OKLAHOMA CITY – A law establishing the True Grit Trail in Southeast Oklahoma takes effect Nov. 1.

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

"'True Grit' is such a classic American story," Grego said. "It's a tale of determination, a fight for justice and to see wrong's righted, and it contains a fascinating cast of characters from the young and fiery Mattie Ross to the onery and cantankerous but effective Marshall Rooster Cogburn. And much of the story was set right here in Oklahoma. This new trail will give us a way to show off the places made popular in the story and hopefully will draw new visitors to this area of the state. This could positively impact our local hotels, restaurants and other businesses."

"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.

"I'm thankful to all those behind the scenes who have worked on establishing the trail so that when the law takes effect, we can get on our way to welcoming visitors" Grego said.

Mike Cathey is one of those who has aggressively worked on the trail for the past three years, as the state designation was finding its way through the legislative process.

Cathey, a constituent of Grego, provided much of the inspiration for HB1411. He 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.

Rooster and Texas Ranger LeBoeuf cross the Arkansas river into Indian Territory (now Oklahoma, traveling through what is now Sallisaw to Spiro and then Oklahoma State Highway 31 as they head toward McAlester, 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 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," Cathey writes. "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."

HB1411 was ceremonially signed into law by the governor in August. Cathey and others from Southeast Oklahoma came in costume to the bill signing at the Capitol, each person representing a different character in the story of "True Grit."

Cathey said since that time, some dialogue has occurred between the True Grit Trail in Oklahoma group, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department related to signage. 

HB1411 requires ODOT to post signs along Oklahoma state highways directing visitors to sites along the new trail. ODOT and the Tourism Department are then required to collaborate to maintain information regarding the True Grit Trail on an online platform.

"This is a work in progress," Cathey said. 

Cathey and others also have been working on some local events highlighting the trail, such as taking part in the Haunted Homestead Treasure Hunt, which runs again from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, At the Edwards Store and Edwards-Hardaway Homestead, eight miles northeast of Red Oak, along the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail.

The group also has worked with the Latimer County Tourism Authority to promote the trail both in Arkansas and Oklahoma. The group also hosts a monthly podcast: "Tales of the True Grit Trail."

An additional exciting accomplishment for the group is the integration into the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Library System's Big Read program, which this year is honoring 250 years of the American story by coming together to read the novel "True Grit" by Charles Portis. The program kicked off Sept. 26 but features many events through the remainder of this year and into 2027.

A current primary focus of the True Grit Trail is the population of data and information along the trail from all of the local communities, towns, and cities across Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma, Cathey said.

More information about the trail can be found on the website, truegrittrail.com.