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