Experience history on Friday, May 22, at 8:30 p.m. with a one-hour guided night tour at Fort Towson Historic Site. Fort Towson Director David Reed and OHS Board Member Kenny Sivard will lead you along the parade ground and through the fort’s ruins, sharing stories from firsthand accounts of stationed soldiers. Bring your family for this special evening event as the site stays open after hours.

By candlelight lantern, the historians will guide guests of all ages across the parade ground and through the fort’s remains. At each stop, guides share experiences recorded by the people of Fort Towson, delving into histories beyond what’s found on site signage.

Captain Charles S. Hamilton, his wife, Sophia, and their son, Charles, lived at Fort Towson in the 1850s. Sophia’s 1908 memoir, Merrily I Roll Along, recounts their journey from New York to the fort, travel by boat and land, and life in sparsely furnished quarters. Her memoir and many other records detail life at the fort and in nearby Doaksville, providing some of the material for the tour.

Fort Towson played a key role during U.S. westward expansion and was active from 1824 to 1854. Today, the site features a visitor center, a reconstructed store, and a walking path through the ruins.

Registration for this special event begins on May 1—call 580-873-2634 or email [email protected] today. Tickets are $10 per person and must be reserved in advance. After registering, you’ll receive confirmation and event details. The site has moderately rugged terrain, so please wear close-toed shoes, consider bringing bug spray, and feel free to bring a flashlight for walking between stops.