Washita Battlefield National Historic Site protects and interprets the site of the Southern Cheyenne village of Chief Black Kettle where the Battle of Washita occurred. The site, a National Historic Landmark, is located about 150 miles (241 km) west of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, near Cheyenne, Oklahoma.
Just before dawn on November 27, 1868, the village was attacked by the 7th U.S. Cavalry under Lt. Col. George Custer.
The strike was hailed at the time by the military and many civilians as a significant victory aimed at reducing Indian raids on frontier settlements as it forced the Cheyenne back to the reservation set aside for them.
However, Washita remains controversial because many Indians and whites labeled Custer's attack a massacre. Black Kettle is still honored as a prominent leader who never ceased striving for peace even though it cost him his life.
The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.
| Washita Battlefield National Historic Site | |
|---|---|
| IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
| Coordinates | 36°37′3″N 99°42′1″W / 36.6175°N 99.70028°W / 36.6175; -99.70028Coordinates: 36°37′3″N 99°42′1″W / 36.6175°N 99.70028°W / 36.6175; -99.70028 |
| Established | November 12, 1996 |
| Visitors | 14,215 (in 2004) |
Read more about Washita Battlefield National Historic Site: Visitor Center
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