| HOW THE OLD WEST HAS BEEN DEFINEDPeople refer | | | | reduced the overall size |
| to the 'Old West' as the 'Wild West' or | | | | |
| simply the | | | | of Indian Territory to cover most of what is |
| | | | now Oklahoma.During the Civil War, the Five |
| 'West'.No matter how what they might call | | | | Civilized Tribes who owned most |
| it, many look upon the | | | | |
| | | | of the land comprising Indian Territory, |
| American Old West as a wild and dangerous | | | | gambled their lot on |
| place that existed | | | | |
| | | | the southern Confederate States. When the |
| in the last half of the 1800's in the | | | | South lost, the Five |
| American Frontier, west | | | | |
| | | | Civilized Tribes lost more of their lands |
| of the Mississippi River in the United | | | | under the new treaties |
| States.Even Europeans who dislike or fear | | | | |
| George W. Bush are quick to | | | | that had to be negotiated with the victors |
| | | | in Washington, D.C.Beginning with the Osage |
| call him a "cowboy", in a derogatory manner, | | | | Reservation Act of 1872, the federal |
| as if his being from | | | | |
| | | | government began to treat Indian Territory |
| Texas automatically brands him as being like | | | | more as a legally |
| the outlaw cowboys | | | | |
| | | | defined "territory".In 1889, the federal |
| that died at the O.K. Corral on October 26 | | | | government finally established a federal |
| 1881, in Tombstone, | | | | |
| | | | court for the management of the Indian |
| Arizona Territory.Many other people from | | | | Territories. And then on |
| around the world romanticize the American | | | | |
| | | | April 22nd 1889, the "Unassigned Lands" of |
| Old West. They conjure images of cowboys, | | | | central Oklahoma were |
| indians, guns, cattle, | | | | |
| | | | opened to white settlement. 50,000 people, |
| buffalo, trains and the simple life when | | | | who were called |
| they imagine the world | | | | |
| | | | "Boomers", settled the "Unassigned Lands" |
| of the Old West.Television, radio shows, and | | | | that day.Then in May of 1990, Indian |
| movies have all contributed to | | | | Territory was divided into Oklahoma |
| | | | |
| the romanticism of America's Old West. | | | | Territory and Indian Territory. Over the |
| Television brought us | | | | next several years, |
| | | | |
| "Gunsmoke" and "Bonanza". Movies have come | | | | various "land runs" permitted the various |
| through time to | | | | sections of Oklahoma |
| | | | |
| further emphasize people's romantic ideas of | | | | Territory to be settled.(For more |
| the Old West. Movies | | | | information about the multitude of "land |
| | | | runs", check |
| that come to mind include "Far and Away" in | | | | |
| 1992, "True Grit" in | | | | out this timeline: )THE CHEROKEE OUTLET |
| | | | LAND RUN OF 1893The famous opening of the |
| 1969, "Two Mules for Sister Sara" in 1970, | | | | Cherokee Outlet that was the backset |
| "Dances With Wolves" | | | | |
| | | | for the movie "Far and Away", took place on |
| in 1990, and "Tombstone" in 1993. And then | | | | September 16, 1893.When the Cherokee Outlet |
| there were my two | | | | was opened, there were 7 original |
| | | | |
| favorite westerns of all-time, "Support Your | | | | counties: O, L, K, P, Q, M and N. It was |
| Local Sheriff" and | | | | mandated by law that |
| | | | |
| "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" which | | | | the settlers of each county would select the |
| both came out in 1969.(People love their | | | | new county name |
| westerns, and the Internet Movie Database | | | | |
| | | | after the run. The names selected were |
| gave them the chance to rate their favorite | | | | Garfield, Grant, Kay, |
| western movies here: | | | | |
| | | | Noble, Pawnee, Woods and Woodward.THE |
| )PEOPLE STILL THINK THE WEST IS ABOUT THE | | | | ESTABLISHMENT OF THE 101 RANCH IN NORTHERN |
| COWBOYS AND INDIANSEven in today's | | | | OKLAHOMAOriginally bound for California, |
| communication age, some people still believe | | | | Colonel George W. Miller found |
| | | | |
| that Oklahoma and Texas exist as it did in | | | | himself often sidetracked into various |
| the 1890's. Back in | | | | business ventures on his |
| | | | |
| the late 1980's, I had travelled to Florida. | | | | trek west.In 1893, Colonel Miller founded |
| While there, someone | | | | his 101 Ranch in northcentral |
| | | | |
| asked me where I was from. When I said | | | | Oklahoma near present day Marland, Oklahoma, |
| Oklahoma, they had this | | | | south and west of |
| | | | |
| puzzled look come across their face.After a | | | | Ponca City, Oklahoma.Colonel Miller became |
| moment or two, this individual seemed to have | | | | good friends with Chief White Eagle, the |
| made the | | | | |
| | | | chief of the Ponca Nation. The Ponca Nation |
| connection they were looking for. She asked | | | | is situated to the |
| me, "So, how did you | | | | |
| | | | south of Ponca City, Oklahoma, and just east |
| get to Florida?"I was confused. I said, | | | | of the 101 Ranch |
| "Well, I drove."She responded, "Oh, so you | | | | |
| stopped along the way and bought | | | | site.In 1903, Col. George Miller died and |
| | | | the ranch was taken over |
| a car?"I said, "No. I had the car before I | | | | |
| left."I could see a "deer in the headlights" | | | | by his three sons.At its height, the 101 |
| moment, and then I heard | | | | Ranch which was located in Kay and Noble |
| | | | |
| her soon-to-be-famous words, "I thought | | | | counties in the Oklahoma Territory was |
| everyone in Oklahoma rode | | | | comprised of a full |
| | | | |
| on horses and in wagons. What about the | | | | 110,000 acres. It became the real nexus |
| indians? Do you all still | | | | between the American Old |
| | | | |
| have problems with the indians?"True story. | | | | West and the world-famous 101 Wild West |
| No kidding. It is hard to believe, I know. I | | | | Show, which featured |
| would | | | | |
| | | | cowboys and indians in the flesh and show |
| not have believed it myself if I had not | | | | dates around the world |
| been there to hear it.Yes, some people | | | | |
| believe that we still live as we did 100 | | | | from 1905 to 1931. Even the shows at the |
| years | | | | ranch were noted to |
| | | | |
| ago.GOING WESTPrior to 1848, the people who | | | | have attracted more than 65,000 spectators |
| lived in the American Old West | | | | at various times.HOLLYWOOD MEETS THE WILD |
| | | | WESTAmong the many notable accomplishments |
| were primarily the military men and lawmen, | | | | attributed to the |
| mountain men who | | | | |
| | | | Miller's and their 101 Ranch Wild West Show, |
| often worked as trappers and/or traders, the | | | | was their role |
| native American | | | | |
| | | | in the revitalization of the western genre |
| population, cattle ranchers and their hands, | | | | in Hollywood.The first movie ever made of the |
| and farmers.Then on January 24, 1848, the | | | | western genre was "The Great |
| news of James Marshall's "Gold!" | | | | |
| | | | Train Robbery" in 1903. By the end of the |
| erupted from Sutter's Mill, California. | | | | decade, most believed |
| Suddenly, everyone | | | | |
| | | | that the western was dead.In 1911, the |
| wanted to go west."Go West Young Man!" was | | | | Miller's signed a contract with the New York |
| the cry that reverberated around the | | | | Motion |
| | | | |
| globe. "Thus began one of the largest human | | | | Picture Company and its' subsidiary studio, |
| migrations in history | | | | the Bison Company.The 101 Ranch served as the |
| | | | backdrop for several Hollywood films, |
| as a half-million people from around the | | | | |
| world descended upon | | | | and the stars of the 101 Wild West Show |
| | | | staffed hundreds of early |
| California in search of instant wealth."(For | | | | |
| more information about the California Gold | | | | westerns. More than 100 cowboys, cowgirls |
| Rush, visit this | | | | and indians from the |
| | | | |
| site: )THE HISTORICAL STORY OF INDIAN | | | | 101 Ranch Wild West Show participated in |
| TERRITORYIndian Territory, also known as | | | | various Bison Company |
| I.T., was established in 1830. | | | | |
| | | | westerns.Even the great Will Rogers did a |
| The intent of the establishment of the | | | | short stint with the 101 Wild |
| Indian Territory was to | | | | |
| | | | West Show, before moving to Hollywood to |
| have a place in which to relocate the | | | | become world-famous. |
| Eastern Native American | | | | |
| | | | Will Rogers is just one of the many famous |
| Tribes. In its early days, Indian Territory | | | | names that came |
| actually covered | | | | |
| | | | through the 101 show on their rise to |
| most of modern-day Oklahoma, Kansas and | | | | stardom. Many of the |
| Nebraska.Indian Territory was not a territory | | | | |
| by the legal established | | | | names of 101 performers became so famous in |
| | | | their day that you |
| definition of a territory for several more | | | | |
| decades. In the | | | | may even recognize them today: Bill Pickett, |
| | | | Tom Mix and many |
| beginning, there was no government or laws | | | | |
| governing Indian | | | | others.If you want to know more about |
| | | | history, pick your favorite search |
| Territory. It was simply the place that was | | | | |
| set aside to be | | | | engine and go hunting. You would be surpised |
| | | | how much wonderful |
| occupied by the Native American tribes.In | | | | |
| 1854, the American government decided that | | | | history exists on the World Wide |
| they needed to | | | | Web.Copyright Bill Platt - All Rights |
| | | | Reserved. Reprints allowed with article and |
| increase the lands that could be used by | | | | resource box unedited. If you post this |
| their growing | | | | article on a website, you must set the links |
| | | | up as hyperlinks. |
| population. So, at this juncture, they | | | | |