Last updated: June 26, 2024
Place
Fort Gibson State Historic Site
NPS Photo
Quick Facts
Location:
907 N. Garrison, on Oklahoma Highway 80 at the north edge of Fort Gibson
Significance:
The fort was a dispersal site for the Seminole and Creek Indians after their long journey from their homes in the southeastern United States.
Designation:
Certified Site; National Historic Landmark
MANAGED BY:
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
Fort Gibson served a pivotal role in the political, social, and economic upheaval that marked the westward expansion of the United States. Active from 1824 through 1890, it was at first the westernmost US military fort and was a key to US military strategy, inasmuch as the fort held more soldiers than any other fort located west of the Mississippi River.
In 1832 Congress created a commission to relocate the Indians from the East to Indian Territory. The commission made its headquarters at Fort Gibson, and for the remainder of the decade it negotiated treaties with the local native tribes in order to prepare them for the impending changes in their surroundings. The fort was a dispersal site for the Seminole and Creek Indians after their long journey from their homes in the southeastern United States.
Fort Gibson Historic Site is a national historic landmark managed by the Oklahoma Historical Society. The site includes the fort as well as a museum, gift shop, and walking trail. The log stockade is a reconstruction but four stone buildings at the fort are original and restored.
Site Information
Location (907 N. Garrison, on Oklahoma Highway 80 at the north edge of Fort Gibson)