Cherokee National Capitol, Government building in Tahlequah, United States.
The Cherokee National Capitol is a two-story Italianate building with segmented-arch windows and neoclassical details, located at the corner of Muskogee Avenue in Tahlequah. The structure contains original chambers used by the Supreme Court and legislative body.
The building was constructed between 1867 and 1869 after the Civil War, when the Cherokee were establishing a new capital in their territory. It served as the seat of Cherokee government until Oklahoma became a state in 1907.
The building symbolizes the Cherokee Nation's ability to rebuild self-rule after forced relocation to Indian Territory. Visitors can see where the tribe actively governed itself and maintained its own legal traditions.
The building now functions as the Cherokee National History Museum with exhibits about tribal governance and heritage. Visitors should allow time to explore the historical rooms and displays at a comfortable pace.
The building preserves the original courtroom where the Cherokee Supreme Court met and issued rulings that shaped the nation's legal history. These intact chambers reveal how the tribe structured its own justice system.
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