TULSA – The Midland Valley Trail has a new name that honors a Mvskoke allotment owner. The trail now bears the name Tuckabache, a Mvskoke man whose original allotment is now a Tulsa park, the Gathering Place. The trail was officially renamed at a Tulsa Parks and Recreation Board Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 9 in a unanimous 3-0 vote. The 3.3 mile trail stretches from E. 3rd & Madison Ave. to the Riverparks West Bank at the Arkansas River.
Tuckabache was born in the Southeast homelands before the Indian Removals in the 1800s. He was forced to walk the Trail of Tears where he settled on his homestead in Creek Nation, Indian Territory.
Tatianna Duncan (Mvskoke) is a direct descendant of Tuckabache. She is also a strong advocate for allotment history research in Tulsa. Duncan recently authored the book, “INDIAN TERRITORY: Surviving 160 Acres of Betrayal.” The historical memoir details the story of a Mvskoke family who loses their allotment and wealth to outside guardians. When Duncan first heard about the campaign to rename the trail, she knew she wanted to be a part of the effort. According to Duncan, she is pleased to see Tulsa acknowledging its history before the oil boom.
“It’s been an ongoing effort from different people along the way,” Duncan said. “People were ready for the change, Tulsa is ready to acknowledge the history of Native Americans.”
Duncan was at the Tulsa Parks and Recreation Board meeting when the board voted to rename the trail. Duncan’s mother, Sallie Keblish (Mvskoke), was also present at the board meeting. According to Duncan, Keblish is the oldest living descendent of Tuckabache. Duncan described the renaming as a “reclaimation” that meant a lot to her family.
Descriptions of Tuckabache passed down in Duncan’s family describe him as a traditional Mvskoke man. Duncan said not many stories about Tuckabache were passed down likely due to boarding schools and assimilation.
City of Tulsa Director of Tribal Policy and Partnership Amanda Swope (Mvskoke) said in a statement that the City was pleased with the Park and Recreation Board’s decision. According to Swope, the renaming is another step in the right direction for honoring the Reservation the city is located on.
“We appreciate the Tulsa Park and Recreation Board’s action to advance the recommendation to rename the Midland Valley Trail to the Tuckabache Trail. This is an appropriate step for our city and reflects respect for the sovereignty of the land on which Tulsa stands. I look forward to continued collaboration in the weeks and months ahead as we work to move this renaming effort forward.”
Historian and author Dr. Russell Cobb was interviewed by Mvskoke Media on September 6, 2018 to discuss the history of the Tuckabache’s land and the, then, newly opened Gathering Place. One of Cobb’s research interests has been the history of Indigenous land disposition in Tulsa. During the interview, Cobb proposed an idea of renaming the Midland Valley Trail to Tuckabache Trail.
“I’ve said and I know some other Indigenous people have said that maybe to start to talk about that trail that follows that old MKT (Missouri-Kansas-Texas) Railroad line,” Cobb said. ”It’s now called the Midland Valley Trail. It’s a wonderful resource. A lot of people walk their dogs and ride their bikes on it. Maybe we should call that Tuckabache Trail?”
Duncan said there is still a lot of work to be done in researching Tulsa’s allotment era. Research can involve a lot of time and energy spent combing through hundreds of documents, however Duncan argues the work is important to honor those who have come before us.
“To know their names, to understand our ancestors’ struggles, that’s very important to our lives. It’s important to pass that down to your children.” Duncan said.
The Gathering Place previously honored the legacy of Tuckabache with a land acknowledgement in 2024. Although it has been over a century since Tuckabache’s passing, his name continues to be shared across the city.
