Volume 10 , Issue 31

Cherokee Strip Celebration In Perry OK

"You have my permission to use any or all of this 'article' below because it's going to be 'published' to late to help our (Perry) Cherokee Strip Celebration in the publication that it was originally submitted to.

THE DAYS OF THE OLD WEST - by Roy Kendrick

Back in the days of the "Old West," cattle ranching became almost a craze with some people, and the vast range was extended until it all but covered the Great Plains region of these United States. This was the so-called "cow country" that has become world famous because of numerous books, western movies, and television shows.

In the center of this "cow country", between the huge cattle breeding grounds of Texas, and the feeding grounds of Kansas and other northern states, were the lands known as Oklahoma and Indian Territories. In the northern part of this vast land was the Cherokee Outlet. It was known as this because it had been reserved by the Cherokee Nation as a corridor to the hunting grounds of the buffalo herds in the west.

However, the Cherokees seldom used this passage because many of the herds had already been destroyed, and they found better hunting closer to home. So instead, they leased much of this strip of land to the white men for cattle ranching, and in the 1880's this outlet was to become the greatest cattle country in western Indian Territory.

Jesse Chisholm's famed 'trail' brought Texas long-horn and other cattle from those huge breeding grounds of Texas into the feeding grounds up north, and over six million acres of the outlet were leased by the Cherokees to the white man's Cherokee Strip Livestock Association for a number of years. But as more and more settlers migrated towards the west, the Government was pressured to open the strip to homesteaders.

The Santa Fe Railroad extended its branch line south from Arkansas City, Kansas to Purcell in the Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory in 1887, completing the line to Gainsville, Texas (through what is now known as Noble County, Oklahoma) and a Santa Fe way-station was established at Mendota (later known as Wharton) a mile south of present day Perry, Oklahoma.

In 1880, government offices issued orders banning use of the Cherokee Outlet land for grazing and the cattlemen were ordered to leave by October 1st. This strategy was used to compel the Cherokees to sell the lands for settlement, and finally in 1891, they reluctantly agreed to do so. The tribes were paid about $1.40 per acre for the more than 6 million acres, in order to open them for settlement.

People from all over the world then headed towards the area, as the government surveyors staked out certain portions for townsites, and land offices were established at Perry, Enid, Woodward, and Alva.

Soldiers patrolled the land to keep folks out until the run, and then at noon on Saturday, September 16, 1893, as a pistol shot echoed across the plains, tens of thousands of people raced across the lands in search of homesteads. History has recorded this as the greatest land run ever! The nearest point to enter (to reach the town of Perry) was from the south and just to the east of the town of Orlando in Old Oklahoma. From this starting point, hundreds of horse-drawn wagons and buggies, riders on horseback, and even men on foot, set out to cover the twelve miles to Perry as rapidly as possible.

It was estimated that, of the hundred-thousand-plus folks involved in this "biggest land run ever", over 40 thousand tried to crowd into the town of Perry, and the black dust was so thick and heavy, and water was so scarce, that one new saloon, the "Buckhorn" sold 38,000 bottles of beer the first day at $1.00 a bottle. The next day, they dropped the price to 50 cents a bottle.

Within a week after the run, the "government acre" where the land office was, became surrounded by 110 saloons, plus numerous tents, tent "hotels", cafes. Bawdy houses, gambling dens and dance halls (anything to make money from the folks waiting in line to register their claims) and became known as the infamous "Hell's Half Acre".

It was said that one of the singers in a saloon became very popular by singing a song After The Strip Is Over (to the tune "After the Ball is Over). The day after the run, church services were held in at least one of the saloons.

Famed lawman, William (Bill) Tilghman, who had teamed up with the Masterson brothers to clean up Dodge City, Kansas was hired as the first town marshal of Perry, and Heck Thomas was hired as his deputy. Thomas also had quite a reputation hunting down murderers and train robbers riding the back roads and trails of Indian Territory. Often he would bring in as many as a dozen at a time, tied together with a length of rope. Together, Marshal Tilghman and Deputy Thomas set out to clean up "Hell's Half Acre" and did so within a year ... but that's a "whole 'nother story" that I'll need to write about some day.

Today the citizens of Perry are proud of their pioneer heritage and celebrate with an exciting week of festivities. It begins with the Noble County Fair, which lasts from September 9th. through the 12th, while the carnival opens downtown on Wednesday the 10th and runs through Saturday the 13th. Friday night will have a home football game with Pawhuska as the opposing team (out at the football stadium, Daniels Field). Also on Friday and Saturday nights (12th and 13th) at 8 P.M. there'll be a lot of whoopin' and hollerin' as the rodeo takes over the Cherokee Strip Arena (out by the football stadium).

The big day of course is Saturday, September 13th., when the fun begins in the early morning with the Li'l Settlers Land Run along with a 5-K run and a One Mile Fun Walk. A horse-shoe toss usually begins at 8 A.M. on the north side of the Noble County Courthouse, and live entertainers will perform free at the bandstand west of the courthouse from 9 A.M, till about 5:30 P.M.

The Cherokee Arts and Crafts Festival will show and sell handmade treasures (also from 9 A.M. 'til about 5 PM) and staged gun fights will be featured throughout the day. At 10:30 A.M. everyone will scurry to the perimeter of the courthouse square for the excitement of the big parade. This consists of marching bands from high schools and colleges from all over the state, Shriners in midget cars and on motorcycles, numerous floats (they compete for prizes), antique tractors plus a large assortment of Perry manufactured DitchWitch equipment, lots of horses, clowns, and who knows what celebrity might show up to appear in this parade as it winds its way through the business district and around the square. The parade is usually over about noon and then it's time to eat.

Various civic groups and churches have set up concessions stands in a designated area and there are marvelous ethnic foods or barbecue; and even at lunch time, all sorts of events are scheduled to last into the evening hours. However, this years street-dance (normally held until midnight) has been cancelled due to the small number of folks who turned out for last year's event (I'm told that there were less than a dozen couples who danced!).

For additional information about other events, contact the Perry Chamber of Commerce at 580-336-4684. They're located in the historic Foucart Building at 300 6th Street (the corner of 6th and Cedar). and P.O.Box 426." -- article submitted by: Roy Kendrick dba Cherokee Strip Antique Mall which is located at 511 Delaware Street (Phone 580-572-8434) Perry, Oklahoma
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