Historical Marker Program

Dorothy Jean Orton

Choctaw County
Location: on grounds of Fort Towson Historic Site
Coordinates: 34.027830, -95.257074
Material: Granite
Sponsor(s): Oklahoma Historical Society
Topics: Industrial Period, 1941–1982; Military; Social/Cultural

Dorothy Jane Orton was the prime mover in urging the restoration of Old Fort Towson. Due to her untiring efforts in her home community and the entire state became aware of the important of preserving Fort Towson as a part of Oklahoma's historic heritage. She was born on January 7, 1915, at Fort Towson, graduated high school there, and attended Southeastern State College. Dorothy Orton was the first Oklahoma woman to enlist in the Women's Army Corps in World War II. After two and one-half years in the army she was discharged from service with the rank of captain. She was recalled to active duty in the army in November of 1950 and saw service at Fort Lee, Virginia, at Camp Breckenridge, Kentucky, and as a staff officer in the Oklahoma District Military Office, where she was serving at the time of her discharge from army service in January of 1953. After military service, Dorothy Orton became postmaster at Fort Towson and held this position until the time of her accidental death while on a Mountain Fork River fishing trip on May 31, 1968.