The community of Civit is a forgotten relic of days gone by on the Oklahoma prairie. Clayton Edwards’ 4E ranch trucks with their Civit, OK, address on the side are just about all that remain of the once thriving town located about halfway between Pauls Valley and Stratford.
According to Jim Etter’s article in the Sunday, May 24, 1987, edition of the Sunday Oklahoman, Civit was once a thriving trade center. He interviewed Frank Poindexter who had lived in the area since he was 10 years old. At the time of the interview, Mr. Poindexter was 92.
The story is that it was named ‘Civet’ due to Robert Parsons, an early settler who was a trapper, tacking pelts on the outside walls of his store. Civet is another name for the spotted skunk and Mr. Parsons trapped plenty of them in his day.
Today, it is a quiet rural area home to several large farm and ranch operations. The people here are great neighbors. In the early days, the town boasted a cotton gin, sawmill, train depot, school, doctor, barber, blacksmith shop, a few stores, and several houses.
Mr. Poindexter recalled once getting a $0.25 fine for running his horse up the street. He also talked of making many dollars playing his fiddle for local dances.
The Triangle M Ranch is located in Civit in my new book series. In the book, the town is again a small town with several houses, a store, and a police chief. I hope I can share my love for this area with my readers. Step back to a quiet, peaceful time through the pages of Treasure at Fort Arbuckle.
Tyler Mayhan 