Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-11
OLD FORT GIBSON.
HISTORIC CHARACTERS WHO
HAVE LIVED THERE.
Generals Braguc, Taylor and Sam Houston
Where James G. Blaine Was slck-yal.
liable Buildings The Villages,

Special Correspondence OF the Gazette.
FORT GIBSON, l. r., Sept 8, 1892
Few places in the Indian Territory
or perhaps the SOuthwest--have been
the homes Of more noted mon or the
scene OF moro real romance than Old
Fort Gibson.
Fort Gibson is no longer a gaiTisoned
post, Neither the piercing notes OF the
trumpet nor the martial sounds Of ilfo
and drum which Tor nearly hundred
years disturbed the slumDcrs Of the sol
dieiA at the reveille. win over more be
heard within those time-honored walls
Neither will "tapsn ring oit ON the
frosty night ain to lull the tired soldier
TO reposc. Yet, AS time in It's Needless
course rolls ON many memories still
cling TO tho old fort As We look down
through tine dim vista OF receding
years, and call up the shadows which
memory produces, what startling ar
ray OF phantoms parambulate before u.s.
What scenes are pictured In our minds.
What trials and suilerings ring in our
cars! When we look ut the thousands
Of little white headstones In the ma
tlonal cemetery just east Of the old fort
we realize how many gallant sous OF
the republic saw the bright light Of
earth fade while far from their earthly
homes and lie buried to-day under the
soil OF the Indian Territory, having
passed through the portals TO await the
last grand muster and review.
The garrison at Fort Gibson was
abandoned only about year ago, and
according TO treaty stipulations with
the ChorOkees the huge stone build
ings and 5000 acres OF land surround
inw them revert TO the Cherokee
nation. There are some six or eight Of
these buildings, which were erected by
the government nj a cost Of nearly
5000 They arc situated on
an elevation just east OF Grand river
and about one mile above its confluence
with the Arkansas.
Fort Gibson was one Of the oldest and
strongest stations on the frontier. Be-
fore the Chcrohees came West the
whole Of this country was grand
hunting ground for the Osages and
other wild Indians, and countless herds
OF buffalo, elk antelope and deer
roamed over the broad prahies.
Nesting on tho east bank OF Grand
river, Just under the old garrison, Ii
the pretty little village Of Fort Gibson,
with a population Of perhaps 500 IN
! habitants. a more picturesque village
cannot be found within the "beautilul
Indian Territory It's houses are, for
the most part, typical pioneer struc
lures, though u few buildings of mod
ern architecture have been erected in
modern years. The unpaved streets
remind one of hog paths in an acorn
grove, running as they do in zigzag
courses, and the Arkansas Valley rail-
road winding down the main thorough
fare from one end Of the town to the
other.
About two hundred yards from the
railroad track towards the garrison
stands a huge twO-story log house that
attracts great deal oil attention from
passengers who travel on the Valley
route. Few strangers pass through
Fort Gibson without having the now
dilapidated and weather-beateu struc-
ture pointed out 70 them, and those
who do chance 10 pass on without see
ing IL rarely fail to hear something
Of It's history before reaching the next
station on the road.
This building has an interesting his
tory. II has, AT different times since
It's erection, served as the home Of
Zach Taylor, jefferson Davis, Gen.
i ,,e5s' r.' ja,riiin, 10 oyerv Ame,,irsn
i iln,iies "'' M revas nat,jof sam
T ryt. w. sacnt MANI days am
Iiots o'ii ii' ~ roof ma Ta,nos n
uiEiia uI t.'i a,, ,rcst,,rn tou,. a. iesg
oiai,,v, YIN! IN ,D ~ at Fort Cibsnn ana
mas .th.l ~ y - ~ ~ eict,n@.s o." s,r
.ais ul ,ni, ' i@i,btn i,s time-bnnoed
wv "oN7 "'
"9 a.. IN. .,,, o,,o-. ,,o .s,ai,i,.h.
nm, 20" ~ eor rit c ill., a. III 1904 10 bc nse5