Cherokee National Capitol

Cherokee National Capitol
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Cherokee National Capitol
Location	100 South Muskogee Avenue, Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Coordinates	35°54′45.38″N 94°58′13.95″W / 35.9126056°N 94.9705417°WCoordinates: 35°54′45.38″N 94°58′13.95″W / 35.9126056°N 94.9705417°W
Built	1867
Architect	C.W. Goodlander
Architectural style	Italianate
NRHP Reference #	66000627[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966[2]
Designated NHL	July 4, 1961[3]

The Cherokee National Capitol, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was the capitol building of the Cherokee Nation from 1869 to 1907, when Oklahoma became a state.^[4]

The Cherokee Nation had set up its government quickly after removal to Indian Territory in 1838. In addition to establishing its courts and council, the Nation built seminaries for both male and female students, as education was highly valued.

The capitol was constructed from 1867-1869 following the American Civil War. The brick building was designed in the late Italianate style, a style unusual for Oklahoma by C. W. Goodlander. Originally it housed the nation's court as well as other offices. The capitol was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961.^[3][4]

The building currently houses the Judicial Branch of the Cherokee Nation government. In 2013, the nation began a restoration project to preserve the building's original appearance, including roof repairs with historical-era shingles, new decking, new doors and windows, and adding a cupola to the roof. The project also includes adding a new back porch.^[5]

References

1. "Oklahoma Historical Society State Historic Preservation Office".
2. National Park Service (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
3. "Cherokee National Capitol". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
4. Francine Weiss (1980). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Cherokee National Capitol" (pdf). National Park Service.
5. PRWeb. "Cherokee Nation Launches Restoration of Historic Capitol Building." January 7, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2013.

External links

• Cherokee National Capitol Building, 101-29 South Muskogee Avenue, Tahlequah, Cherokee, OK at the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)