Cloud Chief is a small unincorporated community in Washita County, Oklahoma, United States. Once the county seat of Washita County, it is now considered a ghost town. Only a few buildings remain, mostly in disrepair.

History

The townsite was platted in April 1892, as Tacola, when the Cheyenne-Arapaho reservation was opened for settlement. A few weeks later, the town population was said to be over 3,000 inhabitants.

The post office was established March 29, 1892, and Cloud Chief was designated by the U.S. Congress as the county seat of H County, Oklahoma Territory. Many of the new settlers left the town within a year. Cloud Chief was at the fringe of "Texas" and as a result was settled mainly by Texans. Nobody who competed for the town lots could ever forget the excitement. Fights over claims were commonplace, and the cry of "claimjumper" was heard. In two hours the town was established. Many of the settlers left almost immediately after their claims were legally staked, for they had six months from the time they filed to the time they had to settle on their claims.

Many of the settlers went home to get their families and households. Many had left their business hanging fire until they found out whether or not they could actually find a claim in the newly opened country. They had to sell out or close out their business and farms back home.

The population dwindled, but only for six months. Then the town began its growth that was to continue for an eight-year period. When Cloud Chief was at its peak it had population of about 700 people. However, by 1898 the population had begun to rise again.

Notable people

  • Durwood Merrill, baseball umpire

References

Sources

  • Fenn, Doyle. (1996) Cloud Chief: Original County Seat of Washita County, Oklahoma. Dexter, Michigan: Thomson-Shore, Inc.
  • Boothe, Wayne. (2007) Images of America: Washita County. United States: Arcadia Publishing
  • http://home.aol.com/okscotland/CloudChief.html Cloud Chief Informational Website
  • http://hometown.aol.com/okscotland/history.html Cloud Chief History Website
  • http://members.tripod.com/mccornack/drive52.html Information about Cloud Chief Monument
  • Cloud Chief on Google Earth
  • Cloud Chief Ghosttowns.com listing
  • Cloud Chief cemetery listing