SAND SPRINGS, Okla. — A 19th-Century New Yorker is being honored in Green Country on April 18.
A chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution are dedicating a new marker for Washington Irving at Keystone Ancient Forest.
What are the Daughters of the American Revolution?
The Daughters of the American Revolution is an organization with a deeply rich history while also being truly relevant in today’s world. More than 1,000,000 women have joined the organization since it was founded over 125 years ago. They became members to honor their heritage as well as make a difference in their communities across the country and the world.
Washington Irving is most known as the author of "Rip van Winkle" (1819) and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (1820). He's widely cited as the "Father of American Literature."
In fact, Irving wore countless hats: writer, historian, diplomat, adventurer, and copyright law activist.
But why is he being honored in Oklahoma, of all places?
"We have three goals: historic preservation, education, and patriotism," Valerie Judkins told 2 News. She's the regent of the Reverend John Robinson Chapter of DAR.
"With the 250th anniversary of the United States coming up," she explained, "it seems like an appropriate time to honor Washington Irving, who was the first person to write about this area of the country, which was then Indian territory."
Irving was born and raised in Manhattan and spent many years in Europe. Upon returning to his home country, he embarked on a month-long journey beyond what was then considered the Western frontier.
“He was invited by the Indian commissioner to come out here and do a tour with him," said Judkins.
Irving linked up with a band of frontiersmen at Fort Gibson, which celebrates its 200th birthday in April, before heading up the Arkansas River on horseback and making stops along the way.
Irving documented this journey in his book, "A Tour on the Prairies," published in 1835.
Irving did not aim for his book to be a detailed historical record. Rather, in his own words, "a simple narrative of every day occurrences; such as happen to every one who travels the prairies," also saying he had "no wonders to describe" and no story to tell.
On Oct. 12, 1832, Irving camped around Bear's Glen, which sits along Keystone Lake. While there, he wrote about the natural beauty of the Keystone Ancient Forest and the Cross Timbers area.
Where is Keystone Ancient Forest?
Judkins said some of the trees in the forest are 300 to 500 years old, ones that Irving would have gazed at almost two centuries ago.
This DAR chapter dedicates a new marker for him Thursday morning on the Frank Trail Bluff, which overlooks the Bear's Glen area.
However, it's not the first marker that this DAR chapter has dedicated to Irving. The chapter originally placed a marker on the Keystone Road in November 1956 before Keystone Lake swallowed it up.
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