Historic Name: WATERHOLE CEMETERY
Current Name: SAME
Address: 3 1/4 MILES SOUTH OF CITY
City: GARVIN VICINITY
County: MCCURTAIN Section: 31
Township: 7S
Range: 23E
Description of significance: THE WATERHOLE CEMETERY NEAR GARVIN WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE 1830S, SHORTLY AFTER CHOCTAW REMOVAL FROM MISSISSIPPI TO INDIAN TERRITORY. THE CEMETERY IS LOCATED IN A WOODED AREA AND CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 80 MARKED GRAVES. CHOCTAW CHIEF, ISAAC GARVIN, PROMINENT LAWYER AND INTELLECTUAL WITHIN THE CHOCTAW NATION, DIED IN 1890 AND IS BURIED ON THE GROUNDS. OTHER PROMINENT CHOCTAWS, INCLUDING GEORGE WASHINGTON AND LOUIS LEFLORE ARE ALSO BURIED AT WATERHOLE. ESTABLISHED AS A NATIVE AMERICAN CEMETERY, THE GROUNDS WERE EVENTUALLY OPEN TO ALL FOR BURIAL PURPOSES. LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER 12/11/1979.
Type: SITE
Historic Function: FUNERARY: CEMETERY
Current Function: FUNERARY: CEMETERY
Area of Significance 1: ETHNIC HERITAGE: NATIVE AMERICAN
Area of Significance 2: POLITICS/GOVERNMENT
Architectural Style: None
Architect: None
Year Built: CA 1830
Original Site: YES
Condition: GOOD
Restricted: N
Documentation Source: HISTORICAL MCCURTAIN COUNTY, MCCURTAIN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY; PETER J. HUDSON, REMINISCENCES OF PETER J. HUDSON, CHRONICLES OF OKLAHOMA, VOL.17 NO.2, 1939; INTERVIEW WITH LOUIS COLEMAN - IDABEL - 6/19/1979.
Date Prepared: 6/29/1979