Ottawa County

Ottawa County, located in the northeastern corner of the State of Oklahoma, is one of the most important counties of the state, both from an agricultural and mineral standpoint, and its history is unique and interesting. It has been the home of members of a greater number of Indian tribes than any other county in the United States, and strange to say, it has borne the reputation of having been one of the most peaceful, law-abiding communities, inhabited anywhere by the Indian race. Many years ago, the United States Government, by treaties with the Cherokee Nation, obtained permission to locate … Read more

Quapaw The Quapaw were one of the most prominent of these rapidly disappearing tribes to find a home among the Cherokees. They were an offshoot of the once famous Sioux family and early history connects them with the, mound builders. They were encountered by De Soto and his band of adventurers as early as 1540. During the early part of the 16th century, they migrated from their eastern home and settled on the west bank of the Mississippi River, within the limits of the present State of Arkansas. There they were visited by the French Missionary, Jacques Marquette, in June, … Read more

To Mr. J. P. McNaughton belongs the credit of first finding ore in paying quantities in Ottawa County. He had married a member of the Peoria tribe and was engaged in farming when, as early as 1877, he began prospecting for lead and zinc. He secured a special permit from Carl Schurz, then secretary of the interior, to prospect but was not permitted to sell any ore, because of the restrictions which the Government had placed on Indian lands. Soon after the lands were allotted to the Indians, McNaughton secured a number of mineral leases, formed a company called The … Read more

Miami, the county seat and principal business center of Ottawa County, is located in the southern part of the county, near the Neosho River. It is a clean, pretty city of about seven thousand population, having all the modern conveniences, including paved streets, cement sidewalks electric lights natural gas, an abundant, supply of good water, first class hotels, handsome brick business blocks and a live Chamber of Commerce composed of 400 active business men. Miami was one of the first towns in Indian Territory in which complete titles to lots could be secured. On the third day of March, 1891, … Read more

The principal mining towns and camps in the mining district are : Commerce, Cardin (Tar River) Picher, St. Louis, Douthat, Quapaw, Lincolnville and Peoria. Of these Picher has made the most remarkable growth. It is located in the heart of the mining district about seven miles north of Miami. Picher is now but five years old, yet the official United States census report of 1920 gave it 9,676 inhabitants. Within its first two years it grew to be a town of 5000 people without any form of municipal government, except that by common consent its commercial club exercised a sort … Read more