Oklahoma Historic Places Database
Historic Place of the Day
Green Corn Dance
To the Creeks, the Green Corn dance was a major annual religious celebration of the harvest season. Around a central fire, men, women, and children dressed in colorful costumes, danced, chanted, and sang. After the rites, green corn was served.
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Ralston Opera House
The Ralston Opera Hours was constructed in 1902 and provided live entertainment and silent movies until 1927. The Opera House is open for tours on Saturdays. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, #87001257. The Opera House is the center piece of the towns 10 year plan to revitalize the small fading town of Ralston, Oklahoma.
Cotton Storage House
The Kinta cotton house is one of the few remaining examples of the octagonal gin buildings constructed during the heyday of the cotton industry in Oklahoma. Listed in the National Register of Historical Places in 1980 #80003263.
Cabin Creek Battlefield
On Sept. 18, 1864, a Confederate force of 2,000, mainly Gen. Stand Watie's Indian Brigade, intercepted a Union supply train enroute from Kansas to Ft. Gibson. The convoy of 130 wagons with supplies worth $1.5 million was captured after a heavy engagement. Last major Civil War engagement in Indian Territory.
Harris Mill Cemetery
Marks cemetery which is the only remaining evidence of the plantation and extensive enterprises of Harris brothers pre-Civil War period.*
Gardner Mansion
Tells story of this home of Choctaw Chief Jefferson Gardner, which was built in 1884.*
Eagletown
First settlement by Choctaws after arrival from Mississippi over "Trail of Tears" 1832. Bethabara Mission established here by missionary Loring S. Williams who was postmaster when Eagle Town post office opened July 1, 1834. Court ground for Eagle County, Choctaw Nation, here 1850 - 1906. Named changed to Eagletown December 16, 1892. Rev. Cyrus Byington established Stockbridge Mission east of r ...
Cyrus Byinton (Rev.)
Commemorates missionary who served among Choctaws and had major role in developing written Choctaw language.*
Harris House
Built on Harris Ferry Road in 1867 by Judge Henry Churchhill Harris. Choctaw leader, jurist and diplomat, who established ferry on Red River prior to Civil Ward. Post office Opened As Harris May 22, 1894. House was centered in Pleasant Hill plantation and servied as headquarters for other Harris business interests. Home restored in 1949 by builder's grandson, Charles L. Harris and wife, Ruby. ...
Barnes-Steverson House
T.J. Barnes came to Indian Territory in 1898 to practice law. With statehood, Barnes became the first county judge for McCurtain county. He was also a banker and newspaper man. In 1911, Barnes began the process of constructing a new residence. His home, the Barnes-Stevenson House, was designed by renowned Oklahoma architect Jewell Hicks, and built between 1911-1912. The four-story with basemen ...
Alikchi Court Ground
Commemorates Choctaw District Court site where justice dispensed in 19th century.*
J. B. Milam Memorial Marker
J. BARTLEY MILAM, Principal Chief of the Cherokees. The Cherokee government had been dismantled in 1907 when Oklahoma became a state. In 1941, Milam was appointed Chief for a year by Franklin D. Roosevelt and was reappointed until his death in 1949. His main goals were to reconstruct the tribal government, and the preservation of Cherokee property, and historical manuscripts. "He gave i ...
Chouteau's Post
Oldest permanent American settlement in state. Grew out of Chaouteau's furn trade at St. Louis, with Osages after they settled in this region in 1802 from Missouri. Improvements here in 1817 became residence of Col. A. P. Chouteau, West Point grad., noted in western U.S. official life and for many posts in Indian trade.
A work in progress ...
This database is provided to help you explore the great state of Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma Historic Places Database is an on going project started on May 19, 2005. The information provided here was entered in by volunteers who visited or did research about each location. Some historic places may not have any information yet or even be listed. Though we strive for accuracy, some information could be incorrect.
The Oklahoma Historical Society (www.okhistory.org) provides a list on their web site of all the historic markers in Oklahoma. However at the time we started this project this list only contained the name of the marker and which county it was in. We used this list (as of February 16, 2005) to seed the Oklahoma Historic Places Database. (If you would like a copy of our seed list, visit here.)
Multiple sources including various books, internet web sites, and museum visits provide the information used to build the Oklahoma Historic Places Database.
Unless otherwised noted, information and images provided here are under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Exploring Oklahoma History is a labor of love for the great state of Oklahoma.
Labor omnia vincit