Three Forks (Oklahoma) facts for kids

Three Forks Oklahoma is a special area in what is now eastern Oklahoma. It's named "Three Forks" because it's where three important rivers meet: the Arkansas, Verdigris, and Grand River. People have used this name for a very long time, possibly since 1719. That's when a French trader named Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe traveled through the area. He met and traded with the Wichita tribe near where the city of Tulsa is today.

This area is unique because it sits between the Ozark Mountains to the east and the Cross Timbers/Sandstone Hills to the west. It gets a lot of rain, usually more than 40 inches (1,000 mm) each year, making it the wettest part of Oklahoma. For centuries, it was a perfect hunting ground because many animals like bison and other fur-bearing creatures lived there. Archaeologists have even found signs that people lived here as far back as 5000 B.C.!

A Place of Trade and Tribes

The Three Forks area was very important for trade and for different Native American tribes.

The Osage Nation Arrives

In 1802, the Spanish government tried to control trade with the Osage Indians. They gave a special trading right to a group of traders, which upset a French trader named Pierre Chouteau. Chouteau had been trading with the Osage for twenty years and had a lot of influence with them.

To keep his trade, Chouteau convinced about 2,000 Osage people to move. They chose a new chief named Cashesegra, also known as Big Track. They moved from their homes on the Missouri River to the Three Forks area. This move was smart because the Three Forks was under French control, not Spanish. This meant Chouteau could legally continue trading with his Osage friends.

Changes After the Louisiana Purchase

A big change happened when the Louisiana Purchase took place. This was when the United States bought a huge amount of land from France in 1803. The Osage people, led by Chief Clermont, were told they now had to be loyal to the United States. But they didn't like this news at all! They threw the official letter into a fire, refusing to believe their French friends would sell their land. This happened in 1804, according to explorer Lewis and Clark.

Conflicts and New Homes

The Osage who moved to Three Forks did very well. They were strong and quickly became the main power in the area. They pushed out smaller tribes like the Washitas and controlled the fur trade with the French traders at Chouteau's post.

However, new people started to arrive. Cherokee families, who had left their original homes in the southeastern United States, began to settle in the Arkansas Territory. Between 1790 and 1820, about 5,000 Cherokee settlers built farms and ranches on land they believed was theirs. This led to a long, 10-year war between the Osage and the Cherokee. Neither side could completely win, but the Osage eventually realized they couldn't keep fighting forever. They agreed to a deal and moved to a large reservation in another area.

Three Forks Today

The name "Three Forks" is still used today for this same important area. It now includes parts of Cherokee, Muskogee, and Wagoner Counties in Oklahoma.

In 1971, a major water transportation system called the McClellan–Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System opened. A very important part of the Port of Muskogee was officially named Three Forks Port, showing its continued importance for trade and transportation.