Show oklahoma sets sesquicentennial noting first white settlement historical pageant planned t e As highlight of state stale fair fah by features MUSKOGEE OKLA to the astronomer and the geologist years is the merest fragment of time even the student of recorded hi history story stands in no awe of such a period but to the more finite minded people of oklahoma it represents a considerable span of time in fact it measures the period that has elapsed since the first white settlement in their state that is why going all out this year to celebrate the anniversary of that event in accordance with a joint resolution of the state senate and house ot of representatives passed in 1939 oklahoma will celebrate the anniversary ot of the day when maj jean pierre chouteau a french fur trader led a peaceful invasion into the uncharted southwest and set up a trading post at tho the site of the present day city of salina in mayes ma yes county ot of northeastern oklahoma in muskogee some 50 miles south of the site of Choute aus settlement plans are being pushed for a celebration to carry out the legislative resolution seeks trading post in the early spring of 1796 chouteau left st louis where he h was a member of an influential family fam ily of traders and merchants to find a suitable location for a new trading post among the indians of the southwest traveling southward along the grand river the frenchman found the site he had dreamed of a place where an abundant supply of game mostly deer and wild turkeys abounded among thick timber which would provide a ready source of building material by what chouteau must have regarded as providential good luck the site also stood near an inexhaustible supply of salt a vital necessity to his men and animals to crown the good features of the location the river itself would furnish transportation facilities the pioneer lost no time in constructing ting a large log trading post at what is now salina post abandoned economic reverses however disappointed the french explorer who discovered that the territory was not the permanent home of any indian tribe and that prospects of supporting a trading post however propitious the location in other respects were insufficient to justify making the venture a permanent settlement in the area chouteau returned to st louis and for six years the little trading post stood silent and abandoned in the wild loveliness of a primitive country but in 1802 events transpired that gave new life to the settlement tl tier nent through the traders efforts the osage indians of the mis bourl valley removed their homes to eastern oklahoma it was a double victory tor for the frenchman he had sought rei on the spanish government which had taken his trading monopoly and given it to one of its subjects ts by the migration ot of the indian from the spaniards trade trad a territory his bis business was virtually ruined in addition it t created a market for Choute auB aus abandoned trading post to which he returned to start the year parade of progress which has made a great modern state from a wilderness A celebration to be held in connection with the annual free state fair air at muskogee scheduled tor for the week of S september ep 29 through october 6 will bear gov robert S kerrs kerr Is stamp as the official oklahoma commemoration of her ses pioneers to participate during three days of the fair a colorful pageant will be presented several hundred eastern mans many of them direct descendants ants of early day pioneers will appear in the pageant which will portray the arrival of chouteau in the state and the story of the little trading post C E chouteau an official of the indian agency at Blus muskogee kogee will fill the role of his illustrious ancestor the fair a gala panorama of midway gaiety and agricultural and educational exhibits yearly draws thousands of visitors from eastern oklahoma and adjacent arkansas in addition to the sesquicentennial pageant fair visitors will be able to view a comprehensive display of the states agricultural and industrial outputs the fertile farms which dot oklahoma will contribute their animal and vegetable produce to the fair and the modem educational institutions of the see section will present exhibits fairgoers may see the original site of Choute aus landing by a short drive from muskogee and may visit other interesting historical spots near this city the original capital of the five civilized tribes I 1 if FIRST WHITE settlement an artists conception ot of the old chouteau headquarters post near salina the first white settlement in oklahoma s ORIGINAL SETTLER founder of the first w white bite settlement in oklahoma Okla homi was mj maj jean pierre picric chateau Chot cau french fur trader |