Grant County History

1828
The Cherokee Outlet assigned Western Cherokees in a treaty with the United States.

May 28, 1830
By an Act of Congress, territory was set aside for Indian occupation, called Indian
Territory.

May 1843
Captain Nathan Boone, son of Daniel Boone, led a group of 90 men and 3 wagons
into central Kansas, passing across the land that is now Grant County.

1854
The Kansas-Nebraska Bill was approved designating the 37th parallel of latitude as the
southern boundary line of Kansas.

May 1861
Lieut. Col. William H. Emory, 1st US Calvary evacuated troops and civilians from
Forts Washita, Arbuckle, and Cobb on a march to Fort Leavenworth, KS passing
through present-day Grant County.

1866
A trading station was installed on the Chisholm Trail at Round Pond Creek.

1867
Texas cattle drives began on the Chisholm Trail, headed to Abilene, KS.

1875-1880
Kansas cattle men began crossing the Kansas border to graze their herds in the
Cherokee Outlet.

Nov. 13, 1879
Pond Post Office, I.T. was opened southeast of present Medford, closed in April
1887.

1888-1891
The Chicago, Kansas, and Nebraska railway completed its line from Caldwell to Pond
Creek station on July 15, 1888. On April 30, 1891, this line was aquired by Rock
Island.

1890
Congress designated the western half of Indian Territory as Oklahoma Territory on
May 2, 1890, with the capital at Guthrie. In 1890, the President forbade further
grazing on Outlet lands.

1890
The Cherokees sold the entire Cherokee Outlet to the United States for about $1.40
per acre.

September 16, 1893
Claim-seekers raced from nine stations to stake quarter section claims on the Cherokee
Strip. First post office in L county was established at Pond Creek on September 29.