Stop One

Overlooking Washita Battlefield from trail stop one.

NPS / Christian Schroll

Look around you. What do you see?

The scene before you looks much like it did on November 27, 1868. On that morning, just before dawn, the US Army advanced on Peace Chief Black Kettle’s village. Snow lay heavily upon the grasses as the Cheyenne slept.

As you walk this trail you will not see remnants of the ensuing attack. You won’t find drawings of troop movements or diagrams of villages. You will find stillness and space to learn from the lives that were lost here.

The attack on Black Kettle would epitomize the ethical dilemma of resolving cultural conflict through military means, and would forever alter a culture and a nation. Although the events here may seem in the past for some, the memory and pain are still strong for many.

As you take this walk, we invite you to reflect on this hallowed ground, the events that created it, and the actions that we can take today to honor it.

Please consider - What questions does this place ask you? What power does it hold? How will you hear what it has to say?