Co-op at Elmer, Oklahoma across from Doan's

Crossing the Red River at Doan's Crossing:

Andy Adams, in his book The Outlet (1895) described the crossing at Doan’s as the most difficult of the three crossings: Doan’s, Red River Station and Ringgold:

"Red River, this boundary river on the northern border of Texas, was a terror to trail drivers. The majestic grandeur of the river was apparent on every hand, with its red bluff banks, the sediment of its red waters marking the timber along its course, while the driftwood, lodged in trees and high on the banks, indicated what might be expected when she became sportive or angry. The crossing had been in use only a year or two when we forded, yet five graves, one of which was less than ten days made, attested her disregard for human life. It can safely be asserted that at this and lower trail crossings on Red River, the lives of more trail men were lost by drowning than on all other rivers together."

You can read more of Andy’s record of the great cattle trail rides from Texas, The Outlet Project Gutenberg.



Crossing the Red River at Doan's Crossing.
Photo via Cingular Cell Phone by Lee Hale

On Saturday morning, several of the trail riders were joined by the owner of the property at Doan’s Crossing to cross the Red River. All safely forded the river onto Oklahoma soil.

At the same time the riders were crossing the Red River below, the wagons were rolling across the highway bridge over the Red.


Wagons across the Red River bridge.
Photo by elderbob.

In the afternoon, the riders and the wagons joined together again near Elmer to set up camp for the night. It had been a very memorable and exciting day.


The trail riders are about to set up camp at the Elmer, Oklahoma Co-op, just across from Doan's Crossing on the Red River.
Photo via Cingular Cell Phone by Lee Hale.

You can find out more about Okalahoma's history by reading about it's settlement patterns.