Bryan Co., OK; Town of Caddo - History --------------------------------- Submitted by the Bryan County Heritage Library Located in Calera, OK Written by Olivia G. Barton Typed for the archives by Trudy Marlow --------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ---------------------------------------------------- CADDO THROUGH THE YEARS It's sure thing that a century from now when they dig up the old capsule that will be buried in October in front of the Caddo Community Building, the finders will find out in a hurry about what their ancestors did. During Caddo's 100th birthday they did enjoy that was be climaxed by the burying of the capsule, according to Cowboy Pink Williams, the most illustrious citizen of the town's first century. During Cowboy's life time he had been elected Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, serving as Governor on those occasions when the Governor was out of state. He later was elected State Treasurer. He had called some of the shots on what will be in that old capsule. He will include a copper Eisenhower dollar, figuring that people will be interested in money 100 years from now as we are today, because they still be paying interest on our debts. There were copies of area papers, including The Caddo Star and Denison Herald, to say nothing of copies of Sears and Wards catalog. If room, the issue of the Herald will be its Centennial edition. Caddo was holding its own against the inroads of declining rural population. It has a bright new clinic built by loving hands of most of its citizens. Good schools and churches and business greet visitors, also cattle is still no. one industry. Caddo got its name back in 1806 from the Indian tribe, with the same name. Caddo Indians and Choctaws, who were still headquartered in Mississippi ahead of their historic Trail of Tears, found a major battle on a hilly region south of town. Later the town became the headquarters for the Choctaws. Who held court the first Monday of each month in Caddo. The old courthouse survived until 1956 when fire destroyed it. Caddo is the oldest town in Bryan county and at one time was its county seat. When the Katy passed through Caddo pushing toward Texas, Caddo was right on its path. As an important stagecoach station between Ft. Sill and Ft. Smith. Today, it is on busy U.S. 69-75 Hwy. Just north of the old stagecoach junction was SH 48 crosses Blue River was the site of Old Ft. McCulloch. It was established in 1862 Gen. Albert Pike, and named for the general who commanded the Confederate forces in Indian Territory in 1865. Nails Crossing, was a half mile to the east where the Texas Road crossed the Blue River. It was named for a prominent Choctaw family. The old Nail House stood until the 1930's when it was destroyed by fire. Caddo, also had the state's largest fish hatchery, at the south edge of Caddo. At one time it was undergoing a multi-million dollar face lifting. It will keep many southwest lakes supplied with the exotic sensations, the stripers, among other fish. On May 8, 1875 the first Odd Fellow Lodge was founded in Caddo. The first Masonic Grand Lodge in Oklahoma was organized in Caddo also October 5, 1974. Denison has a link with Oklahoma since Ben Munson the right of way man for the Katy, and his surveyors worked their way up to the beginning of Davis Creek, miles and miles south west of Clear Boggy. Munson decided on this divide, nine miles southwest of Clear Boggy and seven miles northeast of Blue River where the water divided, as the site for the new town at the time the Caddo Hills was the only landmark in sight he gave it the name of Caddo, Hills. It later dropped the last word and became known as Caddo. Caddo Hills of course have been named after the Caddo Indians. 26th of October 1872 there was a man by the name of Big John Scullin and his horde of Irish laborers laid the first steel on the Katy into Caddo Hills, and the town was quickly populated with gamblers, freighters, cowboys, and the type of women who follow boom towns, but not all the women were soiled doves. There were missionaries, housewives and teachers. Though men included fortune seekers, exsoldiers, and outlaws. There were swedes, Jews, Irishmen, fullblood mixed breed, squaw ment and Negroes. While many felt the Katy might quit at Caddo, it went on to build all the way to the Texas Gulf. At this time Caddo had come a long way from the time when strawberries were in abundance, turkeys were plentiful and so were deer. Its life isn't so easy anymore in Caddo, but even that is pretty true elsewhere also. And even as up until now March 24, 1983, Caddo has still changed. THIS WAS ALL REPORTED LIKE THIS A FEW YEARS BACK. --------------------------------------------------- Written by Olivia G. Barton