Benedictine monks first arrived in Indian Territory in October
1875. The Sacred Heart Mission, now known as Sacred Heart Abbey,
was founded in 1876, by Father or Abbot Isidore Robot (1837-1887),
of the Order of St. Benedict. A site near present day Konawa,
Oklahoma was the chosen site. Father Robot was a native of France.
He is buried in the nearby cemetery. Father Robot came to the
Shawnee & Pottawatomie Indian Reservation in 1876. The Sacred
Heart Mission was given 640 acres from the reservation in which to
build a church and school. The structure was originally built of
local logs before building materials were brought in from 75 miles
away at Atoka, the nearest rail station.The mission established a
boarding school for Indians and Black Freedmen from the area. Some
white children attended the school as well, but were day students
only. This became one of the first integrated schools in the U.S.
The Abby became an important cornerstone for the Catholic
Church, leading to the establishment of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma
City and the Diocese of Tulsa and over 45 parishes and missions in
Oklahoma and Indian Territory.The Mission was destroyed by fire in
1901, it’s foundation is still visible near the present church and
cemetery. A second mission was built on the site. A few years later
a new school was built 30 miles north in Shawnee, known as St.
Gregory’s High School and College. The mission moved to Shawnee in
1929 and became known as St. Gregory’s Abbey. Today there are
approximately 35 members of St. Gregory’s Abbey and the school is
known as St. Gregory’s University.
Famous alums of Sacred Heart include: Patrick Hurley, diplomat
and former U.S. Secretary of War and Jim Thorpe, legendary Olympic
gold medalist. Thorpe’s mother, Charlotte Vieux Thorpe is buried in
the Sacred Heart Cemetery. Tony Hillerman, nationally acclaimed
writer, grew up near here and was baptized at Sacred Heart.
For more information on St. Gregory's Abbey, visit St. Gregory's University. Or, read
this
from The Chronicles of Oklahoma June, 1927 .The coordinates of the
cache take you near a historical marker near the church and
cemetery. The site of the first mission is down the road about ¼
mile. There are ruins of the three original structures and two
cemeteries nearby.
The cache contains a log and a pencil.