The Chickasaw National Recreation Area quarter is the fifth released in 2011 and the 10th overall in the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program. The park is unique in that it was founded through the support of an Indian tribe, the Chickasaw Nation. Chickasaw National Recreation Area exists as a part of the national park system to provide for the protection of the area's unique resources, springs, streams, lakes and other natural features; to protect and interpret its cultural history, historic landscapes and structures; to commemorate the Chickasaw Nation; and to provide for public education, appreciation and recreational use and enjoyment of those resources. It was originally established as a national site on July 1, 1902 (32 Stat. 641).
The reverse image depicts the Lincoln Bridge, built of limestone and dedicated in 1909 to celebrate the centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth. The bridge is the first constructed improvement in the national recreation area and a favorite scenic spot. Inscriptions are CHICKASAW, OKLAHOMA, 2011 and E PLURIBUS UNUM. Design candidates were developed in consultation with representatives of Chickasaw National Recreation Area.
