"From Camp to Community — How Fort Supply Forged the High Plains"

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Exciting Oklahoma news: Receiver bounces back, education reform, Thunder Reading Challenge, Cow Plop Fest, Tipsy Artist Paint Class, Monkey Run & Car Show! 🪶🏈📚🎨🐄🚗

Megan Thomas

Oct 7, 2025

Quote Of The Day

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Albert Schweitzer

🪶 From the Pages of the Plains

This article marks the beginning of an ongoing series, “From the Pages of the Plains,” sharing rewritten pioneer stories and local histories from communities across Northwest Oklahoma. Each issue will feature a new location, family, or event that shaped the High Plains region we call home.

Part One:

Fort Supply — The Outpost That Built a Town

Long before Woodward was a county seat or a cattle hub, Fort Supply stood alone on the frontier. Established in November 1868, the post began as Camp Supply, a temporary base for Lt. Col. George A. Custer and the 7th U.S. Cavalry during the Indian Wars. It was positioned near the junction of Wolf Creek and the Beaver River—strategic crossroads for water, timber, and trail access.

Within weeks of its founding, Custer launched his Battle of the Washita campaign from this very post, marching out on snow-covered ground into what is now southwestern Oklahoma. Camp Supply provided the lifeline of food, ammunition, and horses for that controversial winter offensive.

By 1878, the site had grown into a permanent installation, officially renamed Fort Supply. Its soldiers patrolled the Cheyenne-Arapaho Reservation, protected mail routes, and monitored the endless wagon trains passing north toward Dodge City. The fort was not a single fortress but a cluster of log and sandstone buildings—a hospital, officers’ quarters, stables, and barracks—surrounded by open prairie.

Life at the fort mixed hardship with moments of community. Army wives taught school for soldiers’ children; chaplains held Sunday services; and local tribes occasionally traded meat, hides, or firewood with the troops. Despite bitter winters and isolation, the fort became the region’s first center of order and commerce.

When the post was decommissioned in 1894, its role shifted dramatically. The land and surviving buildings became the site of the Western Oklahoma State Hospital, now known as Western State Hospital, and the nucleus of the community of Fort Supply that formed nearby.

Even today, a visit to Fort Supply tells two stories: one of soldiers and scouts carving a foothold on the Plains, and another of settlers, doctors, and families who built stability from its remains. Weathered stone foundations and restored officers’ quarters still echo with those early voices—a reminder that before Woodward County had towns, schools, or rail lines, Fort Supply was the first heartbeat of civilization on the High Plains.

📰 “From the Pages of the Plains” will continue next issue with Part Two — a look at the rise and fall of the town of Tangier, Oklahoma, once a bustling stop along the railroad line.

Oklahoma Receiver Keontez Lewis Crashes Into Wall But Bounces Back Stronger.

During a game against Kent State, Oklahoma wide receiver Keontez Lewis crashed into a brick wall while trying to catch a pass.

The collision left a large hole in the wall and Lewis visibly shaken, but he was able to walk off the field with the help of trainers.

Fortunately, he was not seriously injured and returned to the game later.

The incident was described as a "scary moment" for Lewis and his team, but he was praised for his toughness and ability to bounce back from the frightening collision.