"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - CN And Its Historical Sites Highlighted

The Cherokee Nation Capitol building, built in 1869 and refurbished in 1928 after a fire, is one of several Cherokee Nation historical landmarks to be featured during the 62nd annual National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference Oct. 21-25 in Tulsa.

TULSA, Oklahoma – Due to the historic preservation of its many cultural landmarks and the dramatic rise of cultural heritage tourism across the country, the Cherokee Nation and its history will be highlighted during the 62nd annual National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference in Tulsa, Oct. 21-25. The conference is expected to attract more than 2,000 national preservationists, who will be visiting area historical and architectural markers throughout Oklahoma.

“We are making many efforts to increase awareness of our rich cultural past and historical sites that are still standing today. Where we live today is the final destination of the Trail of Tears, and our history here shows how we as a tribe have persevered in adversity and excelled,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “Our cultural tourism department recently implemented restoration and preservation projects to restore iconic and historical buildings across the Cherokee Nation. These important efforts are partnered with site tours to create an authentic and historical destination for a national and international market.”

Attendees of the conference will tour the Cherokee Nation on Oct. 22. Site destinations include a variety of important landmarks, such as three 19th century buildings, including Oklahoma’s oldest municipal building – the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court building located on Cherokee Capitol Square in downtown Tahlequah; Oklahoma’s only standing antebellum plantation home, the Murrell Home, located in Park Hill; and the Cherokee Nation’s only remaining district courthouse, the Saline Courthouse, located in Rose.

Representatives from the Cherokee Nation, City of Tahlequah, Tahlequah Main Street Association, Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce and Marble City will assist the group and provide information on the history of the tribe, prosperity of tribal members, site restorations and preservation issues.

In addition to area tours and field sessions, the Cherokee Nation is a sponsor of the conference and will offer participants educational sessions for other preservation efforts. Furthermore, conference attendees can take part in networking opportunities and special lectures featuring many notable speakers, including Wilma Mankiller, former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Ms. Mankiller will discuss community revitalization, the Native American experience in Oklahoma and the United States, and how she, the first female chief in modern history of a major Native American tribe, helped to rebuild a nation.

The Cherokee Nation’s cultural tourism department has only been in operation for 18 months, but it has already been recognized for its cultural tourism plan, which was presented at the 2008 International Council on Monuments and Sites conference on September 29, in Quebec, Canada.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to saving historic places and revitalizing America's communities. Recipient of the National Humanities Medal, the Trust was founded in 1949 and provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to protect the irreplaceable places that tell America’s story. Staff at the Washington, D.C., headquarters, six regional offices and 29 historic sites work with the Trust’s 270,000 members and thousands of preservation groups in all 50 states.

For more information about Cherokee Nation tourism, visit Cherokee Tourism OK.

For more information about the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the 2008 conference, visit Preservation Nation.