Fort Towson fires off bicentennial celebration of Indian Territory frontier army fort

Oklahoma commemorates the second of two frontier military bicentennials on Saturday at Fort Towson.

Oklahoma was still Indian Territory when Fort Gibson and Fort Towson were founded in 1824 during westward expansion. The Fort Gibson 200th Anniversary Commemoration was April 20.

Fort Towson, now the Fort Towson Historic Site, 896 N 4375 Road in the town of Fort Towson, is 215 miles southeast of OKC, 175 miles south of Tulsa, in Choctaw County.

The Fort Towson 200th Anniversary Commemoration will be Saturday, May 18.

Following is information about the Fort Gibson commemoration, as well some history about the post and facts about the historic site, from the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.

RELATED: Fort Gibson, army post, commemorates bicentennial. What was the role of frontier soldiers?

Events commemorating the bicentennial of Fort Towson, in Oklahoma

Here are events Saturday at Fort Towson.

• 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Living history event to recognize the contribution of soldiers and civilians and celebrate contributions of the Choctaw and Chickasaw people. Scheduled presentations every hour until 2 p.m.
• "Explore the site and learn from living historians about period infantry, artillery, laundresses, officer’s wives, topographical engineers, 1st Choctaw Mounted Rifles, dragoons, historical music, and 1800s merchandise."
• "Presentations and demonstrations about the clothing of the period, the importance of trade at the military outpost with the civilian sutler, and the connection between the fort’s establishment and the Choctaw and Chickasaw people."
• "An artillery demonstration will be held to show that cannon fire was a part of daily life for soldiers at Fort Towson." Also livestock care, harnessing a team of mules, and historical overview of the roads leading into the fort."
• For more information, call (580) 873-2634 or email fttowson@history.ok.gov.

Highlights of the history of 200-year-old Fort Towson, in Oklahoma

Here are high points of Fort Towson history.

• "Fort Towson was established in 1824 to quell conflicts between lawless elements, American Indian peoples, and settlers claiming the area as part of Arkansas Territory."
• The fort also served as an outpost on the border between the United States and Texas , which at that time was part of Mexico.
• Connected to the east by road, Fort Towson served as a gateway for settlers bound for Texas during the 1830s. Those passing through the area included Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, and Stephen F. Austin.
• When the Choctaw and Chickasaw were displaced from their lands in the southeastern United States, the fort served as a point of dispersal upon their arrival in the West.
• The fort was an important staging area for U.S. forces during the Mexican War of 1846.

What to see and do at the Fort Towson Historic Site in Oklahoma

Here are some of the attractions at the Fort Towson Historic Site.

"The Fort Towson Historic Site visitor center offers engaging exhibits that delve into the fort’s rich history from its construction in 1824, its role in the Mexican-American War and the Civil War, to the steamboats that ferried people and supplies through the region."

"Visitors will hear the story of nearby Doaksville, first established as a trading post that later became a thriving commercial center and capital of the Choctaw Nation."

"The site brings history to life through the 1840s Encampment and Education Day each spring, Candlelight Tours in the fall and winter, and events and demonstrations throughout the year."

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Fort Towson fires off bicentennial celebration of Indian Territory frontier army fort