Belle Starr's Grave

A lot of stories have been told about Belle Starr, so I thought it was, time to do my research.

1. First off where is Belle buried?

2. Who shot and killed Belle?

3. Was Belle really a Bandit Queen?

I started out one sunny spring morning to locate the burial site of the famous so called "Bandit Queen,"Belle Starr . Heading to the general area of Porum, Oklahoma and Younger Bend on the Canadian River. After stopping, and asking several people "Where is the grave?" A gentleman finally gave me some directions to an area where I could maybe get exact directions to the burial site.

Lucky me, I drove up to this house on a dead-end road.
After knocking on the door several times, a young man came to the door. "Sure,"he said, "She is buried about 1/4 mile up a trail on my property,but the ticks are bad this year."
"No problem," I said and started up the dense overgrown path.
After about 100 ticks (big and small variety) later, nearing the top of the hill, and looking ahead thru the overgrown path the grave of Belle Starr finally came into view.
As I approached the grave, something brushed my legs nearly knocking me off my feet. Was this the ghost of Belle Starr? No, of course not, it was just Rufus in a hurry to get past me on the narrow path.

NOTE; Here is a picture of Rufus , he is the property owners dog and the official guide to Belle's grave site!

Well, there she was in this remote densely overgrown area with only a small path leading to the grave. Trying to visualize how it must have looked over 100 years ago, did take some imagination, to say the least.
This is an old picture showing the grave with corner of house being only a few yards away but I see no evidence of it now. Pearl had stone masons build a stone fortress over the grave to protect it from grave robbers. And you can see in the recent photos that over the years there have been some damage to this stone work.
After taking several photos, I made a vow to return in the winter months to further explore the old home place. After shedding more ticks, I headed back down the path with Rufus leading the way. I love that dog.

Who Killed Belle Starr

Belle was shot and killed as she was returning to her home at Younger Bend on the Canadian river. It was a Sunday afternoon, February, 3rd, 1889. Belle had been visiting the Rowes home a popular Sunday gathering place.
As she turned onto the river road, after leaving the Rowes, a shotgun blast blew her from the saddle. When she tried to raise herself from the roadway another shot rang out hitting her in the face and shoulder. Her horse then galloped off toward home. Pearl was at home, and when Belle's horse showed up riderless, Pearl started looking for her mother. Belle was found by a young man and she was loaded into a wagon and taken to her home at Younger's Bend. Where, she died a short time later with Pearl by her side.
The coffin was made of pine, and at the burial six Cherokee Indians carried the coffin to the grave site. She was buried with her favorite pearl handled Colt 45. There are several stories on who killed Belle Starr, and here is the one story that makes, sense to me. As Belle lay dying she told Pearl in these words " baby... Your brother Eddie shot me... I turned and seen him before he cracked down the second time". Pearl said that was the last words her mother spoke
It was reported that Belle had beat Eddie with a riding quirt pretty bad and he stated he would get even with his mother. It was common knowledge that they had heated arguments quite often. Eddie was later killed in Claremore, Oklahoma Territory November1896, he was drunk and shooting up a saloon

 Was Belle Really a Bandit Queen?

Belle Starr was a Bandit Queen, but not as some writers of history have portrayed her. Belle's life was one with little glamour. She was a woman that was hardened by the times and her associates. Her husbands all had trouble with the law, and she of course got caught up in the circumstances of being married to outlaw.So she had little choice than to join with them, or at least try to protect her men from the law, or just get up and leave. At that time in history living in Indian Territory it was a rough go for a family, much less a woman on her own to survive.At one time Belle was brought up on charges for horse stealing and appeared before Judge Issac C. Parker at Fort Smith. She was convicted and spent 9 months at a House of Corrections in Detroit MI

On February 1886 several farms settlements were robbed and reported that one of the robbers was a woman dressed as a man. An eyewitness thought the person to be Belle Starr. A few months later a warrant was issued for her arrest. The trial was held June 1886 but none of the witnesses could make a positive identification, and the charges was dismissed.

So yes, I think Belle Starr was a "Bandit Queen" she was an intelligent person that made some bad choices of the men in her life. Could it be in the most lawless part of our country that her choices were slim to none, and slim had already left Oklahoma Territory!
There will be a follow up with many more photos this winter when I return to Belle's grave site. I also intend to find the exact place where she was shot. There will be an update notice listed on this website when it is posted. RV Adventures loves to find the historical events that helped shape the America we live in today. I think by seeing the places where historical events actually happened is one of the greatest adventures that awaits us while traveling the roads of America. I want to thank you for visiting my site, Belle Starr, come back again.

 Parking and Directions to Grave:

There is good parking as well as camping at the Eufuala Dam site. We usually come up hwy 2 from Whitefield to hwy 71 then onto Eufuala Dam. You will past the gravel road to grave site about 1-mile before getting to Dam.
 

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