Editing Mayes County, Oklahoma (section)

==History==
According to the ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', the area covered by what is now Mayes County has many prehistoric sites. There is evidence of human habitation dated before 6,000 [[Anno Domini|BC]], plus 35 Archaic sites (6,000 BC to 1 AD), 25 Woodland sites (1 AD to 1,000 AD) and 31 Plains Village sites (1000 AD to 1500 AD).<ref name = "EOHC-Mayes" />

French ''[[voyageurs]]'' roamed the area in the early 18th Century, giving French names to many of the waterways and other local sites. [[Jean Pierre Chouteau]] established a trading post at the location of the present town of [[Salina, Oklahoma|Salina]], where he chiefly traded with the [[Osage Nation|Osage]] tribe that had settled in the vicinity. Union Mission, near the present day town of [[Chouteau, Oklahoma]] was established in 1820. Rev. Samuel Worcestor set up the first printing press in this part of the United States at Union Mission in 1835.<ref name = "EOHC-Mayes" />

In 1828, members of the Western [[Cherokee Nation]] began arriving in the area from their former lands in [[Arkansas]]. The Eastern Cherokee, who were forced from their homes in [[Tennessee]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] and [[North Carolina]], followed during the 1830s. In 1841, the present Mayes County area became part of the Saline District of the [[Cherokee Nation]].<ref name = "EOHC-Mayes" />

This area of Oklahoma experienced some military activity during the Civil War. A 300-man Union Army force surprised an equally large Confederate unit near the present site of Locust Grove, Oklahoma in July 1862. The Union force prevailed and captured about one third of the Confederates, while the remainder escaped. In July 1863, Confederate General [[Stand Watie]] tried to capture a Union supply train headed to Fort Gibson. Federal forces under Colonel James Williams successfully defended the train and drove off Watie's men. This action was thereafter known as the First Battle of Cabin Creek. In September 1864, General Watie and General Richard Gano did capture a Union supply train in the same location. This was named the Second Battle of Cabin Creek. Colonel James Williams led a detachment that recovered the wagon train in a skirmish near Pryor Creek. The Confederate force escaped.<ref name = "EOHC-Mayes" />

After the Civil War, transportation improvements opened up the area's economy. The East Shawnee Trail, and early cattle trail followed the route of the [[Grand River (Oklahoma)|Grand River]]. The [[Texas Road]] came through later. In 1871 to 1872, the [[Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad]] built its track through the present county. The Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway (later, the [[Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway]]) built a line in 1913 that joined the Katy system at [[Strang, Oklahoma]].<ref name = "EOHC-Mayes" />