Cloud Chief, Oklahoma
Encyclopedia
Cloud Chief is a small unincorporated community
in Washita County
, Oklahoma
, United States
. The townsite was platted in April, 1892, as Tacola. The Cloud Chief post office was established in March and Cloud Chief was designated by the U.S. Congress as the county seat of H County, Oklahoma Territory
. In 1900 the people of Washita County, by a vote of 1,349 in favor to 282 in opposition, illegally moved the courthouse under gunfire to New Cordell
. Congress approved the move in 1906. The Cloud Chief public schools opened for the 1892-1893 school year and closed after the 1959-1960 school year. The high school was known as the Cloud Chief Warriors. The Cloud Chief post office opened on March 29, 1892, and closed on December 31, 1964. It was named for Cloud Chief, one of the Southern Cheyenne
chiefs who had negotiated with the United States under provisions of the Dawes Act
for opening the Cheyenne-Arapaho Reserve to settlement. Cloud Chief was also previously home of two newspapers. It was home to the Cloud Chief Witness, as well as the Cloud Chief Beacon. The Cloud Chief Beacon moved and became the Cordell Beacon immediately after the August 17, 1900 issue was printed.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Washita County
Washita County, Oklahoma
Washita County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 11,508. Its county seat is New Cordell. It was formerly located in Cloud Chief, Oklahoma....
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The townsite was platted in April, 1892, as Tacola. The Cloud Chief post office was established in March and Cloud Chief was designated by the U.S. Congress as the county seat of H County, Oklahoma Territory
Oklahoma Territory
The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.-Organization:Oklahoma Territory's...
. In 1900 the people of Washita County, by a vote of 1,349 in favor to 282 in opposition, illegally moved the courthouse under gunfire to New Cordell
New Cordell, Oklahoma
New Cordell is a city in Washita County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,915 at the 2010 census. Cordell was previously located a few miles from the current spot, but was moved around 1900, thus the name New Cordell.-Geography:...
. Congress approved the move in 1906. The Cloud Chief public schools opened for the 1892-1893 school year and closed after the 1959-1960 school year. The high school was known as the Cloud Chief Warriors. The Cloud Chief post office opened on March 29, 1892, and closed on December 31, 1964. It was named for Cloud Chief, one of the Southern Cheyenne
Cheyenne
Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
chiefs who had negotiated with the United States under provisions of the Dawes Act
Dawes Act
The Dawes Act, adopted by Congress in 1887, authorized the President of the United States to survey Indian tribal land and divide the land into allotments for individual Indians. The Act was named for its sponsor, Senator Henry L. Dawes of Massachusetts. The Dawes Act was amended in 1891 and again...
for opening the Cheyenne-Arapaho Reserve to settlement. Cloud Chief was also previously home of two newspapers. It was home to the Cloud Chief Witness, as well as the Cloud Chief Beacon. The Cloud Chief Beacon moved and became the Cordell Beacon immediately after the August 17, 1900 issue was printed.
External links
- http://home.aol.com/okscotland/CloudChief.html Cloud Chief Informational Website
- http://hometown.aol.com/okscotland/history.html Cloud Chief History Website
- http://members.tripod.com/mccornack/drive52.html Information about Cloud Chief Monument
- Cloud Chief on Google Earth
- Cloud Chief Ghosttowns.com listing
- Cloud Chief cemetery listing