Tahlequah, Oklahoma

The First Telephone

Here in September, 1885, the first telephone in Oklahoma was connected for service. It was the first telephone in the Mississippi Valley west of St. Louis. The company was organized by a group of Cherokees, namely, D.W. Lipe, L.B. Bell, R.M. Wolfe, J.S. Stapler, J.B. Stapler, and E.D. Hicks.

The Cherokee Advocate

The Cherokee Advocate
Vol 1, Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation, Thursday, September 9, 1844

As a tribute to Oklahoma's first legal newspaper, The Cherokee Advocate, was established in 1844 in a building approximately 100' from the location (of this maker.)

Monument to John Ross

John Ross 1790-1866

Principal Chief of the Cherokee, 1828 - 1866

Born October 3, 1790 in Turkeytown, Alabama, the son of a one-quarter Cherokee maiden and a Scotsman, John Ross was elected as the first Principal Chief of the Cherokee Indians in 1828

Seminary Hall at Northeastern State University

This four-year regional university has a long and colorful heritage which began in 1846 when the Cherokee National Council authorized establishment of the National Male Seminary and National Female Seminary.

Cherokee Supreme Court Building

This structure was built in 1845 by James S. Pierce to house the Cherokee National Supreme Court. The supreme and district court both held sessions here for some time. The "Cherokee Advocate" was also printed in this building for several years after the original Advocate building burned. About 1875