Cherokee National Prison Museum

Learn about the Cherokee judicial system of the late 1800s at the Cherokee National Prison Museum in Tahlequah.  From 1875 to 1901, this sandstone building served as the only penitentiary in Indian Territory.  Tour ironclad cells to get an idea of what everyday life in the prison was like, and take a look inside the sheriff's office and the primitive prison kitchen. 

Visit an interactive kiosk that tells the stories of people who spent time in the prison, and spin the wheel of justice to find out which punishment fit each crime in the days when the prison was in operation.  ...

Learn about the Cherokee judicial system of the late 1800s at the Cherokee National Prison Museum in Tahlequah.  From 1875 to 1901, this sandstone building served as the only penitentiary in Indian Territory.  Tour ironclad cells to get an idea of what everyday life in the prison was like, and take a look inside the sheriff's office and the primitive prison kitchen. 

Visit an interactive kiosk that tells the stories of people who spent time in the prison, and spin the wheel of justice to find out which punishment fit each crime in the days when the prison was in operation.  On the Cherokee National Prison Museum grounds, a restored gallows area reminds visitors of a long-gone execution style, and a blacksmith station, once operated with prison labor, displays a trade from the past.