[Looking at why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.]

Hey, it is a good time for a day trip. We turned onto US 64 highway. The road is within spitting distance of the Arkansas River at the Tulsa-Wagoner County line. How about a road trip down river? Unlike the Mississippi River, no river road meanders along the banks of the Arkansas. Highway 64 is as close as you can travel, but it is still a picturesque, tranquil drive. We avoid turnpikes and cities on our jaunts.

The river is wide and sandy at the county line. Then the Verdigris joins downriver, quickly followed by the Grand. The sandbars are gone and ocean-going barges navigate the river. Further down Spaniard Creek and Greenleaf Creek enter through their pretty lakes. By now, the Arkansas is a real river. After jogging back roads, we hit US 64 again to cross the river at Webbers Falls to Gore. Very soon the road crosses the perennially popular Illinois River just before its confluence with the Arkansas.

Next, the community of Vian has a park with a memorial to a real, genuine hero. “Henry, Frederick F, Recipient of Congressional Medal of Honor; The Asistic Pacific Ribbon with two bronze stars; The Philippines Liberation Ribbon with bronze star; the Bronze Star Medal with an oak leaf cluster.” The lieutenant’s life was overrun, while protecting his platoon. Thank you, Fred.

Isn’t Dwight Mission, near here? After finding a couple of poorly marked signs, we stop to ask directions. Never heard of it. The trek is only 10 miles, but takes 18 minutes along poor, skinny roads, with sharp turns. Finally, you do come to Dwight Mission Road (S 4590 Road).

We are here. Slightly further down the road is a common denominator to all isolated communities, Dwight Mission Cemetery. All hopes, dreams, and aspirations ended at the quiet, serene grounds, through the wrought iron ranch-type entrance, with white limestone roads and an American flag waving against a backdrop of the rugged hills across the creek. The number of children and young adults is sobering.

On the right, the mission sits downhill, in a meadow along Sallisaw Creek. The stream with the limestone bottom flows crisp, clear, and fast at that time of year. The gate is open, so we venture on. On the left is a log cabin. Scattered along the limestone trails are several one and two-story sandstone structures, suffering from long-term deferred maintenance. A relatively newer, two-story convention center is on the right.

Always intrigued by the story, we head to the historical, ancient log dog-trot (two-pen) house. Let the white, hand-lettered, wooden-sign between two-posts covered by a miniature shingle roof tell the story.

“Dwight Presbyterian Mission. Located here 1829, Rev. Cephas Washburn, Missionary. Many of the logs in this museum are from the “Blue House” – last original building to be destroyed. Dwight Mission School, co-educational, opened in 1830 with Dr. Marcus Palmer in charge. In December, 1836, Rev. S.A. Worcester came to this place. In June, 1837, the first printing press in the Cherokee Nation was moved here from Union Mission. In 1839, the majority of the Cherokees arrived from Georgia having followed the “Trail of Tears.” In May, 1951, Dwight became the property of the Synod of Oklahoma and is dedicated to the use of the Presbyterian Church.”

How much of the story of Indian Territory can be crammed into one small sign?

Recall that in 1820, Union Mission, in Mayes County on the Neosho River, was the first educational institution in the Territory, with opening to the Osage, Creek and Cherokee children. We first met Dr. Palmer there.

The original Dwight Mission was located near now Russellville, Arkansas Territory. The Old Settler Cherokee received the land west of the Mississippi River, to coerce them to move from their ancestral homeland in the southeast. The original migration began about 1817.

But year 1829 was when the warrior General Andrew “Old Hickory” Jackson became President. In 1813-1814 he had brutally crushed an uprising among a group of Native Americans in the Creek War. Unlike the founders Washington and Jefferson, Jackson was determined to remove the last vestiges of Native Americans from east of the Mississippi.

The first step was reneging on another treaty, forcing the Cherokee from Arkansas to Indian Territory. It was this closing of Arkansas Territory that forced removal of Dwight Mission across the line to now Sequoyah County.

This week, the Cherokee Nation purchased the hallowed, landmark, historical site and will hopefully give it the restorative care it desperately needs.

What were the long-lasting consequences from the educators and mentors at Dwight Mission? But for Cephas Washburn, Marcus Palmer, Samuel Worcester, and similar determined men and women, no vestiges of Native Americans would exist.

The young country was rapidly growing, often with families of eight to ten children. The incoming settlers on the frontier were not bad guys, but mostly just looking for 160-acres to grow their burgeoning families. With the comparatively few Indians in any area, the settlers kept moving.

Life is change.

We cannot fix what happened 200-years-ago.

Think about it: “The caution is to prevent the natural tendency of government to discriminate against any group in favor of another for any reason.”

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Excerpts from our book:

Where Indians, Outlaws, and Oilmen Were Real, ISBN: 9781658834643.