Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

Washita Battlefield National Historic Site preserves the area where Lt. Col. George A. Custer and the 7th Cavalry attacked Black Kettle's Cheyenne village on November 27, 1868. The event occurred during a period of intense conflict on the southern Plains and remains deeply significant in Cheyenne history. Black Kettle had repeatedly pursued peace, and the village included families as well as warriors. The attack killed Cheyenne men, women and children, destroyed lodges and supplies and resulted in the capture of women and children. The event has long been debated in terms of whether it should be described as a battle or a massacre. The National Park Service site uses trails, overlooks and interpretation to place visitors in the actual landscape. The river, hills and open prairie make the movement of Custer's force and the position of the village much easier to visualize. The strongest visit is reflective rather than celebratory, with attention to Cheyenne perspectives as well as military records. It is one of Oklahoma's most important places for understanding the human consequences of U.S. expansion onto the southern Plains.