Miller Court House

Miller Court House, was the first post office located in what is now Oklahoma. It was located in what was then Miller County, Arkansas Territory. The post office opened September 5, 1824, and was closed December 28, 1839. Miller Court House (or Miller Courthouse) was the county seat of old Miller County. On January 20, 1825, the land was ceded by treaty to the Choctaw Nation and the non-Indians forced to leave. Before leaving in November 1828, they burned the courthouse and records in protest. The exact site is unknown but it was in what is now McCurtain County, Oklahoma.

The Arkansas Territory Legislative Council officially ceded the portion of Miller County north of the Red River to the Choctaw Nation on October 17, 1828. Miller Court House continued to be used as a station for the registration for Choctaw Indians relocated from the East over the "trail of tears and death". Old Miller Court House was also used as a depot for the storage of corn and supplies destined for distribution to the Choctaws for many years.

On October 23, 1832, the Arkansas Territory commissioners moved the county seat to Jonesborough in what is now Red River County, Texas, and the Miller Court House post office relocated there. Texas, however, annexed Miller County south of the Red River and the post office was discontinued December 28, 1838.

References

*Handbook of Texas-Online. [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/MM/hcm91.html "Miller County, Arkansas"] (Retrieved August 6, 2006)
*Shirk, George H. "Oklahoma Place Names". Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1987: ISBN 0-8061-2028-2 .
*Wright, Murial H.; George H. Shirk; Kenny A. Franks. "Mark of Heritage". Oklahoma City: Oklahoma Historical Society, 1976.