Will Rogers Memorial and Museum

Will Rogers is well known for his statement, "I never met a man I didn't like." And I doubt that there is a person anywhere who knows much about Will Rogers and doesn't like him - or at least his memory.Will Rogers just may be Oklahoma's all-time favorite son.

He was born in a log cabin in Oologah, and buried in the family tomb, in a regal sunken garden at this memorial, in nearby Claremore, OK. During his remarkable life, 1879-1935, Will Rogers was a trick roper, pundit, world traveler, star of Braodway and 71 movies, radio commentator, newspaper columnist and author. He is best remembered as a humorit-philosopher and an inspiring, kindly role model.I was personally very inspired by my visiit to the Will Rogers Memorial Museum. It is on the campus of Rogers State University in Claremore, OK.

There are eight very well presented galleries with theaters, interavctive TV, art and artifacts depicting Rogers' amazing and wholesome life.The museum and memorial is open 365 Days a Year: 8:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. Admission is by voluntary contributions.

Fort Gibson Historic Site, Oklahoma

Fort Gibson Historic Site is a National Historic Landmark operated by the Oklahoma Historical Society. It consists of a reconstructed frontier era fort which served from 1824 through 1890, both during the Indian wars and the War Between the States.During the time that Fort Gibson was an operating fort, Oklahoma was not a state but Indian Territory. It is in Muskogee County, about 21 miles southwest of Tahlequah, western capital of the Cherokee Nation, and 10 miles northeast of Muskogee, capital of the Creek Nation. For many, Fort Gibson was the last stop on the infamous "Trail of Tears."

Twin Bridges State Park, Oklahoma

While on a cross-country road trip in August, 2005, I stopped and camped at this beautiful state park in the northeastern corner of Oklahoma. The park sits at the confluence of the Neosho and Spring Rivers and is especially popular with fishermen and boaters. The 63-acre park has 160 campsites, from modern to rustic. Other recreational ammenities include volleyball, horseshoes and playgrounds. This is a peaceful and serene area, and a great place for a quiet getaway or a family vacation.

The area around Twin Bridges consists of the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma. There is a casino nearby, and much of native American historical and cultural interest to explore.

Cherokee Square, Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Many people, even in America, have never heard of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, yet it is one of the most historically significant cities west of the Mississippi River. Since the early 1800s, Tahlequah has been the Capital of the Cherokee Nation and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokees. The town was built at the end of the infamous Trail of Tears, after the Cherokee people were driven from their ancestral homelands in the southeastern United States. About 16,000 Cherokees traveled the route on several paths and as many as a quarter of them died along the way.

Tahlequah is located in a beautiful area called the Cookson Hills, between the Illinois River and Lake Tenkiller. The area is noted for its friendly people and it's broad range of educational, cultural and recreational opportunities. Some people are surprised to learn that when the Cherokees - along with several other Native American tribes - were forcefully removed from their homelands and driven to "Indian Territory" in Oklahoma, they were as civilized as the European settlers who coveted their lands. The Cherokees had already adapted to most the white man's ways, had a very similar form of government, Christian churches and educational institutions. They even pubished their own newspaper, in both Cherokee and English.

After the Cherokees arrived and settled in this area the Cherokee Council first met under a large shed in 1839, then later in log buildings. The Capitol building (pictured) was constructed shortly after the American Civil War, in which the Cherokee Nation had been a strong ally to the Confederate States of America. The Building was finished between 1867 and 1869.

When Oklahoma became the 47th state, in 1907, the building served as the Cherokee County Courthouse. A newer courthouse was built in the late 1970s, and the Old Capitol was returned to the Cherokee Tribal Council. Although the Old Cherokee Capitol building is very historic, it is not a museum, but is still a very active, functioning facility, housing judicial offices and courts, and the election board.