The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-06-13
KEE-TOO-WHAH IS
FORGOTTEN NAME
Change Of Name for Fort Glib
son to Indian Word Did
Not Stick.
ESTABLISHED IN 1924
Cherokees Planned O Town Of
Pretentious Dimensions to
Commemorate Post.
Special to Tho world.

Special to The world.
TAHLEQUAH. okla. June IA
II In quite general supposltion that
Fort Gibson as n military post was
not abandoned until 1889, but II is
II matter OF fact that the post was
abandoned for a short time more
than sixty years ago. ReOccupaton
followed within IA comparatively
short period OF time, but In the In
terva the lands forming the mill
tary reserve, and the various build
ings of the past reverted. agreeable
TO agreements made with the repre-
sentatlves OF the Cherokee nation.
to that Indian government The mill
itary post. at the time OF It's ostab-
lishment In 1924, had been named In
honor OF Colonel Charles Gibson, "A
famous officer OF the United Statea
army, and the town OF Fort Gibson
camo into existence noar the post
during the course OF time.
When in the latter part Of the flf-
ties OF the last century tho abandon
ment of the post was decided upon
and when tho soldiers had been re-
moved to another post. the author
tiles of the Cherokee nation took
action regarding the lands of the
military rcetGrvo. The matter waH
brought before tho national council
IN session Mt Tahleduah and II was
decided to change tho historical
name of tho town to Kee-too- Whah.
20 lay out and sell certain lots In
the surveyed limits and 10 dispose
of the abandoned government prop
erty. The "Belknap House." occu-
pied by General Belknap while In
command. as well as tho stono build
ing and a number of others. were
removed for such purposes ns the
council might decide upon, and prep
arations for making a town OF some
pretenslon upon the site OF tho old
frontier town and post were begun.
But this was about as far aS
things went The government de-
clded that Fort Gibson was n post
OF such strategic Importance that II
could not we'll be given up, so an
other agreement was made with the
Cherokee, nation and the post was
reoccupied. In the meantime the
new name, the town of Kee-too-
Whah, was not overly popular even
among tho Cherokees. Fort Gibson
had become such familiar name
that II was more often used as the
designation OF the place than the In
dian name and In a few years the
latter name fell into disuse ana was
forgotten. and but for the fact tina,
the old records OF the Cherokee ma
ton contain the particulars relating
To the change of name. few people
OF today would believe that such O
change had once been made Ther,
are yet living, however, a consider
able number of citizens who recall
that 1t was once sought to chang'
the name OF the military post.
In the civil war days ono OF th'
notable military men who spent q
portion of his time In the Indian ter
ritory was Brigadier General Jamei
@. Blunt OF Kansas. General Blunt
who was born In the state OF Maine
in 1926. had been graduated from al
Ohio medical college and pracuceo
his profession In Kansas In the pio'
neer days. lie took an active par
In the campaign to make Kansas
free state ana when the civil wal
began entt ed the volunteer army
Blunt was brave and daring of
ficer and the forces under his com
mana fought and won the battles o
Newtonia, Mo, Maysville. Ark, For
Wayne, Cherokee nation Prairi'
Grove, Ark, Van Buren,. Ark, an,
Honey Springs, Indian territory. 4
number OF the men of his cofnman'
were stationed at Fort Gibson afte
the pacifica ton OF the regions alonI
the borders OF Missouri and Arkan
sas, and II was soon after the kansa
and Indian regiments had beer
marched through from the border
to Fort Gibson that tho name OF tn
old post was changed for shor
time TO Fort Blunt, Despite the FAC
that General Blunt had fine MN
tary record and had won honnrs II
the territory, the many historical as
sociatlons surrounding the name
Fort Gibson resulted In tho neN
name being dropped after brie
period and since then no attemp
has been made to bestow another,
There are yet living In this sectio
n few of tho veterans OF the civ
war who we'll recall the appearanc
OF the fiery and indomitable Blum
who fought the confederates a
prairie Grove all day and unul IN
darkness of night had fallen. IN
confederates were commanded o
General Thomas Hineman. wh
early in the days OF the war Vlsite
at Tahlequah and at Park Hill.
kln