It appears to me that Limestone Prairie is the open area where Wilburton OK is located. The Butterfield Overland Route came from Skullyville (near Spiro), through Red Oak (Latimer Co). In trying to match Mr. Cook's posting from the ORs, I think the "Limestone Mountains" are the San Bois. The Overland Route continued west through Riddle's Station (5 miles east of Wilburton). Then southwest to Holloway's Station (near present Higgins). The town of Limestone is just north of Higgins. On the southern side of this praire is Blue Mountain, Limestone Ridge, and the Winding Stair Mountains. North Gaines Creek and South Gaines Creek form Gaines Creek on the southside of Blue Mountain flowing west by Higgins.

Having said that, further south is Limestone Gap and Limestone Ridge along Hwy 69 between Stringtown and Kiowa... on the way to Atoka and Boggy Depot. This is where I first looked but couldn't find a prairie south of Limestone Ridge and couldn't find Gaines Creek in that area.

If my assumptions are correct, in the description from the ORs: Limestone Mountains is the southern San Bois Mountains. Gaines Creek Mountains is the northern Winding Stair Mountains (i.e. Blue Mountain). The fairly level area in between running to the southwest would be Limestone Praire.

I haven't looked at the other roads mentioned connecting to Perryville, Doaksville, etc.

Anyone have additional information that supports this or disqualifies this as the area?

Ken