Fort Sill History
The Fort Sill Apache Reservation’s history is deeply tied to the Chiricahua and Warm Springs Apache bands, originally from southeastern Arizona (including Cochise County), southwestern New Mexico, and northern Mexico. Below is a concise history of the Fort Sill Apache Reservation, focusing on its establishment, evolution, and current status, based on available information and the tribe’s historical context.
Early History and Displacement
The Fort Sill Apache are descendants of the Chiricahua and Warm Springs Apache, known for their resistance during the Apache Wars (1861–1886) under leaders like Cochise, Victorio, and Geronimo. Their ancestral homelands included the Chiricahua, Dragoon, and other mountain ranges in Arizona and New Mexico. After prolonged conflicts with Mexican and U.S. forces, the Chiricahua were declared prisoners of war following Geronimo’s surrender in 1886. The U.S. government forcibly removed them from their homelands, marking a pivotal moment in their history.
1886–1894: Imprisonment
After their surrender, approximately 500 Chiricahua and Warm Springs Apache were sent to prisoner-of-war camps in Florida (Fort Marion and Fort Pickens) and later Alabama (Mount Vernon Barracks). Harsh conditions led to significant loss of life due to disease and malnutrition, reducing their population to about 296 by 1894.
1894: Relocation to Fort Sill
In response to their plight, Congress passed a special provision in 1894 to relocate the surviving Chiricahua to Fort Sill Military Reservation in Oklahoma. They were promised a permanent home there, under military supervision, as the government sought to assimilate them into farming and other non-nomadic lifestyles. Fort Sill, located near Lawton, Oklahoma, became their new base, but they remained prisoners of war, restricted in movement and under military control.
Establishment of the Reservation The Fort Sill Apache Reservation as it exists today was not formally established during the initial relocation, as the Chiricahua were still considered prisoners of war and Fort Sill was a military reservation, not a tribal one. However, key developments shaped its eventual formation:
1910–1913: The Parting
By 1910, non-Indian politicians and military officials pressured the Chiricahua to leave Fort Sill due to competing interests in the land. In 1913, the U.S. government offered the prisoners of war their freedom and a choice: relocate to the Mescalero Apache Reservation in New Mexico or remain in Oklahoma on small individual land allotments. Approximately 180 Chiricahua moved to Mescalero, while 81 individuals (about 20 families) chose to stay in Oklahoma, settling on 160-acre allotments near Apache and Fletcher in Comanche and Caddo Counties. These allotments, granted under the Dawes Act, marked the beginning of the Fort Sill Apache’s distinct community.
1914–1976: Land and Identity
The Chiricahua who stayed in Oklahoma faced challenges maintaining their cultural identity without a formal reservation. The allotments were scattered, and many families lost land due to economic pressures or legal maneuvers. Despite this, they preserved their Chiricahua heritage through oral traditions, kinship ties, and small community gatherings. The group began organizing formally in the 20th century to seek recognition and land rights.
Formal Recognition and Reservation Status
1976: Federal Recognition
The Fort Sill Apache Tribe achieved federal recognition in 1976 with the adoption of a tribal constitution under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. This recognition established them as a sovereign entity, distinct from the Mescalero Apache Tribe, with a governing General Council and Business Committee. The tribe’s headquarters were set in Apache, Oklahoma.
Land Base
The tribe’s reservation consists of 130 acres of trust land in Caddo, Comanche, and Grady Counties, Oklahoma, acquired over time through federal processes.
