Council Grove

Oklahoma County · 820 North MacArthur Boulevard in Oklahoma City

Council Grove was heavily wooded with cottonwood and elm trees, creating an ideal meeting place for the Muscogee (Creek), Kiowa, and Comanche nations. Jesse Chisholm, a trader of Scottish and Cherokee descent, opened a trading post in Council Grove in 1858. Chisholm encouraged cattle rancher Montford T. Johnson (Chickasaw) to establish a ranch in the area. Vicey Hermon (or Harmon, Chickasaw) managed the ranch, also known as “Johnson’s Grove,” which became known as the first permanent settlement in present Oklahoma City. In 1874 the federal government established a military reservation within Council Grove to provide wood for the construction of Fort Reno. David Payne established a boomer camp in Council Grove in 1880. In 1885, William Couch announced his intentions to colonize present Oklahoma County near Johnson’s ranch, only to be removed by the US cavalry. All of Council Grove except for the military reservation was opened to settlement on April 22, 1889. The Council Grove military reservation opened to settlement in December 1899.

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Marker data: Oklahoma Historical Society, Historical Marker Program. Marker texts and locations come from the Society's marker database, reproduced with the Society's written permission.
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Council Grove

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