Claremore History
The historical marker above is located between
Claremore and Oolagah on highway 88
Click on the photograph of the historical marker for a detailed
account of both the Cherokee and Osage version of the battle.
In the early 1800's, Oklahoma was considered to be
the center of the Great American Desert. What is now Claremore was
once a vast wilderness practically uninhabited except for wild
animals.
Major Jean Pierre Chouteau, founder of Saint Louis and Kansas City,
established the first permanent white settlement in Salina. In 1802,
Chouteau encouraged a band of Osage Indians to locate to a 25 acre
mound along the Verdigris River to hunt and trap animals for trade.
Chief Glahmo settled his village with 400-500 Osage Indians from
Missouri in the mound, now know as Claremore Mound. The top of the
mound was flat and over 100 feet above the river and plains and
presented a natural fortification. The area allowed the tribe to
continue their old livelihood of hunting and trapping. It has caves,
excellent for curing and storing hides. The mound became known as
Clermont, French for 'clear mountain' and Glahmo became known as
Chief Clermont.
The above photograph depicts how the Mound looks today
Chief Clermont was an impressive figure, very strong
and highly intelligent. He was referred to as "builder of towns," an
eloquent speaker, and a master politician. He also had four wives
and thirty-seven children.
After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the area was designated as
Indian Territory. The Panhandle, however, remained under the control
of Spain until 1821.
The Cherokee tribe, through a series of federal treaties, were
forced from their eastern homes to new lands in northeast Oklahoma
by way of the infamous "Trail of Tears". They were given title to
land which included Clermont Mound, and for several years sought to
remove the Osage village. When the Cherokee hunters attempted to
assert their hunting rights along the Verdigris, they were met by
Osage war parties. In October 1817, a well-armed band of Cherokee
and Delaware Indians attacked the Clermont village. The Osage
warriors were away on a hunting trip. The village was filled with
women, children and old men. During the attack, many of the Osage
Indians got as far as the river, but drowned in an attempt to
escape. The others were killed and some taken as prisoners. Chief
Clermont was killed and buried on the mound.
Again, through a number of treaties, the U. S. Government obtained
all of the Osage lands. In 1870, Congress purchased a small
reservation for them in Oklahoma. Later the great Burbank oil field
on this reservation made the Osage the wealthiest nation per capita
in the U. S. This reservation is now Osage County.
Sometime during the years following the Clermont Mound Massacre, the
Delaware Chief, John Bullette, obtained permission to re-establish
Clermont as a Delaware Indian city on Cherokee land. The site was
about three miles east of the mound and made it the second location
of the town.
To reach an extension of the Frisco Railroad, the site of Clermont
was moved a third time, at its present location, about seven miles
southeast of the mound. A post office was established there on June
25, 1874. Through a clerical error, the name was listed as Claremore
and that spelling stuck.
Most of the first settlers were Cherokees. The adjustment of the
Indian tribes to live in Indian Territory was remarkable. They
prospered, organized constitutional governments, established towns
and plantations, published newspapers, magazines and books, and
established an extensive educational system.
In 1883, the Indian Commission granted a square mile for the present
site of Claremore to be platted and sold, with the money to go the
Cherokee Treasurer. Auction of the lots were held on August 1, 1883,
and they sold between $5 and $31 each.
At the turn of the century, Claremore was larger that Tulsa and
shortly afterwards, the white population grew in size and took
control of the town.
Copyright 2003-2009 by BJM
