Kiamitia County facts for kids

Kiamitia County, also known as Kiamichi County, was an important area within the Choctaw Nation. This nation was a self-governing Native American territory. Kiamitia County was located in what was called the Indian Territory. It was part of the Pushmataha District, which was one of three main administrative regions of the Choctaw Nation.

The Choctaw Nation's General Council created Kiamitia County in 1850. It was one of 19 counties set up at that time. The county got its name from the Kiamichi River. Experts believe the name "Kiamichi" comes from a French word, kamichi. This word means "horned-screamer," which is a type of water bird. French explorers likely named it in the 1700s.

The main town, or county seat, of Kiamitia County was Goodland. The original Goodland settlement was about four miles north of today's Hugo, Oklahoma. A U.S. Post Office was open in Goodland, Indian Territory, from 1871 to 1902. That original community no longer exists. A newer Goodland is now located three miles south of Hugo. This newer Goodland had a post office from 1915 to 1944, located in the Goodland Indian Orphanage building.

What's in a Name? Kiamitia or Kiamichi?

The official name of the county was "Kiamitia." This spelling shows how the name of the Kiamichi River was written back then. The river's name wasn't officially spelled "Kiamichi" until the 1900s. The Choctaw Nation used "Kiamitia" for the county. Even Angie Debo, a famous historian of the Choctaw Nation, used "Kiamitia County" in her book, The Rise and Fall of the Choctaw Republic (1934). However, another historian, Edwin C. McReynolds, used "Kiamichi" in his book, Historical Atlas of Oklahoma (1965).

Where Were Kiamitia County's Borders?

Kiamitia County's borders were set using easy-to-spot natural landmarks. This was a common way to define county lines in the Choctaw Nation.

• Much of its northern border was along Beaver Creek, south of Antlers.
• A large part of its western border followed Muddy Boggy Creek.
• Its eastern border was partly formed by the Kiamichi River.
• The southern border was along the Red River of the South.

Why Did Kiamitia County Change?

As Oklahoma was getting ready to become a state, leaders realized Kiamitia County might not work well as a new state county. By 1907, when Oklahoma became a state, Goodland was mainly used for county court, schools, and churches. It had not grown into a large town. Hugo, which was the biggest town nearby, was cut off from some of its natural trade areas. These areas were in the neighboring Red River and Towson counties of the Choctaw Nation.

In 1905, leaders met to plan for a new state called State of Sequoyah. They also saw problems with some Choctaw counties. They suggested getting rid of the old Choctaw county lines and making new ones. For Kiamitia County, they planned to keep it but make it bigger. They also wanted to rename it Hitchcock County and make Hugo its new county seat.

When Oklahoma officially became a state, its leaders mostly used these new border ideas. They called the new county Choctaw County, Oklahoma, and Hugo became its county seat.

What Did Kiamitia County Do?

Like all Choctaw counties, Kiamitia County was an election area. People voted for members of the National Council there. It also served as a local government unit. The county had elected officials who served two-year terms. These included:

• The county judge, who oversaw how the county was run.
• The sheriff, who collected taxes, watched for people illegally entering the territory, and counted the population (the census).
• A ranger, who found and sold livestock that had wandered away from their owners.