Editing Pecan Gap, Texas (section)

==History==
[[File:Caddoan Mississippian culture map HRoe 2010.jpg|thumb|right|The site of Cooper was near the westernmost edge of [[Caddo]] civilization.|alt=A map of where the Caddo live]]
The first inhabitants of the area that is now Pecan Gap were the [[Caddo]] people, who settled large portions of eastern Texas as early as 800 AD. The Caddo were highly advanced, living in large wooden structures, and were skilled farmers.<ref name="Caddos">{{cite web |last=Perttula |first= Timothy K. |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bmcaj |title=Caddo Indians |work=[[Handbook of Texas|Handbook of Texas Online]] |publisher=[[Texas State Historical Association]] |access-date=September 10, 2014}}</ref> The first European to visit the area was French explorer François Hervey, around 1750. A few decades afterwards, European disease and attacks from neighboring tribes as well as attacks from European settlers forced the Caddo out of the area around Pecan Gap. Around 1820, [[Lenape|Delaware]], [[Quapaw]], and [[Seminole]] tribes began settling in the area. In 1836, the [[Republic of Texas]] officially recognized the region around Pecan Gap as part of [[Red River County, Texas|Red River County]]. In 1840, [[Lamar County, Texas|Lamar County]] was formed, which absorbed much of the area just south of Pecan Gap. However, just six years later, the region was designated as part of the newly formed [[Hopkins County, Texas|Hopkins County]]. In 1870 Delta County was created. As Pecan Gap grew it expanded west into Fannin County.<ref name="Delta County">{{cite web |last=McCroskey |first=Vista K. |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcd05 |title=Delta County |work=Handbook of Texas Online |publisher=Texas State Historical Association  |access-date=September 10, 2014}}</ref>