The Indian Territory in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Round Grove
In Response To: Round Grove ()

Yes. The town gets its name from the Round Grove which was north of downtown of the modern town. There was a spring there, making it at popular camping area. Carey's Ferry was about where the highway crosses Grand Lake. At the time, there were few trees between Grand River and Maysville except along the creek beds so the grove was a landmark for travellers. You probably know this but it's interesting to me and I'll share it here. When there were buffalo in NE Oklahoma, they ate the little sapplings so the prairies stayed prairies, that is without trees. The buffalo were gone by at least the 1840s but the Cherokee grazed large herds of cattle on these prairies without fences. After the war, the population grew, the land was surveyed, and fences were put up everywhere.
Trees grew up along the roads and fence lines, around houses and man-made ponds
Or any where they could take root without being trampled or eaten by livestock. Now when you drive through the area it is not evident you are crossing a large prairie but they can be clearly seen in satellite photos. I'm reminded of this every time I see a name like Grove, Locust Grove, Timbered Hill, etc..

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Round Grove
Re: Round Grove
Round Grove and prairie fires
Re: Round Grove and prairie fires
Round Grove and prairie fires
Re: Round Grove and prairie fires