French explorer traveled to Oklahoma 300 years ago

Three hundred years ago, in summer 1719, French explorer Capt. Bénard de la Harpe made his first expedition to southeastern Oklahoma and participated in the first peace council between regional Indian tribes and a European nation according to a chronology prepared by historian Muriel Wright.

Former Oklahoma City Mayor and historian George Shirk wrote an article titled “Real Estate Deal — No. 1” that was published Aug. 27, 1950, in The Daily Oklahoman and described la Harpe's expedition: ...The company (the Mississippi Co. which had control of the Arkansas River region) had granted to Capt. Bernard de la Harpe a tract of land high on the Red river, and he left New Orleans to take possession of his properties late in 1718. He entered what is now Oklahoma on Aug. 13, 1719, making his first camp near present Bokhoma, in McCurtain county. By the end of the month he had crossed the Canadian river near the present site of Eufaula. On September 3, he commenced a council with the chief of the Touacaras (Tawakonis), the principal tribe of the allied Caddoan tribes in this region that had sent large delegations of the Touacara village to meet La Harpe. Within a week, he had concluded a friendship alliance with all eight of the Caddoan tribes here on behalf of the French king. The site of the treaty ground is near Haskell, in Muskogee county...

A red granite monument near Wilburton erected by the Oklahoma Historical Society reads: “Bernard de la Harpe 1719 This French explorer, seeking trade with the Wichita Indians, came north from Louisiana on August 25, 1719. He camped three miles east of Hartshorne and the next day, following Gains Creek, passed here on his way to the Canadian River and the Wichita villages to the north.”