway marker located on OK 9 just south of town.
(NOTE: Fort Cobb State Park has nothing to do with the historic fort.)

Camp McIntosh
(1862), near Anadarko
A temporary CSA post located five miles east of town.

Camp Napoleon
(1865), Verden
A temporary camp established in May 1865 to improve relations between the Five Civilized Tribes, fighting for the Confederate States, and the native Plains Indian tribes. The camp was named for a visitor - an emissary from Mexican Emperor Maximilian.

Camp Mason
(1835), Lexington
Located on Choteau's Creek. The Army used it only briefly in June 1835 to hold a conference with 5000 western Indians, including representatives of the Five Civilized Tribes. Also known as Camp Holmes (2).

Auguste Pierre Chouteau took over the abandoned camp site and built a stockaded trading post called Fort Mason or A.P. Chouteau's Fort (1) (1835 - 1837). The abandoned stockade was later used in 1839 by a party of Santa Fe traders taking shelter. Only ruins were noted by a passing Army column in 1843.

Camp Oklahoma
(1889), Oklahoma City
A temporary Army cavalry encampment, a subpost of Fort Reno. Located in the "Bricktown" section of the city. The city was at that time called Oklahoma Station.

Camp Alice
(1883), near Jones
A civilian "Boomer" encampment located on the North Canadian River north of town.

Fort Reno
(USDA Grazinglands Research Laboratory)
(1874 - 1948), El Reno
First a temporary camp called Camp near Cheyenne Indian Agency, then Post at Cheyenne Indian Agency, it was renamed in 1876 when it became a permanent post, the first buildings having been built in 1875. It was built primarily to protect the Darlington (Cheyenne-Arapaho) Indian Agency across the North Canadian River in Concho (marker located on US 81 two miles north of town). The Battle of Sand Hills took place in 1875 just north and west of the fort. This was the headquarters post of several smaller satellite posts during the "Boomer" era (1880's). East of the fort in July 1898 was an unnamed Spanish-American War muster-in tent encampment of the 1st Territorial Volunteer Infantry. In 1908 the post became a Cavalry Remount Depot, a Quartermaster Depot in 1938, and a German and Italian POW camp during World War II. In 1948 the reservation was transferred to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A visitor center was opened in 1997, located in the 1936 Officers' Quarters, and there are 15 original post buildings still remaining around the parade ground. Located five miles west of town, two miles north of I-40. See also Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History
The 1876 General Sheridan's Headquarters log cabin was moved in 1957 to the Canadian County Historical Society Museum, located at 300 South Grand Ave. (admission fee).

Camp Rockwell
(1888), near Cedar Valley ?
A temporary Army camp that lasted for one month, located at Taylor's Springs, about six miles west of Guthrie. A subpost of Fort Reno to prevent "Boomers" from entering Indian Territory.

Camp Guthrie
(1889 - 1891), Guthrie
Built to protect the establishment of the first capital of Oklahoma Territory. A subpost of Fort Reno. Also known locally as Camp MacArthur. Site located at Noble Ave. and Ash Street.

Camp Russell
(1884 - 1886), near Lowrie
Located on the south side of the Cimarron River at Skeleton Creek, seven miles north of Guthrie. Established to stop the "Sooners" and "Boomers" before the official start of the 1884 Oklahoma Land Rush. It later helped keep law and order in the area. A subpost of Fort Reno.

Camp Wade
(1889), near Kingfisher
A temporary post on the Cimarron River just north of Red Rock Creek. Also known as Camp at Kingfisher. A subpost of Fort Reno to prevent "Boomers" from entering Indian Territory.

Cantonment
(1879 - 1882, 1885), near Canton
Built in an attempt to stop Cheyenne Indian raids into Kansas. Its official name was Cantonment on the North Fork of the Canadian River. Used as a missionary boarding school for Indians after the Army left. Briefly occupied again in 1885 after a border dispute with the Cheyenne. The Federal government controlled the school from 1898 to 1949. The school was later partially destroyed by fire, but was rebuilt and used as a museum for a period of time, and is now being used as the site of a Cheyenne - Arapaho Head Start School. Site located about three miles northwest of town on high ground above Canton Lake.
(some info provided by John Sprunger)

Sheridan's Roost
(1870), near Orion
A temporary Army encampment, used mainly as a short-term hunting camp by General Phil Sheridan for a turkey shoot.

Chouteau's Creek Camp
(1838), near Cherokee
A Federal encampment.

Sewell's Stockade
(1870's), Jefferson
A stage station and stockade for the protection of Texas cattle drivers against the Osage Indians. The town was formerly called Pond Creek Station.

Fort Oakland
(The Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma)
(1879 ? - 1891), Tonkawa
The Nez Perce Indians under Chief Joseph were settled here at the Oakland Indian Agency from 1879 - 1885. The Tonkawa Indians were then settled here in 1885. The land was opened and the town was settled by whites during the 1893 Land Run. The Tonkawa Tribal Museum is located here, and is the site of the annual Tonkawa Tribal Pow-Wow. A monument to the Nez Perce was erected in 1976 at the Nez Perce Cemetery.

Camp on Chickaskia River
(1884), near Braman ?
A subpost of Fort Reno, it was intended to keep "Boomers" out of Indian Territory. Exact location undetermined.

Ferdinandina
(1720's ?), Chilocco
A French trading post on the Arkansas River. Site located near the former Chilocco Indian School (1884 - 1980).

Camp Martin
(1886 - 1887), near Newkirk
A temporary Army encampment, a subpost of Fort Reno, to prevent "Boomers" from entering Indian Territory. Located on Bois d'Arc Creek.

Camp Chilocco
(1885), Chilocco
A temporary Army encampment, a subpost of Fort Reno, to prevent "Boomers" from entering Indian Territory.

Camp Schofield
(1889), Chilocco
A temporary four-day encampment for Federal cavalry, artillery, and infantry training maneuvers, located three miles east of town.

Camp Price
(1889), near Chilocco
A temporary Army encampment, a subpost of Fort Reno, to prevent "Boomers" from entering Indian Territory.

Fort Supply (Historic Site and Military Park)
(1868 - 1894), Fort Supply
Originally called Depot on the North Fork Canadian River and Camp Supply until 1878. Attacked by Indians in June 1870. The present stockade with two blockhouses and interior cabins is a reconstruction of the original 1868 post. The post was rebuilt in the 1870's and 1880's with up to 92 wooden buildings, but only five historic structures remain on site today, including the 1880's log Civilian Employee Quarters (Teamster's Cabin), the 1892 brick Guardhouse, the 1878 Commanding Officer's Quarters, the 1882 Officers' Quarters, and the 1874 log Ordnance Sergeant's Quarters. The park is on the campus of Western State Hospital (1908) and Correctional Center (1988), originally established in the former post buildings. The Oklahoma Historical Society administers the park (since 1969). The Guardhouse contains artifacts and displays. Additional artifacts and the relocated 1870's log Blacksmith Shop (Lee-Lienemann Cabin) are displayed at the Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum in nearby Woodward at 2009 Williams Ave.. The original 1869 log Fire House was relocated to the Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum at 2716 N.E. 50th Street (admission fee) in Oklahoma City.

Fort Nichols
(1865), near Wheeless
Officially called Camp Nichols, built by the NM Volunteers under Col. Kit Carson at Cedar Bluffs to protect the Cimarron Cut-Off of the Santa Fe Trail, which still remains visible about half a mile or so south of the post. The ruins of the post's stone perimeter walls and the stone foundations of the Officers' quarters outside the walls still remain on private land (Shields Ranch), about three miles north-northwest of town. A state marker is located seven miles northeast of the site on OK 325.

NEED MORE INFO: Camp Hickory (1909) during the Smoke Meat Rebellion (location ?). "Fort Hill" north of Noble, Cleveland County.

Towns: Camp Houston, Lookout, both in Woods County.

Eastern Oklahoma - page 1

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