Stop Ten

Site of the river channel in the past.

NPS / Christian Schroll

Quick Facts

Location:

Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

This is likely the site of the main channel of the Washita River in 1868. Over time, flooding of the river has changed its course and covered past riverbeds, including Black Kettle’s village, with several feet of silt and soil.

Archaeologists working with the Oklahoma Historical Society and the National Park Service have yet been unable to determine the exact location of the village.

Does the absence of this knowledge affect the power of this place for you? Why or why not?

Although the river eventually reclaimed Black Kettle’s village, the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho still proudly call Oklahoma home and retain a powerful connection with Washita. These resilient people have had to overcome the loss of their land and years of oppression, and yet they retain their proud cultural identity. Washita portrays cultural values and exemplifies a way of life that continues into the present.