Beginning about 1820, the U.S. relocated the Five Civilized Tribes to Oklahoma. The Choctaws and the Chickasaws were located between the South Canadian and Red Rivers. In 1855, the U.S. leased lands from the Choctaws to settle the Plains Indians. The Cheyenne, Arapaho, Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache Tribes were located in the western area including what became Washita County. In 1890 the U.S. bought this surplus land from the Cheyenne and Arapaho and made it available for settlement.