Fort Towson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fort Towson
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 Location in Oklahoma
Location in the United States
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| Location | Choctaw County, Oklahoma, USA |
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| Nearest city | Fort Towson, Oklahoma |
| Built | 1830 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000531 |
| Added to NRHP | September 29, 1970 |
Fort Towson was an important army base in what is now Oklahoma. It was built to protect the United States frontier, which was the edge of settled land. The fort was located near where the Kiamichi River and the Red River meet. It was named after General Nathaniel Towson.
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Fort Towson's Early Days
Fort Towson was first set up in May 1824. Colonel Matthew Arbuckle led the soldiers who built it. The fort was on the southern border of what was called Indian Territory. Its job was to guard the border with Spanish lands to the south.
It was first called "Cantonment Towson." A cantonment is a temporary military camp. Soldiers built a special wagon road in the 1820s. This road connected Fort Towson to other army forts in Arkansas.
The first fort was only meant to be temporary. It had mostly tents and a few small wooden buildings. In April 1829, the soldiers, called the garrison, moved away. They went to Fort Jessup, and Fort Towson was left empty.
A New Fort for the Choctaw Nation
In November 1830, the army decided to build a permanent fort. This was because the Choctaw people were moving to this area. They were being relocated from their homes in what is now Mississippi. This move was part of a government plan called the Indian Removal Act.
A new spot was chosen about 6 miles (10 km) from the old fort. The new base was first called "Camp Phoenix." Its main purpose was to protect the Choctaw Nation. In 1831, it was renamed Fort Towson. Over time, a small town grew up around the fort.
What Fort Towson Looked Like
The new Fort Towson was much stronger and bigger. It sat on top of cliffs overlooking Gates Creek. The fort itself was shaped like a rectangle and covered about half an acre.
The officers' homes were three buildings on the north side. These were made of logs and had two stories. They had strong limestone foundations and covered porches. Four other buildings stood on the other sides of the rectangle.
Some of these buildings were for junior officers and offices. There was also a room for fun activities and a school. The last two buildings were barracks, where the regular soldiers lived. Their kitchens and dining halls were in the basements. All the buildings were painted white.
The open space in front of the buildings was used as a parade ground. A hospital was located a bit away on the east side. Stables, workshops, and gardens were outside the main fort area. The sutler's building, which was like a general store, was on the west. The fort's cemetery was even further west.
Fort Towson's Later Years
After Fort Washita was built about 70 miles (113 km) west in 1842, Fort Towson became less important. Soldiers stayed there until June 1854. Then, the fort was given to the Choctaw Indian Agency. This agency helped manage affairs for the Choctaw people.
A big storm hit the fort that same month. It blew the roofs off several buildings and caused other damage. A few years later, a fire destroyed most of the buildings. Only one barracks and the hospital were left. Today, the Oklahoma Historical Society takes care of these remaining parts.
The Civil War and After
When the American Civil War began, the Confederacy took over the fort. They had an agreement with the Choctaw and other tribes. The fort became the main office for Confederate General Samuel B. Maxey.
The last Confederate soldiers in the area were led by General Stand Watie. He was a leader of the Cherokee Nation. General Watie surrendered to the Union army at Fort Towson on June 23, 1865. This marked the end of the Civil War in this region.
After the war, the fort was completely abandoned. The soldiers buried in its cemetery were moved to Fort Gibson. Over time, the buildings fell apart. Local people even took the foundation stones to use for other buildings.
Today, the site of Fort Towson is an Oklahoma Historic Site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
