Big Mountain (Oklahoma)
Encyclopedia
Big Mountain is a mountain in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma
. It is part of the Kiamichi Mountains
, a subrange of the Ouachita Mountains
.
.
Buck Creek
forms its southern limit. Pine Creek forms its northern limit. The Kiamichi River
forms its eastern limit, and Kimbrough Creek forms its western limit. The mountain is considered to form the southern geographic limit of Johns Valley
.
During World War II
the area was the site of two lethal air crashes. British pilots operating from a Royal Air Force
base in Texas crashed into White Rock Mountain and Big Mountain, killing four crew men. Two planes were destroyed. On February 20, 2000 the AT6 Monument
was dedicated in the fliers' honor at the crash site on Big Mountain. Over 1,000 people attended the ceremony, and the story was carried by the British Broadcasting Corporation and many newspapers around the world.
Phase One of the Kiamichi Wilderness, closer to the front of the mountain, contains passable roads. Electric and telephone service extend partway into the area. Phases Two and Three, each ranging successively to the west, are progressively isolated, and Phase Three is reachable only during dry weather, when creeks may be forded.
Many of the landowners are from the Dallas, Texas
area and visit on weekends. They are known locally as “weekend warriors”. The residents of Big Mountain, although living in scattered isolation, have developed a cohesive social network which has spawned regular gatherings and support ranging from Friday night rattlesnake fries to a volunteer fire department.
The only entry to the area is via the road from the Kiamichi River valley. During the Kiamichi Wilderness’s early years this was controlled by a guard shack. During recent years, however, the entrance is not guarded and anyone may access the mountain. The AT6 Monument
is a short way into Phase One from the guard shack, with good roads and a directional sign allowing for easy access.
Pushmataha County, Oklahoma
-Administrative History:* Ca. 1000-1500: Caddoan Mississippian civilization at Spiro Mounds* 1492-1718: Spain* 1718-1763: France* 1763-1800: Spain* 1800-1803: France* 1803–present: United States...
. It is part of the Kiamichi Mountains
Kiamichi Mountains
The Kiamichi Mountains are a mountain range in southeastern Oklahoma. A subrange within the larger Ouachita Mountains that extend from Oklahoma to western Arkansas, the Kiamichi Mountains sit within Le Flore, Pushmataha, and McCurtain counties near the towns of Poteau and Albion...
, a subrange of the Ouachita Mountains
Ouachita Mountains
The Ouachita Mountains are a mountain range in west central Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. The range's subterranean roots may extend as far as central Texas, or beyond it to the current location of the Marathon Uplift. Along with the Ozark Mountains, the Ouachita Mountains form the U.S...
.
Geology
The summit of Big Mountain is 1,145 feet above sea level. Its latitude is 34.41.5378 and longitude is -95.614419. IT is located 5.5 miles northeast of Moyers, OklahomaMoyers, Oklahoma
- History :A permanent settlement has existed at the site of modern Moyers since at least the 1880s.During the 1880s the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, more popularly known as the “Frisco”, built a line from north to south through the Choctaw Nation, connecting Fort Smith, Arkansas with Paris,...
.
Buck Creek
Buck Creek (Kiamichi River tributary)
Buck Creek is a stream in Pushmataha County, Oklahoma. It flows generally southward from its headwaters in the western Kiamichi Mountains to its confluence with the Kiamichi River....
forms its southern limit. Pine Creek forms its northern limit. The Kiamichi River
Kiamichi River
The Kiamichi River is a river in southeastern Oklahoma. A tributary of the Red River, its headwaters rise on Pine Mountain in the Ouachita Mountains near the Arkansas border...
forms its eastern limit, and Kimbrough Creek forms its western limit. The mountain is considered to form the southern geographic limit of Johns Valley
Johns Valley, Oklahoma
Johns Valley is a geographic feature and place name located in the Kiamichi Mountains in northwestern Pushmataha County, Oklahoma. The valley is formally classified by geologists as a “basin” due to its complete encirclement by mountains. - Location :...
.
History
Big Mountain has also in the past been called Deer Mountain.During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the area was the site of two lethal air crashes. British pilots operating from a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
base in Texas crashed into White Rock Mountain and Big Mountain, killing four crew men. Two planes were destroyed. On February 20, 2000 the AT6 Monument
AT6 Monument
The AT6 Monument is a granite memorial to Royal Air Force cadets who were killed while on a training flight during World War II. It stands on Big Mountain, north of Moyers, Oklahoma, and was dedicated on February 20, 2000—the 58th anniversary of the deadly crashes.- Background :The United Kingdom...
was dedicated in the fliers' honor at the crash site on Big Mountain. Over 1,000 people attended the ceremony, and the story was carried by the British Broadcasting Corporation and many newspapers around the world.
Development
Big Mountain is the entry point for a vast acreage known locally as the Kiamichi Wilderness. The Wilderness was subdivided during the 1970s and 1980s as a land development scheme. It remains highly rural and isolated. There are relatively few homes; most dwellings are cabins.Phase One of the Kiamichi Wilderness, closer to the front of the mountain, contains passable roads. Electric and telephone service extend partway into the area. Phases Two and Three, each ranging successively to the west, are progressively isolated, and Phase Three is reachable only during dry weather, when creeks may be forded.
Many of the landowners are from the Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
area and visit on weekends. They are known locally as “weekend warriors”. The residents of Big Mountain, although living in scattered isolation, have developed a cohesive social network which has spawned regular gatherings and support ranging from Friday night rattlesnake fries to a volunteer fire department.
The only entry to the area is via the road from the Kiamichi River valley. During the Kiamichi Wilderness’s early years this was controlled by a guard shack. During recent years, however, the entrance is not guarded and anyone may access the mountain. The AT6 Monument
AT6 Monument
The AT6 Monument is a granite memorial to Royal Air Force cadets who were killed while on a training flight during World War II. It stands on Big Mountain, north of Moyers, Oklahoma, and was dedicated on February 20, 2000—the 58th anniversary of the deadly crashes.- Background :The United Kingdom...
is a short way into Phase One from the guard shack, with good roads and a directional sign allowing for easy access.