Chahta Tamaha, Indian Territory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Armstrong Academy Site
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 Location in Oklahoma
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bryan County, Oklahoma |
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| Nearest city | Bokchito, Oklahoma |
| Built | 1845 |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001056 |
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1972 |
Chahta Tamaha means Choctaw Town. It was the capital of the Choctaw Nation from 1863 to 1883. This important town was located in what is now Bryan County, Oklahoma. It grew up around the Armstrong Academy, a school for Choctaw boys. Protestant missionaries ran the school from 1844 to 1861.
Chahta Tamaha was a busy place in the mid-1800s. It had a trading post and a church. After the capital moved, the town became much smaller. The Armstrong Academy reopened in 1883 for orphaned boys. Sadly, a fire destroyed it in 1921. It was never rebuilt. Today, there is nothing left of the town or the Academy. The area is now known as the Armstrong Academy Site. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special historical place.
Contents
History of Armstrong Academy
How the Academy Started
Armstrong Academy began as a school for Choctaw boys in 1844. It was in the Choctaw Nation's Pushmataha District. The school was named after William Armstrong. He was a popular US Indian agent who worked with the Choctaw people.
The location for the school was chosen carefully. It had a fresh water spring. This spring had enough flow to power a gristmill. There was also a large supply of wood nearby.
Early Buildings and Growth
The first school buildings were made from logs. Later, in the late 1850s, a brick building replaced the log ones. A two-story brick addition was also built. A trading post, a blacksmith shop, and a church were set up early on. These businesses helped the community grow around the school.
The school usually had about 65 students. But in 1859, about 100 boys attended.
Who Ran the School?
Different religious groups helped run the school. The Baptist Missionary Society from Louisville, Kentucky, managed it until 1855. Then, the school was given to the Cumberland Presbyterian Board. They ran the school until 1861. The school closed when the Civil War began.
Allen Wright was a Choctaw man and a Presbyterian missionary. He later became a chief of the Choctaw Nation. He worked as the main teacher at the academy from 1855 to 1856.
Armstrong Academy was in Blue County until 1886. Then, the area became part of Jackson County. Both counties were part of the Choctaw Nation's Pushmataha District. This was one of three main areas the Choctaw set up after moving to Indian Territory.
Chahta Tamaha: The Choctaw Capital
During the Civil War, Armstrong Academy closed its doors. Part of the building was used as a hospital for Confederate soldiers. The Choctaw Council decided to join with the Confederacy. They met at the academy in 1863. That same year, Chahta Tamaha became the new capital of the Choctaw Nation.
Important Meetings During the War
Leaders from several Native American nations met there. These included the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Creek, Choctaw, Seminole, and Caddo tribes. They met with the Confederacy to plan war strategies. The Confederates had promised to help create a state for Native Americans if they won the war.
During this time, businesses in Chahta Tamaha grew. More people came to trade and live in the town.
After the War: Changes and Decline
Chahta Tamaha remained the capital of the Choctaw Nation until 1883. Then, the capital moved to Tuskahoma.
In that same year, Armstrong Academy reopened as a school. This time, only orphaned boys could attend.
The End of Armstrong Academy
In February 1921, a fire destroyed Armstrong Academy. The United States government decided not to rebuild it. This was because the town had become much smaller after the capital moved. Today, the area looks like an empty field. Nothing is left of the town except some rubble from the Academy. The Armstrong Academy Cemetery can still be seen there.
