Historical Marker Program

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Canute

Washita County
Location: on I-40 in Canute
Material: Granite
Topics: Government; Territorial Period, 1861–1907; Urban Development

Initially called Oak, this town was named for the king of Denmark. The first post office was established on February 24, 1899.

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Cloud Creek

Washita County
Location: on county courthouse grounds in Cordell
Topics: Early Statehood, 1907–1941; Environmental/Cultural Ecology; Government; Water

The government constructed 1,140 conservation dams in the Washita River Basin, of which Cloud Creek was a part.

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Cloud Creek Dam No. 1

Washita County
Location: on OK-54B in Colony
Topics: Early Statehood, 1907–1941; Environmental/Cultural Ecology; Government; Water

This was the first of more than 1,000 dams built in the Washita River Basin and the first of more than 10,000 flood control dams constructed in the United States by the USDA Soil Conservation Service.

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Colony

Washita County
Location: on OK-54B in Colony
Coordinates: 35.348528, -98.676259
Material: Granite
Sponsor(s): Oklahoma Historical Society
Topics: Settlement Patterns; Early Statehood, 1907–1941; Education; Religion/Philosophy; Retailing; Social/Culture; Territorial Period, 1861–1907

One of the oldest towns in western Oklahoma founded in 1886 by John Seger and the Cheyenne-Arapaho on the banks of Cobb Creek. Seger Indian Industrial School operated here from 1892 to 1932. Local tradition holds this was a starting point for the Land Run of 1892. Dutch Reformed Mission opened here in 1895. Post Office Established January 8, 1896. Buildings on this block built in 1920s by Fred Kauger and restored by Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Yvonne Kauger. Long before the 20th century, Native Americans occupied the surrounding land. George Bent lived in the area and is buried nearby. Pow wows held here since late 1930s by Cheyenne-Arapaho tribes. Also see marker for Seger Colony (no longer extant).

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Cordell Academy

Washita County
Location: on US-183 at Third Street in Cordell
Material: Aluminum
Topics: Early Statehood, 1907–1941; Education; Religion/Philosophy; Territorial Period, 1861–1907

Built in 1906 as a Dutch Reformed Church project, the school operated until 1911. The school's stated goals was to teach youth Christian living.

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Cordell Christian College

Washita County
Location: at US-183 and Second Street in Cordell
Topics: Civil Rights; Early Statehood, 1907–1941; Education; Religion/Philosophy

The college began in 1907 and operated until 1931 under the names of Cordell College, Western Oklahoma Christian College, and Oklahoma Christian College.

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Corn

Washita County
Location: on OK-54B in Corn
Topics: Agriculture; Early Statehood, 1907–1941; Education; Religion/Philosophy

In 1893, forty Mennonite families settled the area and brought 'Turkey red' wheat to plant in the western Oklahoma soil. The original name of the settlement was Korn but was anglicized to Corn in 1918 during the war with Germany. The Korn Bible Academy, one of the state's oldest parochial schools, opened in 1903. The town of Corn was incorporated in 1954.

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Lake Valley School

Washita County
Location: seven miles north of Gotebo on SH-54
Material: Granite
Sponsor(s): People of Lake Valley Communmity
Topics: Education; Territorial Period, 1861–1907

The site of Lake Valley School District #4 was located within the original East Bethel School District #15. The site was established during the school term 1892–1893 with approximately thirteen and one-half square miles.

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Port School

Washita County
Location: on OK-44, six miles south of OK-44 and OK-152 junction
Material: Granite
Topics: Education; Industrial Period, 1841–1892; Religion/Philosophy; Social/Cultural

Port School, constructed in the center of the school district, once was considered the largest consolidated school in the nation. It closed in 1966.

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Red Bluff Community Church

Washita County
Location: on OK-152, five miles west of Cordell
Material: Aluminum

Area residents organized this Baptist church in 1898 and constructed the building one mile west of Red Bluff School in the early 1900s. The church served the area until the 1960s, when the building was moved into Cordell to be used as a lodge hall.

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Site of first Washita County Court House

Washita County
Location: southeast of OK-54 and OK-152 junction
Material: Granite
Topics: American Indians; Government; Territorial Period, 1861–1907

Cloud Chief, originally Tacola, served as the first county seat. The area was settled by land run on April 19, 1892. On August 7, 1900, citizens voted to move the county seat to Cordell, but the US Supreme Court voided the election since the US Congress had designated Cloud Chief the county seat. In 1906, Congress officially named Cordell the county seat.

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Tacola/Cloud Chief School

Washita County
Location: on county courthouse grounds in Cordell
Material: Granite
Topics: Education

Created in 1892, Tacola School met in a dugout until 1894 when a 30' x 50' building was built 1/2 mile southwest of this marker. In 1918, the school moved to a new building north of this marker. During the 1921 consolidation of school districts, the name changed to Cloud Chief. The high school moved to Cordell in 1958 and the school closed in 1960.