Fort Gibson celebrates Bicentennial one day before actual anniversary

Apr. 17—On April 21, 1824, Col. Matthew Arbuckle, commander of the Seventh Infantry, established Cantonment Gibson to help keep peace between the Cherokees and the Osage.

On Saturday, one day shy of its actual 200th anniversary, Fort Gibson will mark its Bicentennial with a full day of festivities.

"The Fort is the celebration," said Jennifer Frazee, director of Fort Gibson Historic Site.

Saturday festivities begin at 10 a.m. with a vendor fair downtown and a parade along Lee and Poplar Streets.

Joe Crittenden, Cherokee Nation secretary of veterans affairs will be grand marshal. The parade will feature four high school bands — Fort Gibson, Sequoyah, Oktaha and Hilldale.

Opening ceremonies will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Fort Gibson Historic Site.

Frazee said dignitaries include the elected officials and representatives of the Oklahoma Historical Society "recommitting to the history of the place."

Ceremonies also will include representatives of the Seminole Nation, Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Cherokee Nation.

"This is their history," Frazee said. "The Fort was established to further westward expansion and to make sure Indian Removal was successful."

Historic site festivities continue until 5 p.m. They will include living historians conducting demonstrations about 19th-century foods, weaponry, as well as civilian and soldier life. Visitors can enjoy cake and refreshments in the site's mess hall.

A replica keel boat will launch from nearby Clinkenbeard Park and arrive at the fort's bank on the Grand River.

"We're preparing for 20,000 to come out to Fort Gibson, and we are expecting a big chunk of them to come out here," she said.

The Town of Fort Gibson will host nearly 11 hours of music during its Party at the Fort celebration, starting at noon at the Refresco Soccer Complex, southwest of Fort Gibson on Georgetown Road. Gates open at 10 a.m. Saturday. Headliners include Stoney Larue, and Kaitlin Butts, with special guest Casey West. Other performers include Ahna Jennings, Boone Mendenhall and Gracee Shriver. The event also will feature a Kids Zone, plus food and craft vendors. General admission tickets are $50 and are available online.