The Panhandle Of Oklahoma Before Statehood
Compiled by the No Man's Land Historical Society
... Preserving the Panhandle's Heritage since 1934 |
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10,000 B.C. |
Paleoindians, first humans in region begin arriving • sequence of nomadic hunting people follows until the 1870's: from Clovis and Folsom times to Comanches and Kiowas
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Antelope Creek Phase • farming people build one-sotry stone houses in rows, similar to precursors of SW Pueblos • villages appear throughout the region, then vanish
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1450 - 1700 |
Apaches, probably Jicarilla ancestors, occupy region until displaced by Comanches • trade over old trails with New Mexico pueblos
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1690's |
Ciboleros from Spanish New Mexico colonies begin annual buffalo hunts across High Plains • continue into 1880's, given names are still attached to the Oklahoma Panhandle places and features • use and expand ancient trails
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1700 - 1875 |
Comanches take over Plains - Pueblo trade network while dominating vast area of High Plains • significant roles also played by Kiowas, Kiowa-Apaches, Cheyennes, and Utes in region during this time
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1786 |
Anza-Ecueracapa Treaty leads to emergence of comanchero traders who traverse region in large numbers, reinforcing old trails from New Mexico across High Plains until c. 1875
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1836 |
Texas independence from Mexico, Texas claims the area now in Oklahoma Panhandle • Texas later tries to discourage trade along Cimarron Cutoff of Santa Fe Trail
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1850 |
Compromise of 1850 • Texas cedes land to US, including what is now Oklahoma Panhanlde • ceded land is now Public Land
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1854 |
Kansas and New Mexico Territories defined • area now known as Oklahoma Panhandle is named Pubilc Land Strip • US government leaves legal status of Strip unclear until 1890
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1865 |
Camp Nichols established in Public Land Strip to protect Cimarron Cutoff of Santa Fe Trail
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1876 - 1890 |
Scottish, English and US syndicates, as well as individual Texans and Kansans begin ranches of varied sizes in Public Land Strip • some even negotiate leases with Cherokees
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1880 - 1890 |
Cherokees roam the Neutral Strip • claim it as extension of Cherokee Outlet • promote erroneous view that Public Land Strip is Indian territory • US Postal Service even establishes post offices with postmarks N.S.I.T. (Neutral Strip of Indian Territory)
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1885
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Interior Department rules that Neutral Strip is Public Land • frenzy of squatter homesteads • federal officials rule that squatter homesteads are invalid, one says "no man can own the land" • Strip begins to be called No Man's Land around 1886 • vigilante committees keep order
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1887 |
No Man's Land residents fail in attempt for US recognition as Cimarron Territory
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1888 |
Rock Island Railroad founds old Tyrone to load cattle outside Kansas quarantines • was one of 1890's busiest livestock loading points • nearby Shade's Well and Beer City slake thirsty cattle and cowboys, respectively
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1890 |
No Man's Land part of Oklahoma Territory is in Oklahoma Organic Act • land ownership now possible • all of old No Man's Land designated as Beaver County, O.T. • seat at Beaver City
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1907 |
Statehood • old Beaver County split into three new counties (Beaver, Texas, and Cimarron)
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