When the cattle herds crossed the Red River into Indian Territory, they weren't entering unexplored territory. It had been fully explored; indeed, had even been named. Today, the first area they would have entered is known as Jefferson County, but that isn't what it was called during the two decades of the cattle drives.

Back then, the land was part of the Indian Nations, settled by native Americans forced to relocate during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. (That particular episode in history is known as the Trail of Tears.) Today's Jefferson County was formed at statehood in 1907, from a part of Comanche County and a part of Pickens County in the Chickasaw Nation. It was named after Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States of America.

Herds crossed the Red River at Red River Station, about 7 miles east of present day Terral, Okla., and a mile or so south. In the later years that the Chisholm Trail was in use, cattlemen had an opportunity to shop at the Fleetwood Store, about three miles into Indian Territory, and the Reid Store, perhaps another 15 miles north.

Today's travelers, cruising the highways at 55 to 75 mph, depending on location, might sniff at the idea of stores being so close together -- really, only a few minutes apart. But for the cowboy, these were distant aspects of civilization, separated by several grueling, dust-choking days.

Depending on weather conditions, the urgency felt by the trail boss and the presence of other herds on the trail, the cattle moved from 5 to 15 miles a day. A store located 15 miles away was easily a full day's distance by herd time, if not two or three. When you're getting low on tobacco -- and feeling that craving for nicotine that so many tobacco-addicts recognize today -- a day or two until the next available store is like a lifetime!

Through most of Jefferson County, the path followed by the Chisholm Trail is isolated -- miles from the nearest present-day communities. Terral, Ryan, Sugden, Waurika, Hastings and Addington are all off to the west, while Oscar, Grady, Cornish and Ringling (a community with its own fascinating historical origin -- The Ringling Bros. Circus!) are all to the east.

The community of Fleetwood still exists on modern maps, about where the Fleetwood Store is marked on a 1933 map of the Chisholm Trail.

At the north end of Jefferson County is Monument Hill. The hill is located about two and a half miles east of U.S. 81 and Addington. The road is paved part way, then transforms itself into gravel.

The monument is visible from the highway north of Addington. It's a tall concrete marker perched on the west edge of one of the highest hills in the area: