▁Ark ansas ▁Territ ory ▁( e astern ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁county ) ▁▁ 1 8 2 5 - 1 9 0 7 : ▁ ▁Cho ct aw ▁Nation ▁of ▁Indian ▁Territ ory ▁▁ 1 9 0 7 - present : ▁ ▁State ▁of ▁Oklahoma ▁ ▁Pre history ▁and ▁expl oration ▁During ▁pre histor ic ▁times , ▁P ush m ata ha ▁County ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁territory ▁during ▁the ▁Middle ▁Wood land ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁Four che ▁Mal ine ▁culture . ▁Over ▁time , ▁and ▁possibly ▁through ▁contact ▁with ▁the ▁Middle ▁Mississ ipp ian ▁culture ▁to ▁their ▁n ortheast , ▁the ▁Four che ▁Mal ine ▁became ▁the ▁C add o an ▁Mississ ipp ian ▁culture . ▁Their ▁center ▁was ▁at ▁S pi ro ▁M ounds , ▁near ▁S pi ro , ▁Oklahoma . ▁The ▁el ite ▁organized ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁complex ▁earth work ▁m ounds ▁for ▁bur ial ▁and ▁rit ual ▁cer emon ial ▁purposes , ▁arranged ▁around ▁a ▁large ▁pla za ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁carefully ▁grad ed . ▁This ▁center ▁of ▁political ▁and ▁religious ▁leadership ▁had ▁a ▁trade ▁territory ▁en comp ass ing ▁the ▁full ▁extent ▁of ▁the ▁K iam ichi ▁River ▁and ▁Little ▁River ▁valle ys . ▁This ▁ 8 0 - acre ▁site ▁is ▁preserved ▁as ▁Oklahoma ' s ▁only ▁Ar che ological ▁State ▁Park . ▁The ▁larger ▁Mississ ipp ian ▁culture ▁trad ed ▁from ▁the ▁Great ▁L akes ▁to ▁the ▁G ulf ▁Coast . ▁ ▁North ▁America ’ s ▁history ▁changed ▁after ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁Europe ans ▁in ▁