Phone Numbers
Main Line: (580) 924-6502
Mailing Address
3348 State Road 199 Durant, Oklahoma 74701
Additional Info
Fort Washita was built in 1842 as the southwestern-most military post of the United States. The mission of Fort Washita was to maintain peace for the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations within their new lands, pursuant to treaty obligations. There were many outside threats to the new home of the Chickasaw people, including attacks by Republic of Texas militia, interference by unscrupulous intruders, constant raids by Plains tribes, the presence of traders and trappers, and unsettled scores with some of the Plains tribes due to disputes concerning hunting grounds in the Homeland. Fort Washita operated as a United States military post until the start of the Civil War in 1861. It was then occupied by Confederate forces through 1865. The fort was almost entirely destroyed by the Confederates as they fled at the end of the Civil War.
1847 (dated)
1 : 1500000
Description
This is William Hemsley Emory s seminal 1848 map of the American Southwest. Depicting from Forth Leavenworth, Kansas (then in Missouri) to the west coast, the map follows Emory s military reconnaissance through the territory newly-acquired by the United States from Mexico. Emory marks his progress on a daily basis and highlights positions determined through Astronomical Observation. He also includes commentary on the terrain and marks the Battle of San Pasquale and the Skirmish of December 7th. Carl Wheat, in his incredibly influential work
Mapping the Transmississippi West summarizes this map s importance best
The territory shown on the map is limited to Lt. Emory s route, but since Emory was meticulous in his astronomical observations and because of his extreme care not to include mere imaginary geography , the map possesses an importance much greater than many of the more showy performances of the period. Its carefull