On Oklahoma's Centennial Trail
From Sequoyah's Sallisaw to the King of the Road’s hometown, Erick.
By: Johnny D. Boggs 07/01/2007
But here she is, Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plains, hitting the century mark. Oklahoma, a state for 100 years.
The birthday party has been going on all year, but Oklahoma is worth visiting anytime. It’s a land of celebrities, from Bill Doolin to Pretty Boy Floyd, from Will Rogers to Wilma Mankiller, Boomers to Sooners, cowboys to Comanches. Let the celebration begin.
East of Eden
First thing to come to mind when I hear Sallisaw is John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, but here I am at Sequoyah’s Cabin, paying respects to not a master of English but the creator of the Cherokee Syllabary at his 1829 cabin.
The Sallisaw area isn’t just Sequoyah and Steinbeck. It’s home to the 14 Flags Museum—meaning Oklahoma is more than two times better than all those Six Flags tourist traps—and the circa 1895 Overstreet-Kerr Historical Farm. The living-history farm offers tours as well as workshops (wanna learn how to make soap?).
From Steinbeck Country, head south to the scenic wonders of True Grit. Yeah, the movie was shot mostly in Colorado, but Charles Portis’ novel put Rooster Cogburn in the Winding Stair country. You can’t blame him. Southeastern Oklahoma is a naturalist’s dream.
My favorite spots are Beavers Bend State Resort and the Ouachita National Forest, but keep driving south to Idabel to check out the Museum of the Red River’s exhibits on various Indian cultures. Or you can donate your paycheck to the slot machines at Choctaw Casino.
Just down the road is Fort Towson Military Park. Established in 1824, Towson was an Army post until 1854. During the Civil War, Confederates made the fort its headquarters. Cherokee Stand Watie ended the war here in the summer of 1865, making him the last Confederate general to surrender.
Mountains and Muskogee
Most people don’t think of mountains when they hear Oklahoma, but north of Wilburton you’ll find the San Bois. Okay, the San Bois and the Winding Stairs aren’t the Alps, but you won’t find the Belle Starr View Lodge in Switzerland. Nor will you find Robbers Cave. Robbers don’t hide out these days at Robbers Cave State Park, but you will find plenty of people rappelling. And, farther up the road in Muskogee, you’ll find more than Merle Haggard.
Two must stops include the interpretive center at the historic site Fort Gibson, which saw active service from 1824-90, and the Five Civilized Tribes Museum, which preserves the heritage and legacy of the Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole, in the circa-1875 Union Indian Agency building. Twenty-nine buildings, and several more ruins, dot the landscape at the 80-acre Fort Gibson.
If you have more time, drop in at the Ataloa Lodge Museum. If you love Indian art (especially Kachina dolls), make time. The 1932 lodge on the Bacone College campus features more than 20,000 pieces of Indian art, making it among the largest privately owned collections.
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