National Historic Landmark

Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

Cheyenne, Roger Mills County, Oklahoma
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
66000633

About this property

Washita Battlefield National Historic Site protects and interprets the site of the Southern Cheyenne village of Chief Black Kettle where the Battle of Washita occurred. The site is located about 150 miles (241 km) west of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, near Cheyenne, Oklahoma. Just before dawn on November 27, 1868, the village was attacked by the 7th U.S. Cavalry under Lt. Col. George Custer. In the Battle of Washita, the Cheyenne suffered large numbers of casualties. The strike was hailed at the time by the military and many civilians as a significant victory aimed at reducing Indian raids on frontier settlements as it forced the Cheyenne back to the reservation set aside for them. The site is a small portion of a large area that was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The landmarked area encompasses the entire battlefield, which extends for some 6 miles (9.7 km) through the city of Cheyenne.

Location

Cheyenne, Roger Mills County, Oklahoma
35.64942, -99.70625

Categories

NATIVE AMERICANMILITARY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

This page lists Washita Battlefield National Historic Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Break O'Day Farm
Listed
12.7 mi
Dorroh-Trent House
Industrial
18.5 mi
Antelope Hills
Listed
20.3 mi
Storm House
Industrial
23.3 mi
Grand Town Site
Industrial
23.5 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Antelope Hills (May 12, 1858)
1858Indian Wars
1.1 mi
Battle of the Washita Nov 27 1868
1868Indian Wars
1.7 mi
Battle of Washita (supplemental context: Kiowa village raids)
1868Indian Wars
2 mi
Battle of the Washita
1868Indian Wars
2.3 mi
Washita — Custer's Attack on Black Kettle's Village (November 27, 1868)
1868Indian Wars
2.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Washita Battlefield National Historic Site listed on the National Register?

Washita Battlefield National Historic Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Washita Battlefield National Historic Site?

Washita Battlefield National Historic Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Washita Battlefield National Historic Site a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Washita Battlefield National Historic Site has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Washita Battlefield National Historic Site?

The period of significance for Washita Battlefield National Historic Site is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Washita Battlefield National Historic Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Washita Battlefield National Historic Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Roger Mills County

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