Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-06-06
THE WASHINGTON
, IRVING TRAIL
Route Followed by the Author
In 1882 TO Be Marked.
ACROSS STATE OF OKLAHOMA
Work Taken Up by Daughters Of tho
American Revolution - They Will
Also Continue Marking Of Santa Fe
Trail WHARF It Enters Oklahoma,

Trail WHARF Il Enters Oklahoma,
This seems to me to be the prom.
1sed land. the land flowing with milk
and honey. On the rich heritage of the
prairies will be fed herds Of cattle as
innumerable as the sands upon the
seashore and the flowers that bedeck
the prairies will be IL paradise for a
nectar loving being"
The speaker was Washington Irving
when he was crossing what Is now
Oklahoma during 1889 on his tour Of
the prairies. At that time there were
only Indian tribes In Oklahoma. The
Osages and the Pawnees used the
western section of the present state as
their buffalo hunting grounds. and i'm
nense herds of wild horses and buffa-
Ices covered that area which In later
years. through the efforts Of Captain
David L. Payne and his colonies Of
"boomers." was to be opened to white
settlement.
With the intention of beginning the
marking Of the Washington Irving
trail across Oklahoma the Daughters
OF the American Revolution during
their recent annual convention In Ok.
iahoma City appointed Il committee Of
five women to direct the work and
also to plan for the preservation Of
buildings and sites Of historic interest
throughout the state.
In carrying out plans to mark the
Irving trail the work will be pattern
ed. 1t Is understood. after a similar un-
dertaking now in progress In Kansas.
where the Daughters Of the American
Revolution are marking the old Santa
Fe trail. In connection with the Santa
Fee trail It is of special interest to note
that the trail crosses the northwest
corner of former No Mans Land. now
a portion of Oklahoma. and when the
Kansas women have completed mark
ing that trail across Kansas it will be
continued in Oklahoma by another
committee of the Daughters Of the
American Revolution.
Irving at Fort Gibson.
Washington Irving's first stopping
place in Oklahoma was at Fort Gibson.
at that time an important outlying ar
my post. He remained ut the post
some time. writing his ''Tales Of u
Traveller in tent just outside the old
parade ground.
Already the location of Washington
lrvings tent at Fort Gibson has been
marked through the efforts of Colonel
j. S. Holden, who has spent practical
ly his entire lifetime at that place. A
marble tablet marks the spot. bearing
the inscription: "Site Of Washington
lrving's Tent. 1899. Erected by ]. S.
Holden. 1909" The data that Colonel
Holden has collected regarding the
Daughters Of the American Revolution
greatly in marking the TRAIL
During the same year that he visit
ed Fort Gibson Washington Irving
also travelled through the southwest
portion Of Oklahoma. in the Red river
country. and captured several wild
horses in what IS now so Familiarity
known as the big pasture" 1t is one
of the richest agricultural tracts in the
southwest and was then u portion Of
the immense Kiowa-C omanche Indian
reservation. including also what is now
known as Greer county. 1t was IA
vorite feeding ground Of buffaloes,
Irving crossed Oklahoma from the
northeast corner to the southwest. or
the North Fork. and was again within
fifty miles Of Fort Gibson on his back
trip when he reached the Arkansas
river. In marking his trail across the
= Ia tt,.Np Nf.N,,0
have almost a double trail in the cen
trail portion Of the state.
OkIahoma's Santa Fe Trail.
To General Kit Carson Oklahomans
give credit for having Il portion of the
old Santa Fe trail across the north
western portion of this state He es-
tablished former Camp Nichols. near
Mineral, in 1865. and the walls Of the
old fort are still standing. Carson was
then brigadier general Of United
States volunteers. commanding the
forces in New Mexico and southern
Colorado. The buildings at Camp
Nichols were constructed of native
stone and were in use perhaps five
years after the construction. With
Forts cara. Larned, Dodge and Camp
Aubrey, all in Kansas. Camp Nichols
formed a chain of military protection
to the great transprairie commerce
which passed to and fro over the his
toric Santa Fee trail, which began at
Westport, now Kansas City. and ended
at Santa Fe. N. NJ.
At the particular time General Car.
son established Camp Nichols he was
on campaign against the Cheyennes
and other Indians who had taken the
warpath, but in 1870, after a treaty
had been signed with the tribes, the
Camp Nichols building was abandoned.
The site of the old army post is in
cluded in land that has reverted to the
new state of Oklahoma by virtue Of
some provisions of the statehood bill.
For several years attempts have been
made to have Camp Nichols preserved
and the Santa Fe trail In Oklahoma
marked, and this work will revert now
to the Daughters Of the American Rev
DlutiOn