Built in 1842 as a treaty obligation for relocated Chickasaw and Choctaw people

Built to meet treaty obligations to the Chickasaw and Choctaw people, Fort Washita was established in 1842 under Colonel Zachary Taylor as the southwestern-most military post of the United States. Soldiers had a mission to safeguard the area from Southern Plains Indians to the west and non-native intruders who posed threats to the peace and stability of this region.