Quapaws, Choctaws, and Chickasaws Passed Here

Indian parties traveled an ancient route later known as the Southwest Trail, passing this area as Quapaws, Choctaws, and Chickasaws were removed to new homes. The trail crossed the Saline River where William S. Lockhart, the first permanent settler in the area, arrived in 1815; in 1831 he became postmaster of the new Saline Crossing post office and received exclusive rights to build a toll bridge, while other settlers chose higher ground and established Benton in 1833. About December 19, 1825, 455 Quapaws passed here after their 1824 treaty ceded their remaining land in Arkansas Territory for land among the Caddo on the Red River in northern Louisiana, with government agent Antoine Barraque and Chief Heckaton leading the emigration; conditions in the new home proved disastrous, and the Quapaws again passed here returning to an area near their old homes between June 1827 and 1830. Choctaw removal through here began about January 1, 1832, when 594 Choctaws accompanied by a government agent and leader David Folsom passed by, followed by two groups from Chief Nitakitchi’s district, first 1,305 with Captain Iyacherhopia on February 1, 1832, then 213 with Nitakitchi three days later; from November 23, 1832, to November 21, 1833, six additional government-escorted parties passed here with 3,870 Choctaws. On July 25, 1837, agent John M. Millard camped with 516 Chickasaws on the north shore of the Arkansas River opposite Little Rock, intending for most to travel by steamboat and the rest by road to Indian Territory, but about 300 led by Chief Samuel Sealy refused any way except crossing the Arkansas and heading south on the trail; after returning to Little Rock, Millard set out on August 10, 1837, searching for Sealy’s party, gathering scattered and sick Chickasaws along the way, and by August 12 was nearing this site as he recorded efforts to reunite the party and obtain wagons for provisions. Sealy’s group reached Indian Territory on September 3, 1837, and between 1838 and 1842 at least three other Chickasaw parties, including one led by Ishehotopa, passed this way.

Benton, Arkansas · United States