aug 1, 1719 - Bernard LeHarpe

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Bernard LeHarpe was ordered by French officials to explore Louisiana, trade with the Natives and establish a commercial link with distant settlements. In 1719, LeHarpe journeyed northward through the heart of eastern Oklahoma where he and his men came across Wichita villages. The Wichitas in those villages welcomed the Frenchmen with open arms and agreed to a trading partnership with them.

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