Friends of Honey Springs Battlefield

10/07/2026

On Saturday, November 7, Honey Springs Battlefield will host artillery demonstrations with the 1st Arkansas Mountain Artillery!

Programs will be held at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.

Each program will feature a few shots from a Mountain Howitzer and Mountain R***e, both types of weapons that would have been seen at the Battle of Honey Springs. Following each of the firings, Jim Spillars, Director of the 1st Arkansas Mountain Artillery, will give a brief presentation. We highly recommend that visitors (especially those sensitive to loud noise) bring their own hearing protection to this program.

The 1st Arkansas will portray Roswell Lee’s Texas Battery of Artillery, bringing to life the men, equipment, and artillery tactics of the Civil War era.

For more information regarding Honey Springs Battlefield, call 918-617-7125. You can also email [email protected].

10/05/2026

Have you been a member of the Oklahoma Historical Society for at least two years? We want your voice on the OHS Board of Directors! These four seats are on the 2027 board ballot:

• One seat: District 2 (northeast)
• One seat: District 4 (southwest)
• Two seats: state at-large

Submit your name for the 2027 board ballot by October 15. We put a link in the comments if you want more information.

📸 Staff, board members, and volunteers pose for a photo at Honey Springs Battlefield and Visitor Center after a board meeting in 2024

10/01/2026

Did you know that the Texas Road runs through Honey Springs Battlefield?

The Texas road (Also known as the Osage trace or Shawnee trail) was a main north-south trade and travel route through what is now eastern Oklahoma. This road, beginning in Kansas and ending in Texas, was used by native tribes, traders, troops, stagecoaches, 49ers traveling to California, cattlemen, and settlers moving to Texas. It is estimated that by 1850, approximately 100,000 wagons per year traveled on the Texas Road!

Do you want to learn more about the Texas Road and its role in the Battle of Honey Springs?

Come visit us! You can even see remnants of the Texas Road on a few of our walking trails!

We are open Tuesday-Saturday from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Trails close at 4 p.m.)

09/30/2026

Off a quiet Oklahoma highway, the open fields and creek-side trails look almost exactly like they did in the summer of 1863. Thousands of troops faced off right where you walk, and the Black regiments and Native nations who stood in that prairie grass tell a story most history books skip.

09/23/2026

We have all been on the lookout for cooler weather, and it seems to have finally arrived!! 👀🍁

Which means it is the PERFECT time to come hike the trails at Honey Springs! The 6 walking trails on site are the best way to get close to where the action happened on July 17th, 1863.

And while you are here, stop by the Visitor's Center too! In the VC you can watch the "Battle of Honey Springs" film, learn about the significance of this battle, shop in the gift shop, and more!

We are open Tuesday-Saturday from 9am-4:30pm (Trails close at 4).

See you soon!!

09/16/2026

09/15/2026

08/25/2026

Save the date!!

Mark your calendar for Artillery Demonstrations with the 1st Arkansas Mountain Artillery! This program will take place on November 7th, 2026.

More details to come!

08/19/2026

Much like the rest of the south, we are under Excessive Heat Warnings for the foreseeable future! ☀🔥

Here are some things to take into consideration as you visit Honey Springs:

💧Stay hydrated, bring and drink lots of water or electrolytes (we have a water bottle filling station in the Visitor's Center)

🐾Please remember that only service animals are permitted in the Visitor's Center, please leave your pets at home and DO NOT leave them in your car (even if the car is running, it is too hot!).

🥾Hike the trails in the early morning or come visit us again when the weather cools off!

👕Wear loose fitting, light colored, and natural fibered clothing, if you plan to explore the outdoor portions of the site.

❄The Visitor's Center is open from 9am-4:30pm, Tuesday-Saturday and is the only air-conditioned space on site.

Many of these tips may seem like common sense, but extreme heat can become dangerous quickly. We want everyone to have a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable visit to Honey Springs.

See you soon!

08/19/2026

Did you know that 107 documented Civil War conflicts took place in Indian Territory?

Of these 107, the Battle of Honey Springs was the largest! There were around 9,000 troops engaged at this battle (3,000 union, 6,000 confederate) and an estimated 258 casualties (77 union, 181 confederate).

Want to learn more? Come visit us!

We are open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday- Saturday (trails close at 4).

📸: Shane Bevel Photography, 2025 Battle of Honey Springs Reenactment
Pictured: OHS Board members, Kenny Sivard and TS Akers.