Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center

Voted an Outstanding New Attraction in Oklahoma, the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid stands on one of the most famed spots in the American West on the Chisholm Trail. The Heritage Center celebrates the spirit of the Cherokee Strip pioneers through engaging exhibits and living history events. Come experience one of the most significant heritage visitor destinations and educational resources in northwest Oklahoma.

The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, a property of the Oklahoma Historical Society, tells the story of the largest land run in American history. The 1893 Land Run, settlement and the development of northwest Oklahoma is explored through the Heritage Center’s five permanent exhibit galleries.A walk through the chronological development of northwest Oklahoma introduces guests to exhibits containing household objects and agricultural implements that were necessary for homesteading in the Outlet and creating its agricultural base. There is also a gallery dedicated to the discovery and development of the region's successful oil and gas industry and items documenting the nation's first fully-integrated petroleum company.The Heritage Center also documents the beginnings of the United States Air Force and the creation of Vance AFB that has a significant impact in northwest Oklahoma and trains 1/3 of the United States military pilots. On the grounds of the Heritage Center complex is Humphrey Heritage Village, a living history village featuring four historically significant buildings including the only remaining 1893 U.S. Land Office.

Connect to the excitement, hardships and determination of the people who made the land run in the museum's Land Run Theater, or visit the "End of the Day" exhibit to witness a three-dimensional, authentically reproduced camp scene complete with a covered wagon and other items settlers brought with them. The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center also features beautifully landscaped grounds including replicas of the Phillips University columns and bronze works of art by renowned Western artists, Harold Holden and Deborah Copenhaver Fellows.

The Heritage Center houses a varied collection of over 10,000 artifacts including the first portable drilling rig invented by George E. Failing in 1930.The archives and research center house numerous eyewitness pioneer accounts, oral and video histories and more than 9,000 original and reproduced photographs. Other resources include genealogical research through Ancestory.com or historical research related to the region and the 1893 Land Run. These resources include area newspapers, maps, city directories, books and land records.

Using its rich collection of artifacts, photographs and documents, the museum expertly traces the history of the Cherokee Outlet and the people who settled there, making the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center a must-see.

Contacts

Directions

From I-35: Enid exit, Hwy 412. W. on Hwy 412 to Enid. The Heritage Center is on the corner of Hwy 412 (Owen Garriott) & 4th St. just E. of downtown. From Hwy 81: Hwy 81 to Enid. Turn E. on Hwy 412 (Owen Garriott) to 4th St. The Heritage Center sits on the NE corner of E. Garriott & Leona Mitchell intersection.

Location

Enid Northwest
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