Home , is the John Ross Museum , with the cemetery close by . Similar to many of the historical centers , this museum delves into the history of the removal and the founding of the capital . The John Ross Museum focuses on the life of the principal chief for over 30 years and his leadership . Individuals can learn about the educational milestones of the Cherokee Nation , as they strived to overcome the burdens placed upon them by the U . S . government with the removal of children from their homes , disallowing the use of their native language , and requiring them to wear western clothing .
It is a small museum , but chock full of information on the fortitude of the indigenous peoples . Visitors can go by the free museum at 22366 S . 530 Road in Park Hill , or visit www . cherokeenation . com / attractions / john-ross-museum . Its hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a . m . -4 p . m .
Tahlequah History Trail
The 10-foot-wide trail is a fabulous way to exercise and take in historical locations along its path . The trail has lighting and emergency phone stations . As people bike or walk along history ’ s path , they can read plaques telling the stories of the Cherokee settlement , the Franklin Castle , and Seminary Hall . The trail winds along from Ketoowah Street to Smith Street . It runs behind the Capital Building , WPA American Legion , Cherokee National Supreme Court Museum , and the Cherokee National Prison Museum . For a map of the landmarks , go to www . cityoftahlequah . com / 483 / Tahlequah-History-Trail .
Seminary Hall and Northeastern State University
Established by Chief John Ross , it was created for secondary education for young women and men . Financial difficulties and the Civil War forced the closure of the seminaries , and during the divisions and armed conflict of the times , was sometimes used for military purposes , including a hospital for soldiers . Both seminaries were reopened by 1875 .
Destroyed by a fire in 1887 , it was rebuilt in its new location and reopened on May 7 , 1889 . The tribal council hired St . Louis Architect C . E . Illsley to design the building , and his son W . A . Illsley built the structure for $ 57,500 . Northeastern State
University ’ s historic Seminary Hall is on the NSU Tahlequah campus . It is reputed to have been the first major structure in the area to have indoor plumbing and steam heat . Historical events , such as the stock market crash and World War II , disrupted the school and put it into danger of being converted for other uses . It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 . It is still being utilized for classes and faculty offices . For more information about this historical educational building , call 918-456- 5511 .
Cherokee National Prison Museum
The Cherokee National Prison Museum has lots to offer about the outlaws in the Cherokee Nation and the lawmen who hunted them down . Belle Starr , Jesse James , and Tom Starr are just a few of the lawless men and women who lived or passed through the area . On a poster titled “ Timeline of Outlawry in the Cherokee Nation ,” read about open warfare by Tom Starr , the Goingsnake massacre , the killing of police chief and Cherokee citizen Capt . Samuel Sixkiller , and the accusation made against Cherokee Senator Ned Christie for his part in the killing of Deputy Daniel Maples .
Visitors can check out the jail cells , and hear the clang of the metal as the doors close . They can also see the kitchen where women worked to prepare food for the prisoners and staff and see the gallows , with its swinging door open , allowing the imagination to go wild with thoughts of how it would feel to hang by the neck until dead .
The museum is free of admission and
located at 124 E . Choctaw St . in Tahlequah . The hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a . m . -4 p . m . Call 877- 779-6977 for more information .
Cherokee National Supreme Court Museum
Just off of the entry into this fact filled museum , visitors can find the printing press of The Cherokee Advocate – the official publication of the Cherokee Nation , and the first newspaper in the Indian Territory . They can also learn about Sequoyah ’ s efforts in creating the Cherokee alphabet , and the evolution of Cherokee journalism .
Guests can read about the trial for the killing of Polly , the wife of the owner of Hildebrand-Beck Mill , in the northern section of Goingsnake District . Proctor , the killer , claimed it to be an accident , as she stepped in front of her husband when Proctor fired upon the man over a disagreement . A mob formed outside the jail and a gunfight broke out .
Visitors can visit the museum and see how the story ended by going to 122 E . Keetoowah St . The hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a . m . -4 p . m . Call 877-779-6977 for more information . Admission is free .
These are just a smattering of historical sites to learn about the history of this area . At each museum , a printout listing Cherokee National Landmarks is available . Visitors can take one and check off as many as possible during a stay in this history rich area . For more information on the history and future of the Cherokee Nation , go to www . cherokeenation . com .
COMPILED BY
LEE GUTHRIE
Tahlequah Daily Press | Newcomers Guide 2023 77