Monthly Archives: March 2014

Tom Turner farmer and David Miller stand next to historic signs placed on Turner’s farm at Little River south of Holdenville, Oklahoma

This photo shows the interior of the Mayfield store in Spaulding, Oklahoma. This photos shows the real America not the one of today where if people did not have a cell phone in their hand the commit suicide, or would die of cellphoneitist.

Mrs. Mayfield and Jack Beale Smith holding historic sign in front of the Mayfield store in Spaulding, Oklahoma

Mrs. Mayfield is standing in front of her family store, which has served the community of Spaulding, Oklahoma since the 1930s. She is holding a sign which reads Historical route of the Fort Smith to Santa Fe Trail laid out by Josiah Gregg in 1840. The town sits on this old route.

The stand of timber behind the green field is where Edwards Trading Post once stood. The post was established in 1835 and served travelers on the route from Fort Gibson to Texas route for many years. It also served as a stopping point for caravans coming from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Fort Smith, Arkansas during the years 1840 to 1861. In 1858 Lt. Edward Beale passed through the area building a wagon road from Fort Smith, Arkansas to Los Angeles, California. The following year Henry B. Edwards, brother-in-law of Lt. Beale superintend the construction of an Iron bridge across Little River at Edward’s Trading Post. Jim Edwards the owner of the post had married a Creek Indian, which allowed him to establish this post in Indian Territory. The post was abandoned in the spring of 1861 when Indian Territory (Oklahoma) became part of the Confederate States of America. Edwards wanted no part of the war so he took his family to Kansas to live.

This photo shows the signs in place at Tom Turner’s Farm at Little River south of Holdenville Oklahoma. Tom Turner is standing to the left of the signs and David Miller is to the right of the signs.

Dr. David Miller standing next to three signs about to be placed at Tom Turner’s farm on Little River south of Holdenville, Oklahoma. The first sign is: Historical route of the Fort Smith to Santa Fe Trail Laid out by Josiah Gregg, 1840-1858. The second sign is: Historical route of the Beale Wagon Road, 1858-1898, and the third sign is Historical location of the Beale Iron Bridge No. 6 across Little River at Edwards Trading Post 1858.