OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Stitt on Tuesday held a ceremonial bill signing for legislation that creates the True Grit Trail in eastern Oklahoma.

House Bill 1411 was authored by Rep. Jim Grego, R-Wilburton and Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain.

"'True Grit' is a classic story," Grego said. "And much of it was set right here in Oklahoma. This new trail will give us a way to show off the places made popular in the story. Hopefully, it also will draw new visitors to the state, positively impacting our local hotels, restaurants and other businesses."

Hamilton added, “The True Grit Trail will be a uniquely Oklahoma experience that celebrates our rich western heritage and highlights a story that captured our nation’s attention with an iconic novel and film,” Hamilton said. "Showcasing the historic sites in True Grit will encourage visitors from across the nation to explore Southeastern Oklahoma, which will greatly contribute to the region’s economy.”

"True Grit," a novel written by Charles Portis, has since been turned into several movie adaptations. It follows the story of 14-year-old Mattie Ross who hires U.S. Marshall Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn and a Texas Ranger to avenge the murder of her father. The trio trace the murderous gang into what was known as "Indian Territory" in 1878. The movie role of Rooster Cogburn was first played by John Wayne in 1969 and in a 2010 remake by Jeff Bridges. Kim Darby played the original Mattie Ross. Hailee Steinfeld played the character in the 2010 film.

Towns and places of interest along the trail include: Sallisaw, Spiro, Bokoshe, McCurtain, Kinta, Quinton, Krebs, McAlester, Hartshorne, Wilburton, Red Oak, Bengal, Talihina, Robbers Cave State Park, and the Talimena National Scenic Byway.

HB 1411 was signed into law in April and takes effect Nov. 1. Ceremonial bill signings give legislators the opportunity to invite others who were instrumental in the legislation.

Tuesday's ceremonial signing featured several southeast Oklahomans dressed up as characters from the novel and the movies, including Zoe Reyes, who appeared as Mattie Ross, and Dr. Clarance Benes representing Rooster Cogburn. Also in attendance was Mike Cathey, a constituent of Grego who provided much of the inspiration for the bill.

Cathey writes a weekly newspaper column and an annual tourism column. This year, with the passage of the True Grit Trail bill, he encouraged readers to find their way to Dardanelle, AR, the fictional home of Mattie Ross, and then traverse the near 260 miles along Arkansas State Highway 22 to Fort Smith, were Mattie travels to engage Deputy Cogburn to help find the man who killed her father.

"Then travel with Mattie, Rooster and Texas Ranger LeBouef across the Arkansas river into Indian Territory (Sallisaw, Oklahoma to Spiro and then Oklahoma State Highway 31) as they head toward McAlester, (now Oklahoma), in search of the murderer Tom Chaney as he has been recently seen at J.J. McAlester’s Store.

"This journey finds the traveler in the beautiful San Bois Mountains valley, in the now Lake Eufaula (Oklahoma’s largest lake) region, and following a visit to J.J. McAlester’s Olde Town stomping grounds, into the outlaws’ Robbers Cave and finally in the Winding Stair Mountains of the Ouachita National Forest of southeastern Oklahoma. And there is so much more as Charles Portis, I believe, purposely set his novel to parallel the Trail of Tears and the Butterfield Trail."

Cathey said Arkansas launched and designated the True Grit Trail in Arkansas in 2019.

In the fall of 2023 following the Charles Portis Symposium at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith, on the grounds of the U.S. Marshal’s Museum in Fort Smith, Cathey and others launched the True Grit Trail in Oklahoma. He then worked with the Oklahoma authors of HB 1411 to establish the trail in Oklahoma statute.

HB 1411 requires the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) to post signs along Oklahoma state highways directing visitors to sites along the new trail. ODOT and the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department will be required to collaborate to maintain information regarding the True Grit Trail on an online platform.