Bailey Ranch is located in Cherokee County, Oklahoma with a historic and colorful past.
History
Prior to 1700 Spain and England claimed now Oklahoma but it was the French and the Native Americans who traveled the area.
Circa 1700's the French were exploring the area. There are many French influences in Eastern OK and the bayou waterway through the ranch is named after a French Missionary, Pierre Menard Chouteau.
In 1824 the Fort Gibson was erected and was the hub to Indian Territory with many documented skirmishes along the Manard Bayou. The site of numerous cavalry & Indian artifact digs.
There is an area known to have been part of an overland route running between Fort Gibson, Hulbert and Tahlequah. A stage stop is recorded just beyond the fenceline on a neighboring ranch.
The place was at one time part of a Plantation for a primary crop of cotton and large fruit orchards. During this time the homestead burned on 2 different occasions and was re-built on the same foundation being lived on still today.
Frank Bailey was known to be the illigitimate son of Frank James (or rather the nephew of the infamous Jesse James) from Missouri.
The place had a cattle transfer station and a slaughter house.
There were no plumbing but the place had natural spring waters that provided clean running water for houses as well as work areas. Today, the springs still supply water year round.
The ranch survived the dirty 30's and became more of a cattle operation. Cowboying at home led to cowboying in the rodeo arena
The place continued to grow through the 70's as a cattle operation with management of two local stock yards in Muskogee and Pryor.
With the stock yards came a new breed of cattle - cross breds. Cross bred bulls were the foundation to the Bailey bull breeding program.
The ranch today has over 150 native and papershell pecan, walnut, and hazelnut trees. Several controlled and open water areas, all forms of wildlife, water fowl and fishing.
There are over 100 native cross bred cows as well as separate angus cattle. A small band of feature bucking bred mares still resides. And, finally, from newborns to retired veterans - there are the bulls.
On the North end of the ranch are several final resting areas to include a Revolutionary War veteren, Civil War veteran, and several workers from the plantation.
November 1907 Oklahoma goes from Indian Territory to the 46th State of the Union with a young lady accuiring the property.
In 2007, the ranch reached Oklahoma Centennial Farm and Ranch Status.
