Empire of the Summer Moon (Actual Locations Today)

Over the course of a few months, I traveled across Oklahoma and Texas, visiting and filming various places that hold historical significance to the Great Plains Indian Wars and were mentioned in Sam Gwynne's bestseller, Empire of the Summer Moon. It was an amazing adventure. In addition to historical events covered in the book, I did research a few other external places for information to try to make it as accurate as possible.
All video was shot by me:
GoPro Hero9 4K @ 60fps
DJI Mavic Air 2 4K @ 60 fps
iPhone 12 Pro Max 1080p @ 240 fps
Pictures were pulled from various places on the WWW.
Disclaimer: ALL locations were hiked with permission.

[@dndmat]

Man, that was good sir. My father was born in a dugout on the Slaughter ranch near Morton Texas in 1929 and always told me that my grandmother was Commanche. I've never investigated any of it but it's fascinating and the timing makes sense. He's 92 and still with us but I really need to try and get more info. I appreciate your time and effort.

[@sonsoftheedelweiss72]

Yes you do. Make sure to document in writing with dates and video now. DO NOT WAIT or it will be lost forever. Document every single word. Try to get your genealogy as much as you can!!!! Please don’t let this slip by. Good luck.

[@marcrobots]

😂❤❤😂😂😂 😊

[@NA-yb9sj]

your grandma was a white squaw? Anglo concubine? damn...must be tough. how do you make peace with that? if someone had kidnapped my grandma and turned her into a concubine, i'd want revenge on these people...

[@kjw1886]

I love this book. after I read it I went to as many of the locations as I could. I am from and live in Amarillo, so I have not had to travel real far.

[@kurtcurtis2730]

I’m reading this book now. Lonesome dove a favorite movie so there’s that too. I appreciate this video and it’s very well made

[@Techumsa]

Wow how fortunate you are, I live in the UK so I had to imagine those places, did you take photos?

[@basemayn]

I'm pretty familiar with the landscapes of West Texas and its small towns. You did a fantastic job with the photography! It's great to see the actual locations of these incredible historical events.

[@ericharvey8576]

I live in England and am a keen student of the American West. I've just read the book and your video has been the perfect and very polished supplement to a superbly told story. (And it saves me a long trip!) Professional job. Thanks so much for posting it,

[@kim79710]

If you get the chance sir, read a book called (I'm Frank Hamer-The Life Of A Texas Lawman), he's the former Texas Ranger that killed Bonnie and Clyde

[@brassteeth3355]

I'd recommend Blood and Thunder if you haven't read it yet. Greetings from Texas.

[@Quantrills.Raiders]

you should make the trip if you can, the American southwest is probably in my top 3 favorite places in the world and ive traveled everywhere. Check out fort bowie if you can, definitely a cool spot

[@darrenmcg97]

Me too

[@carywest9256]

Sir, l'm from Texas and if you do venture to America. Only come in the Spring or Autumn, the Summers are brutally hot. 2023 has been a scorcher. I'm 61, and this hasn't been the hottest. But two days ago August 27th. It reached 111° F. in Beaumont, which is in Southeast Texas. I will foreware you Texas is vast, it comprises 12% of the lower 48 states in America. Even if you take a ten day holiday, you'll be hard pressed to see much. Just getting away from all the population of our major cities is a burden on a person's patience. I did not ask, but my Mom's ancestors were from Norfolk County, England. South of Norwich-at Shelton Hall. St. Mary's Church is where John Shelton and wife Anne Boleyn Shelton are entombed. She was The Queen Anne Boleyn's aunt. Take care and GOD bless.

[@georgegaiennie3747]

The book is outstanding. The Comanches were formidable, and their raids amazing; raid from Llano Estacado to Victoria - about 600 miles. Nice video.

[@summervibes2147]

They raided as far south as about 100 miles north of Mexico City

[@daviddigital6887]

​@@summervibes2147 so far down they said little men living in the trees that won't talk to us. Monkeys

[@carywest9256]

@@daviddigital6887 l bet those little men sure did chatter at the Comache though!

[@rt3box6tx74]

It's good to come across people who understand that there was no US/MX border as far as the tribes were concerned. Gen MacKenzie and Sherman were hellbent on invading MX after the Civil War ended. I can't remember how they finally got it out of their systems. May have been orders from Grant himself.

[@jedbunyon4057]

I’ve read Empire of the Summer Moon three times over…you did a solid job sticking to the facts/book. Also, great job editing and shooting (those drone takes were awesome). Keep up the good work man. You should definitely do more of these videos where you visit a historical site while telling its background story. I feel it’s a niche market that would draw in a lot of viewers.

[@2904bennett]

I visited Adobe Walls last year. It's a hard place to find, but well worth it. I'm 67 from Illinois and have read much on Charles Goodnight. My great Aunt visited Goodnight Texas in 1908 all the way from Athens, IL as a young woman by car. Well done.

[@pauljohnson957]

I am a descendant of Quanah Parker. Sadly I don't know much of the history of the Comanche. I will be reading this book. Great video!

[@jameswilson3991]

wow love native american history from linda in scotland

[@legscoll3296]

When they built the Verrazano bridge here in NY there was a few native American iron workers who worked on it a few of them were neighbors and hung out in my father's bar they were so nice when I was 12 they took me to Oklahoma I sat and listened to a elder tell old stories my neighbor told me I was lucky cause they wouldn't allow outsiders in I always have had this inner thing about that area there was a aire about it and the people were so nice the older woman watched me like I was there own making sure I was fed I was warm the kids my age were fun and did not make me feel outta of place

[@whatsname2649]

👍

[@garyinman7696]

What a wonderful gift. You should write down their stories.

[@dp5475]

What an amazing opportunity

[@dbone7940]

For more on the Comanches, read Comanches by T.R. Fehrenbach. Plains Indian Raiders by Wilbur Sturtevant Nye is another although it covers more tribes than just the Comanche.

[@SKC193]

Thank you for this! I got interested in the Comanche many years after reading “Ride the Wind”. Then read many more books about all this. My daughter & I drove down to the Texas panhandle to Palo Duro Canyon. I was born & still live in Oklahoma. Raised in Hominy, among the Osage. Then later found out that my 5th great grandfather was a famous Cherokee chief (Oconastada, Stalking Turkey). There’s a painting of him in Gilrease Museum. Then found out my great grandmother was Cherokee. Never knew any of this till I was in my 40’s! My mom’s side of the family just never talked about the past!

[@helenfay9465]

In your forties?! Wow that's kind of mad that was not passed down sooner... Good that you have a little more idea of your roots now though!

[@TexExpatriate1]

Born in Southwest Oklahoma and raised there, I came to love the Comanche and Kiowa history. This is a great little video. Study of the book is absolutely essential if you love the history of Plains Indians.

[@philipinnewjersey2622]

As a kid in the 80s I lived in the Mosier Valley area of Euless, TX.. we used to go play in the creeks and woods, we would find arrowheads and things pretty often. Years later I learned about the Tribe that lived in that area and The battle of Village Creek. 30 something years later almost all of it's gone due to neighborhoods and warehouses...

[@HateTheGameTX]

My area of Texas is about the same. Caddos inhabited this area traditionally. But once the 1850s rolled around, the Caddo were and the Cherokee had moved in. Now there’s gated communities almost everywhere

[@MoeBergOSS]

My ancestor led the Rangers in that and other battles. General Edward Hampton Tarrant.

[@user-pe2wq8rm1k]

What? I loved in south Euless and had no idea of any of that history, is this in the book?

[@paladin7429]

This was the best book I read last year! I've recommended it to a lot of people.

[@SteveSmith-zz4ih]

Thanks for taking the effort and time to enlighten us, i'm half way through the book, always wondering what certain places looked like, imagine being able to ride through that massive expanse and there were no roads, fences, bridges etc. No one won in the end just a lot of deaths, pain and loss, nothings changed through the ages. The one person that tugged at my soul was Cynthia Ann, all she wanted was to go back and see her boys, what a cruel end to a tough woman, no justice!

[@ToddAutry]

This thing is sick. I can’t start to say how good of a job you did with this. Insane. And the editing. Good grief. This is next level stuff and possibly the best you have done (IMO).

[@GoWildHistory]

Thx man I appreciate it. I’ve never satisfied :)

[@chrishamilton1189]

I agree. Def next level

[@rosolinolosciuto3644]

Questa società è insana di "anima" e corpo

[@rosolinolosciuto3644]

Come si può definire (santo) questo cielo irrorato di scie chimiche è cosparso di virus e microbatteri mettete la maschera

[@Im_T.O.]

Best book I've ever read. Excellent.

[@ler3968]

I grew up in the area (San Antonio-Austin) that was often mentioned in the book. I got hooked immediately, we were never taught this real Tx & Ok history in school. I never knew the power the native Americans exerted for several hundred years in this region. The early settlers paid a heavy price for invading these native lands.

[@rosolinolosciuto3644]

I poteri della mente sono infiniti per cui i "poteri forti" li hanno fatti sterminare è occupato le loro terre con schiavi Africani

[@thelordrico8109]

You mean the English England ppl that has kids in America the first ever illegal aliens

[@discojelly]

Man this is great! Excellent job sir! I LOVE learning about past Texas/Native American history!

[@GoWildHistory]

Ty sir!

[@MichaelScott-tq3dd]

I am reading the book now and often stop and look up names and places online but it is hard to grasp the vastness of Comancheria with maps and photos. You did an excellent job using the drone to bring all of that to life. You can clearly see that west of the 98th and 100th meridian, few trees were visible, only shrub, land and more land as far as the eye could see.

[@JLil]

Fantastic video, sir. I taught Texas History for a number of years and this would have been a great help to the students, actually seeing and hearing about what we were learning from different perspectives. I, myself being a native East Texan, often wondered about most of the Panhandle area locations while I was reading the book. We used to stop at Silver Falls outside of Crosbyton on the way out to visit family in Lubbock, but that was way back in the 80s. Google Earth could only show me so much, but you have gone above and beyond. Well done and thank you!

[@brassteeth3355]

Fascinating companion material for the book. I've been to a few of those places in both Texas and Oklahoma. I'm an Okie myself, living down here in Texas. Thanks for the great material

[@joepalooka2145]

Excellent video for anyone who has read the book.. You have done a great job and this really makes the locations of the historical events come alive. The drone shots of the magnificent landscape are excellent, and make you visualize the time when the Indians ruled and the white man had not arrived, and millions of buffalo and other animals covered the ground everywhere. It was an incredible natural paradise that we today can only try to imagine. Sometimes I wish I could turn back the clock to the way it used to be. It's also one of the most tragic, violent, heart-breaking stories in human history.

[@Realstuffadventures]

very well done, thanks I have the book, great to be able to see the locations in this way. I have fond memories from childhood riding horses at Eagle Park visiting the Quanah Parker house in Cache in the early 60's. Love the history of Quanah Parker and Geronimo.

[@tracyjohnson5023]

So very sad that I he Quanah Parker house has fallen into ruin

[@loganmajeune5516]

Man this is bad ass!!! I live around Clinton, Ok and I’ve been to the Star house in Cache I think we should set up some kind of go fund me to get that thing reconstructed along with the other historical buildings on that property. There’s a house that Frank James stayed in and an old school from Cache as well as an old wooden roller coaster. But the Quanah house has such historical value to this country it needs to be saved!!!

[@GoWildHistory]

Thx man. I agree about the Star House. Its sad to see it fall to pieces.

[@quinbagwell7515]

Excellent job, with attention to detail, and accuracy. Thank you so much for your work.

[@acesnoopy]

I agree with you about Nocona. This is an incredible video, read the book many times and you did a great job. Much appreciated

[@markshields5883]

What a book , got to say it's my fav book

[@JamaniusFreebone]

FANTASTIC video!! I’ve been fascinated and obsessed with this local history since I moved here in 89. Man you’ve filled in a lot of gaps and answered some questions for me with this video! Excellent job sir! Keep em coming

[@GoWildHistory]

Thx man. I definitely will!

[@SnakesonthePlains]

Bro, that was a heck of a job! I know you put a lot of time and effort into it and it shows! Really enjoyed it!

[@GoWildHistory]

Thx brother! This was def the most complex I’ve worked on….

[@jacobjones3479]

@@GoWildHistory How do I get in touch with you guys about travels to oklahoma?

[@ghn49]

Awesome video. Couldn't have been better..Excellent re-telling of the events and places. Please do more!!!

[@keepitclassc7551]

I literally just finished reading empire of the summer moon an hour ago. As the battles grounds were mentioned i would look them up. Thank you for undertaking such a large effort to document these sites. Great video

[@Russ_Looney]

Hey, you did great work with your research and traveling to locations across TX and OK. There are a lot of miles between many of these locations, which many may never realize if you had not been so careful to point out in maps. It was great to see the landscape of the particular areas as well. Thank you

[@kathleenebsen2659]

Thank you! I'm filled with awe.

[@caaguilar82]

Amazing job visiting all these sites and documenting the history that took place there. We always only imagine how events such as these may have taken place but you actually brought us there. Can’t imagine the time and expense incurred in finding these sites as well as documenting and editing everything. Thank you.

[@GoWildHistory]

It took a while but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[@kurtcurtis2730]

Well done

[@polydueres]

Fantastic job! One of the best if not the best video clip on you tube! Thank you

[@JScottCee]

Awesome video and work, man. Great job, and great information. Well done! 💯

[@eyoung506]

You did American history a wonderful service by making this video. Thank you!

[@samuelbradley8382]

Thank you so much for the video, time, and effort. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@TAG77]

This is an EXCELLENT historical video. I’m a history addict and my son is becoming one as well being around me. Every time we move we have to know the history of where we move to, but couldn’t find any good history vids about ft sill and the Wichita tribe and mountains. We couldn’t understand why the government grouped up more than one tribe counting them all as the Witchita tribe until now. We’ve also discovered why they took their reserve and just gave them plots of land separate from your vid. We listened to a Comanche tell us they took our reserve and gave us plots because they feared another uprising and us conspiring with others to take them on again. Now we get it all pieced together. We still can’t find the history of Ft Sill and Lawton, but we didn’t know that signal hill was so important until now and we pass that driving past the ranges to explore the Wichita Mountain preserve on the weekends. Now we know. Thank you so much for caring about our history and passing it on to your kids and mine. ❤❤

[@leenorthcutt8421]

I LOVE THAT BOOK! Thank you for this Amazing video!!!

[@wildcolonialman]

Fabulous effort and thank you. This man from NZ has Gwynne's book right in front of him, and all though harrowing, a indelible history that has riveted me for decades. A truly remarkable people, Hunter Gatherers that they were, there mastery of the Horse, including breeding, surely stands out, alongside there remarkable military horsemen ship.

[@alonsocushing2263]

Am presently reading and enjoying the book. This video has been very helpful for me in imagining the locations.

[@mralowen]

Fantastic book, thank you for this.

[@TheGoodfellas.]

I have begun reading this book and your video will help add to my visualization of occurrences throughout the book. Thank you.

[@kbirdmontgomery8181]

Awesome video… I’m about to finish the book myself and this video A) helps clear my understanding of what I was reading, but B) helps visualize what it would’ve looked like all those years ago. Much appreciate your time and effort in creating this video.

[@thestegmonsters]

Can't believe we missed this. Love it, great job!

[@OlliesTreasures]

Great book that I have read recently, so to be able to see the actual locations has been very helpful and informative. Excellent job fellas…..👏

[@stevemolina8801]

I read the book and found it extremely interesting. This put so much into prospective. Thanks for sharing this!

[@jameswilson3991]

read it only last month while on holiday to spain loved it from linda in scotland

[@guatobean2869]

Wow beautiful shots and great storytelling 👍🏼 thanks for your work.

[@seahawks366]

Man this is such a cool video! Well done man

[@nomadpi1]

Thanks. Just a survey format, but well done. I also was born and raised in this area of OK and do much reading re: the local histories. Now in my eighth decade, I wish for another 80 yrs. to read and explore more SW OK and Texas histories. I appreciate the elevated drone shots of these areas: a touch of panache.

[@NumunuBeats]

Great work. I am a great great grandson of Chevato who married one of Quanah Parker’s nieces. My uncle William Chebahtah authored a book called “Chevato” if you’re interested in more literature.

[@GoWildHistory]

Thank you, Dave! I am looking up that book right now. I am always looking for more literature!

[@rcfacey]

Every informative and well done Great job, thank you,

[@donnariffel4972]

This is so great…I loved the this book and caught myself trying to identify some of the key locations.

[@sisterdaughter908]

This is wonderful! Thank you 🌹

[@frankserra6709]

I found your research and the numerous stories so fascinating that I had to subcribe.

[@WarriorPoet01]

I just read the book a few weeks ago. My mom wanted to read it and enjoyed it as well. I’m emailing her the link to this video. Thanks for your work in making this. Regards, WP

[@johnr5926]

This is your finest work Steve!

[@GoWildHistory]

Thx John, I appreciate it man!

[@luketdrifter2100]

Excellent historical presentation and your research is evident.

[@GoWildHistory]

Ty!

[@thatbigguyyoyo8275]

Mate I love this video. I like the way you told the story in your own way 💯

[@melindaellzey1999]

Excellent-I was born in Dallas and amazed at your video- many thanks

[@shoalmidbar]

Sir, I wanna thank you for a very moving and educational tour . I'll buy this book and follow sites you've mentioned. Thanks again for your great work.

[@Pie-qs4yg]

Thank you for this education, I’ve heard of this book and will be ordering.

[@davidmcgowen5475]

Well done! Very interesting and some great drone footage.

[@whiskey_1_671]

I live in Comanche county Texas, I can show you two camps ( winter and summer) the honeyeater Comanche used after the railroad came thru. They traded for wealth and information from this spot until they were ostracized. One of the rental homestead places on the ranch I used to run was known as the Parker place. Contact me if you want to see what I'm talking about.

[@summervibes2147]

I live not far away in blanket from about 2008 to 2010 had a property there on blanket Creek I used to find arrowheads in my own backyard problems with the wife and mother-in-law I ended up selling it I used to hike the riverbank the Leon River and the Colorado identifying Indian camps most of these being prehistoric camps

[@voxromantic3340]

Great job!! From the Medicine Lodge area. Always love good exposé on this subjects!!! Watching this while working on a new oil well in Comanche County, Kansas at 8:30pm.

[@williamcramer7780]

Very informative; compliments information I received from my two grandmothers who were born and raised on the pairy in southwest Kansas in the 1870's. I also read the book. Thank you.

[@carolinewilloughby7952]

Really cool video! Thanks for sharing it.

[@lutherdean6922]

Incredible, I actually read Empire of the Summer Moon, and a fiction partially based on that book called the Son. I read the Son twice. Thanks so much for sharing this! I'm half Mexican and feel connected to the history of these people and places. I live in Texas.

[@chadmoss5900]

Great Video! I really appreciate you sharing this.

[@GoWildHistory]

Thx man, I appreciate the kind words!

[@frdpate1]

Great job of summarizing a great deal of information. I had always been fascinated by the story of Cynthia Ann Parker and was astonished to recently discover that she died and was first buried not 25 miles from my home in East Texas. I visited the cemetery just a few months ago.

[@scottbeaulieu8192]

Grew up near Boston, and live in Lawton FT Sill OK for 10 years. It's such an amazing place the whole area as a whole... Comanche territory

[@mikef2571]

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@mysocalledmidlifecrisisvlo7521]

Most good video. Thank you for sharing ❤😊

[@jbflores01]

Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Very informative! I also red “empire of the summer moon “ and Carter’s “on the border with Mackenzie. Great books! I’ve also traveled to the sites you visited. I love walking in the footsteps of history! Great work!

[@subhashnamey5562]

From India, Pune City. This line captured my attention, " I love walking.....". ( I'm an Indian)

[@subhashnamey5562]

From India, Pune City. This line captured my attention, " I love walking.....". ( I'm an Indian)

[@BackpackingwithBuckley]

Amazing!! Really great job on this.

[@GoWildHistory]

Ty!

[@preston1957]

Darn, now I have to read the book again, having seen the actual site. Great job!

[@vowelsounds6312]

“Nine Years Among the Indians” another excellent portrait of the people, times, and places. By Herman Lehmann. As well as “Indian depredations in Texas” by Willbarger

[@gregdavidson670]

I’m reading that book right now. I from the Houston area and attended Cynthia Ann Parker Elementary. Because of this and my love history I’ve been interested in the Comanches. Thank you, this was great and very interesting. I plan to see these sites after I do my third trip to Virginia and surrounding for Civil War and Revolutionary War sites. Again thank you.

[@shepdaggett7905]

Amazing book and amazing video. First time I have heard of your account, great job!

[@GoWildHistory]

Thanks so much!

[@therealkevan8158]

Thank you for making this, It's my favorite book and I've been trying to do the same. We went to the San Saba Presidio last spring.

[@juliebaker942]

Thankyou I’ve read the book but live in England, so was great to see these places 😊😊

[@dontknow3792]

No idea how your channel is so small. I've been watching every video lol wonderful job

[@GoWildHistory]

Thx man!

[@mattragan7048]

Marʉawe! This is an outstanding video. Great job.

[@12850dw]

Excellent!! Thank you.

[@GoWildHistory]

Ty!

[@alishatollison878]

Live close to this area the family and I go every summer! Also nice edits and over all whole video nice work!

[@GoWildHistory]

Ty, Alisha!

[@Rebelmediainc]

Great !!! I’m gonna go, thanks for the video!

[@lindseyshupee]

This is really good photography. I could almost feel the breeze through the camera! Nice!!!

[@pricepatrick644]

Great video and good historical location shots.

[@decem_sagittae]

Wow bro how I envy you. I wish I could go to all those locations in person. Thanks for this video. It's great. Especially the drone footage.

[@SugarBooger10]

I love this book 🤩

[@baileydannels831]

Great video reading the book now helps envision it thanks bro

[@towanaspivey6394]

Enjoyed the film and the narrative. A lot of history occurred in the southern plains that has been overlooked in the books and films in the past. Cut Throat Gap; Medicine Bluffs; the Adams Hill Tar Pit at Fort Sill (visited by Comanche and others) is the oldest tar pit in North America; and many other such sites all have unique histories.

[@GoWildHistory]

Thank you sir, I appreciate it. You set the bar very high for history knowledge here in Oklahoma!

[@fokkerd3red618]

I really like how you went to the original locations for so much of this history. I can understand why the Comanche chose this as there homeland. Really beautiful country.

[@needmoney666]

Excellent and informative video.

[@JOSECANUCCJ]

Excellent job!

[@davidnorth3411]

I found this to be a truly detailed reveal of the life and evolving time during the new world for settlers and a lost future for the Indian populations with their traditions .

[@PhilBeard1]

Thanks! Very impressive!

[@PatrickSmeaton]

Great job! If I recall correctly from the book, "Buffalo Hump" was the name the white's called him, but only because the actual translation of his name was too risqué for their sensibilities. I seem to recall that his name correctly translated was, "Man Who's Erection Won't Go Down."

[@TedH71]

I've also been told Buffalo Penis.

[@joeday397]

Sounds right,lots of Comanche names translate to things like Coyotes Vagina and Stinky Penis😄

[@josephdowling3745]

No, that was me they were talking about, they wondered had I been bit by a Brazilian wandering spider because that's one of the signs of that particular arachnid biting someone.