Chief Hoskin, Deputy Chief Warner propose Historical Society-endorsed new Cherokee Heritage Center

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner proposed Monday that the tribe will construct a $50 million Cherokee Heritage Center, replacing the current shuttered facility as recommended by the tribe's historical society.

"In 1963 a group of true Cherokee patriots formed the Cherokee National Historical Society and four years later built the Cherokee Heritage Center," said Chief Hoskin. "Our mission since 2020 has been to honor that work, bring it into the 21st Century and put the Cherokee people in control of a new state-of-the-art center for history, culture and research."

Chief Hoskin, Deputy Chief Warner and the Council enacted the Cherokee Heritage Center Act in 2020, laying the groundwork for the tribe to take ownership of the 58-acre campus of museum, exterior exhibits and the tribe's historic records and artifacts to design a new facility.

Founded as an independent non-profit organization in 1963, the Cherokee National Historical Society built the Cherokee Heritage Center in 1967 on the grounds of the former Cherokee Nation Female Seminary in the Park Hill community near the tribe's capital of Tahlequah.

Hoskin and Warner's 2020 legislation authorized a new Cherokee Nation Historical Society as a successor entity to the original entity founded in 1963, facilitating the transfer of assets to Cherokee Nation for the first time in the Heritage Center's history.

The current Cherokee National Historical Society consists of members appointed by the three branches of the tribe's government, with those three members selecting four other members. The organization's structure allows it to serve as an advisory board with specific legal authority and a measure of independence from tribal officials.

"The Cherokee Heritage Center Act, and the new Cherokee National Historical Society, have delivered as promised," said Deputy Chief Warner. "It is now up to tribal leaders to commit the resources to implement the $50 million plan for a new Heritage Center that will serve Cherokees for generations to come."

The current Heritage Center closed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and has remained closed. In 2021 the tribe's archives were transferred to a new state-of-the-art Cherokee National Research Center at Cherokee Springs Plaza in Tahlequah.

Over the course of five years, historical society board members poured over the history of the Cherokee Heritage Center, the condition of the site's buildings and other infrastructure, worked with design experts and toured other museums to better understand modern museum design and construction.

Anishinabe Design led by Safdie Architects is designing the new Cherokee Heritage Center. Safdie Architects also designed the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark.

Chief Hoskin awarded members of the Cherokee National Historical Society a Leadership Award at the recent Cherokee National Holiday for their work developing a design for the new Heritage Center.

"We have a strong team whose members include those with deep institutional knowledge and who brought additional perspectives from their professional and community experiences," said Cherokee National Historical Society chairperson Christy Neuhoff. "I'm proud of the work we have done to present a recommendation to Chief Hoskin, Deputy Chief Warner and the Council for a $50 million new Heritage Center that will be the flagship campus to celebrate Cherokee resilience and experience Cherokee culture."

Chief Hoskin and Deputy Chief Warner's legislation amends the 2020 law to authorize the $50 million Cherokee Heritage Center plan endorsed by the Cherokee National Historical Society. The proposal keeps the historical society in place to continue advising tribal leaders as to the construction and operation of the new facility.

The proposal provides a comment and review period for the Council which concludes October 30. Following that period, Chief Hoskin will negotiate an agreement with Cherokee Nation Businesses and its Cultural and Economic Development arm to fund and construct the facility, as provided for in the proposed act.

"I think the Cherokee people will love the design because it is beautiful, from the main facility to the grounds, to an amphitheater which will be preserved, improved and made safe," said CNHS board member Bill Davis. "It will also be designed in a way that can be expanded and improved by future tribal leaders."

"Like all Cherokees, the Council has been patiently waiting for the historical society to put us in a position to move forward with a new state of the art Cherokee Heritage Center," said Speaker of the Council Johnny Jack Kidwell. "I applaud the historical society for reaching this milestone and I look forward to reviewing the proposed legislation so that we can start working towards the next milestone of a new facility."

The Council will consider Chief Hoskin and Deputy Chief Warner's proposal at the committee level on September 25 with a special Council meeting called by Chief Hoskin later that same day for possible final approval.

If approved, Chief Hoskin intends to sign the legislation at the site of the current Heritage Center on the evening of September 25, one day short of the five-year anniversary of the 2020 act.

Construction of the new Heritage Center is expected to be completed by 2028. Once completed, the facility will be operated by Cherokee Nation Businesses Culture and Economic Development team, which manages and operates all of the tribes historic and cultural sites.

The public can review plans for the new $50 million Cherokee Heritage Center and the proposed legislation on the tribe's website at this link.