Red Fork Ranch - Dover, OK
Posted by: hamquilter
N 35° 58.856 W 097° 54.614
14S E 598243 N 3982382
This marker, on the site of Red Fork Ranch stands in the front yard of a residence at 200 E. Red Fork Drive.
Waymark Code: WM14J0B
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 07/13/2021
Views: 2
This is a granite monument which stands by the driveway of a house. The front side of the monument has an engraving of the original ranch house - a pencil drawing made by a surveyor in 1876. The front reads: "RED FORK RANCH / 1877 - 1889 / Erected by the Citizens and Friends of Dover / 1999"
The back side of the monument reads:
The trading post known as the Red Fork Ranch once stood on this site. The origi- nal ranch building was constructed in 1872 by the Lee and Reynolds Company (W. M.D. Lee and A.E. Reynolds). Later ranch operators were Dan W. Jones (1875); H.A. Todd (1879); Sam Swayer (1879); Blair - Hood (1880); John A. Blair and John W. Hood); Willi- iams Brothers (1881, Fred H. Williams, Ralph A. Collins, Alva C. Wilkins); Bugbee Thorn- ton and Company (1883); C. W. Word, Thomas S. Bugbee, L.K. Thornton, W. H. Thornton, D. Thornton); and John G. Chapin (1884). Cha- pin came to the ranch about 1882 as a cook but later took over the operation of the ranch. He was operating the ranch when the Unassigned Lands were opened on April 22, 1889 and he homesteaded the quarter section of land which included the ranch buildings. The present town of Dover was first platted by Chapin in 1892. Chapin's struggle with the United State Govern- ment and many local parties over his homestead took nearly seven years until he was issued a patent for the land. John Chapin could well be characterized as the Father of Dover.
County: Kingfisher County
Record Address:: 200 E. Red Fork Drive Dover, OK US 73734
Rate the Site:
Date Erected: 1999
Sponsor (Who put it there): Ctizens and Friends of Dover
Web site if available: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:1 - Must visit the site in person.
2 - New Photo required.
3 - Give some new insight to the marker/site.
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