city, seat (1907) of Osage county, northeastern Oklahoma, U.S. It was settled in 1872 and named for an Osage chief, Paw-Hiu-Skah (“White Hair”), and the first buildings were those of the Indian Agency (established 1873). Cattle and oil (discovered in 1897) provide the basis of the economy, which is augmented by cotton ginning and light manufacturing, including oil-field equipment and clothing. Pawhuska is the tribal capital of the Osage Nation (Osage) and the site of the Osage Tribal Museum. In 1909 the Reverend John Mitchell organized in the city what is claimed to be the first Boy Scout troop in the United States. The 37,000-acre (14,973-hectare) Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, a restored habitat for many indigenous plant and animal species, lies just outside the city. Inc. 1906. Pop. (1990) 3,825; (2000) 3,629.