Historical Marker Program

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Chisholm Trail

Stephens County
Location: on old OK-7, two miles east of Duncan
Coordinates: 34.492117, -97.909259
Material: Stone
Sponsor(s): Kiwanis Club of Duncan
Topics: Ranching; Territorial Period, 1861–1907; Transportation

This stone monument commemorates a crossing of the Chisholm Trail. Cattlemen used the trail until the late 1880s to move millions of cattle to northern markets. The monument was dedicated in 1936 and was reconstructed in 1986. Accompanying it is a granite marker in memory of Ted A. Gilbert, president of the Kiwanis Club chapter when the monument was first built.

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Chisholm Trail

Stephens County
Location: on US-81 in Memorial Park in Duncan
Coordinates: 34.509367, -97.967365
Material: Granite
Sponsor(s): Oklahoma Historical Society
Topics: Ranching; Territorial Period, 1861–1907; Transportation

Named for Jesse Chisholm, the Chisholm Trail ran two miles east of this marker. William Duncan constructed a store to serve cowboys who stopped along the trail, and later laid out the townsite of Duncan. One of the first commercial dairies in western Oklahoma was established by Theodore Fitzpatrick in the vicinity. He secured cows from the trail herds and sold milk to drovers and the US military at Fort Sill.

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Indian Base Line

Stephens County
Location: on US-81 in Memorial Park in Duncan
Coordinates: 34.509286, -97.967356
Material: Stone with bronze plaque
Sponsor(s): Duncan Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution
Topics: Government; Territorial Period, 1861–1907

All land descriptions in Oklahoma except the Panhandle are designated from the Indian Meridian and the Indian Base Line. The Initial Point from which these lines run was surveyed in 1870. Beech Avenue west of US-81 in Duncan runs along the Indian Base Line. Stones to construct this monument were taken from the Initial Point area.

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Sheriff Died in Line of Duty

Stephens County
Location: at US-81 and OK-7 intersection north of Duncan
Topics: Folklife; Government; Westward Expansion, 1803–1861

On May 12, 1930, Stephens County Sheriff W.A. "Wal" Williams was wounded in a gun battle with outlaws here. He died the following day. Five of the combatants were shot, and two died. The incident was called the "Gunfight at Gatlin" for the nearby school.