Cherokee National Jail
National Register of Historic Places

Cherokee National Jail

Tahlequah, Cherokee County, Oklahoma
Listed
June 27, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
74001656

About this property

The Cherokee National Prison Museum, formerly the Cherokee National Jail or Cherokee National Penitentiary (Cherokee: Ꮳꮃꭹ Ꭼꮎꮥꮎ Ꮧꮣꮝꮪꭹ), was built in 1874 as part of a governmental complex for the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. It served the Cherokee Nation until it was sold to Cherokee County, Oklahoma, which used it as a jail into the 1970s. The prison, as built in 1874 for $6000, was a two-story building with a basement.

Location

Tahlequah, Cherokee County, Oklahoma
35.91203, -94.96747

Federal Designation

The National Register of Historic Places, administered by the National Park Service, is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical, architectural, archaeological, engineering, or cultural significance. Listing on the National Register recognizes a property's importance to American history but does not place restrictions on private owners; it does, however, make properties eligible for federal historic preservation tax incentives and enables consideration in federal planning decisions. This property is recorded in the National Register under reference number 74001656. It was listed on June 27, 1974.

Categories

NATIVE AMERICANPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTSOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Nearby Historic Sites

American Legion Hut
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Tahlequah / Park Hill
1862Civil War
0.2 mi
Skirmish at Tahlequah (Cherokee Nation — 1862 Union occupation)
1862Civil War
0.3 mi
Stand Watie's Raid on Tahlequah (1863)
1863Civil War
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Cherokee National Jail listed on the National Register?

Cherokee National Jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 27, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Cherokee National Jail?

Cherokee National Jail is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cherokee National Jail?

The period of significance for Cherokee National Jail is recorded as the civil_war era, specifically around 1874.

Can I research the history near Cherokee National Jail?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Cherokee National Jail will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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