Fort Wash*ta - Friends of the Fort

Fort Wash*ta - Friends of the Fort Fort Wash*ta, established in 1842, is a National Historic Landmark located in the outskirts of Durant From 1858 to the beginning of the Civil War in 1861.

Fort Wash*ta was established in 1842 in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, as the southwestern-most military post of the United states. The mission of soldiers stationed there was to protect recently immigrated Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians. Troops stationed here on a rotational basis during the 1840s included men from the 2nd Dragoons, U.S. Regiment of Riflemen, and the 6th, 7th and 5th Infant

ry Regiments. In the 1850s, soldiers from the 2nd and 3rd Artillery were at the fort on frontier duty. members of the 1st Cavalry and 7th Infantry were present. On May 1, 1861, the fort was abandoned by U.S. forces and was occupied the next day by Confederate troops from Texas. These southern soldiers used the fort as a headquarters for the remainder of the Civil War. After the war, the Chickasaw Nation was granted the old post grounds and buildings from the federal government. The Colbert family, prominent Chickasaws, owned the property until it was acquired by the the Oklahoma Historical Society in 1962. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as a National Historic Landmark.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Fort Wash*ta volunteers Larry Pope, Randy Berna and Tom Chaney for p...
05/26/2026

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Fort Wash*ta volunteers Larry Pope, Randy Berna and Tom Chaney for presenting a new Living History Program this last Saturday at Fort Wash*ta. Credit for the inception of this program goes to Larry Pope, a reenactor and impressionist with many years of experience presenting living history to the public. It was well received by our visitors and provided an educational and informative impression of “A Day in the Life at Fort Wash*ta” entitled Garrison Day, 1853.

The plan is to present this program once a month from March through November, with the exception of July and August due to the intense hot temperatures during those months.

The programs will present a snippet of life through activities common during the daily lives of the artillery, infantry, travelers, traders and citizens present on any given day for the time period.

Fort Wash*ta had some special visitors today training in mantrailing. ❤️🐾🐾
04/25/2026

Fort Wash*ta had some special visitors today training in mantrailing. ❤️🐾🐾

Good morning ! We will be having our monthly volunteer meeting on Saturday, May 2nd, at 10:00 a.m.. If you are intereste...
04/24/2026

Good morning ! We will be having our monthly volunteer meeting on Saturday, May 2nd, at 10:00 a.m.. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please feel free to attend our meeting or give us a call at (580) 924-6502 for more information. We work hard, play hard and have a great time in the process. We would love to have you join us and become a part of our Fort family!

Come join us for our outdoor Movie Night on Saturday, May 2nd and enjoy an evening of fun for the whole family. Free adm...
04/24/2026

Come join us for our outdoor Movie Night on Saturday, May 2nd and enjoy an evening of fun for the whole family. Free admission, popcorn and soft drinks. Movie begins at 8:30 p.m. so bring your lawn chairs and blankets for this special event under the Oklahoma sky. Hope to see you there!

04/23/2026
We are just a couple of days away from the start of our Fort Wash*ta Rendezvous 2026 event celebrating the fur trade era...
03/30/2026

We are just a couple of days away from the start of our Fort Wash*ta Rendezvous 2026 event celebrating the fur trade era rendezvous where trappers, traders and Native Americans gathered to sell furs, trade supplies, socialize and compete in friendly competitions. Come join us for a step back in time April 1st through April 5th. We look forward to seeing you there!

ATTENTION FRIENDS OF THE FORT VOLUNTEERS:We will not be having a volunteer meeting in April, as we will all be working a...
03/22/2026

ATTENTION FRIENDS OF THE FORT VOLUNTEERS:

We will not be having a volunteer meeting in April, as we will all be working at the Fort Wash*ta Rendezvous event that weekend. We will resume our normal monthly meetings the first Saturday in May. Look forward to seeing you all for some Rendezvous fun April 1st through the 5th!

03/16/2026
Great documentary on the history of Fort Wash*ta and the Chickasaw Nation.
03/12/2026

Great documentary on the history of Fort Wash*ta and the Chickasaw Nation.

Challenges encountered in Indian Territory by the newly relocated Chickasaws led to the construction of Fort Wash*ta.

Address

3348 State Road 199
Durant, OK
74701

Telephone

+15809246502

Website

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