56-642: Creek National Capitol , also known as Creek Council House , is a building in downtown Okmulgee, Oklahoma , in the United States. It was capitol of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation from 1878 until 1907. They had established their capital at Okmulgee in 1867, after the American Civil War. After Oklahoma was admitted as a state in 1907, the Creek lost control of this building and communal territory to
112-652: A Boy Scout meeting room, and a YMCA . In 1961 the Council House and the grounds around it were listed on the National Register of Historic Places; it was designated as a National Historic Landmark , of great significance. In 1970 Congress passed legislation authorizing the Five Tribes to democratically elect their chiefs. In 1971 the Muscogee (Creek) Nation elected Claude Cox as chief. In 1979
168-693: A Spanish Colonial Revival -style Catholic church built in 1927 and NRHP listed. Historic mansions remaining from the boom days include the Okmulgee Elks Lodge at 701 S. Mission, being a 7-acre site that was originally the Wilson Mansion from 1922; the Southern Mansion just off US-75 on Banyan Road, being the 1928 home for Creek orphan Katie Fixico; the Kennedy Mansion from 1904 at 502 S. Okmulgee Avenue, which
224-579: A City Council composed of five members: a council member "at-large" who serves as the Mayor, and one council member from each of the City's four wards. A City Manager is in charge of directing the day-to-day operations of the City in order to carry out the policies established by the City Council. City Hall is at 111 E 4th Street downtown. Okmulgee County government has three commissioners, one for each of
280-490: A catalyst for growth: The population was 4,176 in the 1910 census, but the city boomed to approximately 35,000 people during the 1920s. A newspaper article from this era claimed Okmulgee had more millionaires per capita than anyplace else in Oklahoma. The Okmulgee Chamber of Commerce has said the town had more millionaires per capita than any other place in the entire country. But decreasing oil production and lower prices,
336-644: A monthly schedule throughout the year, including the OrangeFest, Harvest Spoon Chili Fest, Muscogee Creek Nation Festival, Eats and Beats, and the bi-annual Airfest. Okmulgee is served by U.S. Route 75 , a major national north/south artery for much of its length, currently running from the Canada-US border at Noyes, Minn. to Dallas, Texas, as well as by U.S. Route 62 , which runs from the Mexico-US border at El Paso, Texas to Niagara Falls, New York near
392-608: A record was set for what was then the largest pecan pie in the world, being 40’ in diameter and using over sixteen-and-a-half tons of ingredients. A mural in town commemorates the event. The Okmulgee County Fair is held annually (typically in September) at the Okmulgee County Fairgrounds, and includes commercial booths, exhibits, livestock shows, livestock judging, a horse show and cattle displays. Other family-oriented festivals and special events occur on
448-405: Is NRHP listed. Okmulgee is known for its annual Okmulgee Invitational Rodeo and Festival, which is the nation's oldest African-American rodeo and one of the state's longest running rodeos. The Okmulgee Farmer's Market has been running every year since 2013, and is open once a week (sometimes twice weekly) from May to October. Okmulgee has an annual Pecan Festival. At the festival in 1989,
504-478: Is NRHP listed; and, the "Historic Okmulgee Mansion" at 1700 E. 6th Street, originally the stately 1921 Italian Renaissance home built for oil producer Eugene R. Black, now law offices. The Nuyaka Mission site is located on McKeown Rd. (aka E0945 Rd) just off N 120 Rd (aka N3850 Rd) approximately 15.7 miles west of the intersection of U.S. Route 75 and State Highway 56 (aka 6th Street) in Okmulgee, and
560-490: Is a United States federal law that extended the 1934 Wheeler-Howard or Indian Reorganization Act to include those tribes within the boundaries of the state of Oklahoma . The purpose of these acts were to rebuild Indian tribal societies, return land to the tribes, enable tribes to rebuild their governments, and emphasize Native culture. These Acts were developed by John Collier , Commissioner of Indian Affairs from 1933 to 1945, who wanted to change federal Indian policy from
616-657: Is a broadcast radio station in Okmulgee on FM 106.3 and AM 1240, playing classic hits of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. The pilot for the FX comedy series Reservation Dogs from filmmaker Sterlin Harjo , which concerns four Native American teens in rural Oklahoma, was shot in Okmulgee. Additional principal photography for the rest of Season One also occurred in Okmulgee, as well as Tulsa, Sand Springs , Beggs , Inola , and Terlton . Seasons 2 and 3 were primarily filmed on location in Okmulgee as well. The film “Sarah’s Oil,” regarding
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#1732772087031672-572: Is a city in and the county seat of Okmulgee County , Oklahoma , United States, and is part of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area. The name is from the Muskogee word okimulgi, which means "boiling waters". The site was chosen because of the nearby rivers and springs. Okmulgee is 38 miles south of Tulsa and 13 miles north of Henryetta via US-75 . Okmulgee has been the capital of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation since 1868, when it
728-610: Is the Orpheum Theater at 210 W 7th St, which opened as the Cook Opera House on August 23, 1920 with 1,200-seat capacity. This is the finest and last surviving of three grand theatres formerly located in Okmulgee. The Orpheum's architecture, which is an elegant derivation of Spanish Baroque Revival , includes a colorful lobby which is the finest example in Oklahoma of the interior use of polychrome terra cotta . The historic Okmulgee County Courthouse, at 314 W. 7th,
784-492: The 2020 census was 11,332, a loss of about 8% percent from the 2010 census figure of 12,321. Okmulgee is located at 35°37′28″N 95°57′48″W / 35.62444°N 95.96333°W / 35.62444; -95.96333 (35.624558, -95.963254). According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 33.8 square miles (33.2 km ), all of its land. It is located in
840-725: The College of the Muscogee Nation , a tribal college primarily for students seeking careers in the tribal sector, located at 2170 Raven Circle; One Fire Casino at 1901 Wood Dr; and, the Claude A. Cox Omniplex, cattycornered across from the Tribal Complex off U.S. 75 and Loop 56, which includes the Muscogee Dome multipurpose recreation center and other festival grounds and facilities. Okmulgee Public Schools include
896-636: The Muscogee (Creek) Nation , Anchor Glass (plant is in Henryetta ), Paccar Winch-Okmulgee, C.P. Kelco US Inc., Honeywell 's Callidus Technologies (facility is in Beggs ), East Central Electric Cooperative , Covington Aircraft, G&H Decoy (in Henryetta), and PolyVision . Dlubak Glass Oklahoma runs a glass recycling facility, while wood pallet producer Mid-America Pallet is operated by The Hodges Companies. The City of Okmulgee government has
952-704: The St. Louis – San Francisco Railway or "Frisco" ) reached Okmulgee in 1900; this route still remains and is now operated by the BNSF Railway . The Shawnee, Oklahoma and Missouri Coal and Railway (also later acquired by the Frisco) was built from Muskogee to Okmulgee in 1902-03, and lasted until abandoned in 1973. And, the shortline Coalton Railway, later called the Okmulgee Northern Railway , operated between Okmulgee and Deep Fork carrying coal from
1008-715: The U.S. Congress authorized the Secretary of the Interior to "take possession of all lands belonging to the Five Civilized Tribes, now or heretofore used for government, school, or other tribal purposes...". In 1919 the City of Okmulgee purchased the Creek Council House and its grounds for $ 100,000, under the supervision of the Department of the Interior . The sale proceeds were deposited in
1064-463: The "twin evils" of allotment and assimilation, and support Indian self-government. The Thomas-Rogers Act was adopted in order to enable Native American tribes in Oklahoma to rebuild governments that had been dissolved in order to prepare the territories for Oklahoma being admitted as a state in the Union in 1907. As part of this effort also to encourage Native American assimilation, Indian land title
1120-756: The CIMA raised $ 1 million to restore the Creek Council House for use as a museum. They gained non-profit, 501-C-3 tax exempt status for their organization and such use. In 1992 the restoration of the Council House was completed, and the building was opened as a history museum of the Muscogee Nation. In 1993 the Creek Council House Museum received the National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for this restoration. In 1997
1176-783: The Canada-US border. Okmulgee is in the 10-county region served by the KI BOIS Area Transit System ("KATS"), a low-cost public bus/van service established in 1983 to help communities, primarily in southeast Oklahoma, by providing access to Senior Citizen centers, groceries, medical services, and jobs. This includes transportation to certain out-of-town destinations such as Henryetta, Beggs, Preston, Morris, and Schulter. The Muscogee (Creek) Nation partners with KATS on certain on-demand transportation services; and, Muscogee (Creek) Nation Transit provides regularly-scheduled trolley-style bus services to various locations around
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#17327720870311232-492: The City of Okmulgee agreed to pay the CIMA $ 149,650 annually to operate the museum. In 2005 the CIMA changed its name to The Creek Council House Museum Association. In August 2010, after several months of negotiations, the City of Okmulgee agreed to sell the Council House back to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation for $ 3.2 million. Two months later, a ceremony was held to commemorate the Muscogee Nation's regaining ownership of their former capitol. Okmulgee, Oklahoma Okmulgee
1288-498: The Creek Council House Museum, with artifacts and exhibits about the history of the Muscogee tribe and the arts and crafts of other Native American tribes. The building is NRHP listed. The Okmulgee Public Library , 218 S. Okmulgee Avenue, completed in 1921, is a good example of Georgian Revival architecture, and is NRHP listed. In 2012 the Muscogee (Creek) Nation purchased the Okmulgee Golf Club, also known as
1344-812: The Cussetah Bottoms Boardwalk, as well as fishing and certain archery, muzzle-loading, and small-game hunting opportunities. Lake Eufaula , Oklahoma’s largest lake, is to the southeast. Okmulgee Municipal Park, at W 20th St. & S Seminole Ave., features a bike trail, walking track, playground, and soccer field. Other municipal park facilities include Hawthorne Park (having a skate park, baseball park, and tennis court, among other facilities) at N Okmulgee Ave & W Fairfax St, Kiddy Lake Park at Cliff Dr & Parkview Dr, Noble Park at 13th & Delaware, Red Francis Park at S Woodlawn Ave & E 7th St, and Southeast Rotary Park at W 15th St & S Okmulgee Ave. The Okmulgee County Fairgrounds hosts
1400-484: The Indian Territory, with its governmental headquarters in the city of Okmulgee . The next year a double-log, two-story council house was constructed to conduct tribal business. On October 17, 1877, an act was passed by the council and approved by Chief Ward Coachman appropriating $ 10,000 for the construction of a new capitol building of stone or brick upon the site of the log council house. On January 10, 1878,
1456-830: The Lake Okmulgee Dam Spillway Cascade, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma , which on occasions of heavy rains and high lake levels creates an intense man-made waterfall. Near Okmulgee is the Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge . Established in 1993, this approximately 9,000 acres (36 km ) of habitat for waterfowl along the Deep Fork River features opportunities for wildlife viewing such as along
1512-410: The Muscogee (Creek) Nation adopted a new constitution to replace the one from 1867, and established a representative self-government. The tribal government was restructured to have executive, legislative, and judicial branches. They also created departments for education and health were created. As they reorganized, they identified land for sites for construction of tribal governmental buildings. In 1989
1568-556: The Muscogee Creek Nation and the other four tribes: Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole. In 1907 the Indian Territory was integrated into the state of Oklahoma . That same year, the federal government leased the Muscogee Nation's Council House to the newly organized Okmulgee County for $ 2,000 a year to serve as the Okmulgee County Courthouse. This arrangement continued until 1917. In 1908
1624-552: The Okmulgee Country Club, at 1400 S. Mission Street, an NRHP listed location complete with the original 1920 golf course and the 1925 clubhouse built using locally sourced limestone. The MCN intends to turn that facility into a cultural center where events can be held. Historic churches include First Baptist Central Church , an historically black church built in 1915 and NRHP listed; Eastside Baptist Church , built in 1921 and NRHP listed; and, St. Anthony's ,
1680-501: The Primary School, Dunbar, and High School. Recreational opportunities include Okmulgee Park and Dripping Springs Park , which offer RV and camping facilities. The parks also offer swimming, fishing, and boating opportunities through the adjacent Dripping Springs Lake, which has 18 miles (29 km) of shoreline and 1,150 acres (4,700,000 m ) of water, and the separate Okmulgee Lake . The end of Okmulgee Lake features
1736-538: The Solicitor General noted that Congress had approved the law that enabled tribes to reconstitute their governments and, by extension, enabled them to create new constitutions and rules. It said that the tribes could pass new constitutions with new membership rules that limited membership to persons of Indian descent. While some of the tribes resisted providing Freedmen with full tribal benefits, they did not generally take action to exclude them as members until
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1792-540: The U.S. Treasury in the name of the tribe. In the 1920s the City of Okmulgee heard proposals for the Council House either to be torn down or adapted as a private hotel. This redevelopment was ended after popular entertainer Will Rogers ( Cherokee ) visited the city and called for the Council House to be preserved, appealing to supporters of this view. On April 24, 1923, activists founded the Creek Indian Memorial Association (CIMA) to protect
1848-462: The United States government, by a 1908 act. It continued to lease the building to recently organized Okmulgee County, Oklahoma for its use. In 1919 the U.S. Department of the Interior , which had trust responsibility for Creek lands, sold the building and site to the city of Okmulgee. In 1961 the building was declared a National Historic Landmark , and in 1966 it was one of the first listings on National Register of Historic Places . In November 2010
1904-525: The airport is managed by the Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust. Commercial air transportation is available at Tulsa International Airport , about 47 miles to the north. Rail freight service is provided by BNSF Railway. The Okmulgee Times is the local daily paper, also available online in an E-Edition. OHS Broadcast Media is an Official Okmulgee Public Schools site for all things Bulldog. KOKL , a/k/a The Brew,
1960-639: The annual Okmulgee County Fair and other events through the year. In November 1992, the Okmulgee Downtown Historic District (NRIS number 92001693) was added to the National Register of Historic Places ("NRHP") in Okmulgee County . The area is roughly bounded by Fourth Street, Eighth Street, Okmulgee Avenue and the Frisco tracks. In support of Okmulgee's downtown, an organization has been formed called Okmulgee Main Street, one of
2016-404: The city sold the building back to the tribe for $ 3.2 million. The building houses the Creek Council House Museum, featuring artifacts and exhibits about the history of the Muscogee tribe and the arts and crafts of other Native American tribes. In 1992, it was included again on the National Register as a contributing building in the listing of the Okmulgee Downtown Historic District . In 1837
2072-596: The city. These services are not limited to tribal citizens. The city has the Okmulgee Regional Airport (originally called the Okmulgee Municipal Airport), designated OKM by IATA Code and KOKM by ICAO Code . Construction of this airport was authorized in 1942 as a national defense project, and was completed on September 7, 1943. The main runway (18-36) is concrete-surfaced, 100' wide and 5,150' long. Effective July 1, 2015,
2128-492: The coming of the Great Depression , and other factors caused the population to shrink to 17,097 by the 1930 census. The population then remained relatively stable for a time, increasing slightly to 18,317 by the 1950 census. In the postwar period, there was an urbanization shift of population toward larger cities and their suburbs because of job opportunities, and the city's population declined again. The population at
2184-571: The early economy. Cotton, corn, feed grains, and forage were the main crops. Truck farming , dairying, and poultry raising were also important. Discovery of the Morris and Lucky oil pools in 1907 brought prosperity to Okmulgee. It also attracted new manufacturing facilities to the city. In the 21st century, the most important business sectors in Okmulgee are: construction, retail trade, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food services. The Okmulgee area's major employers include
2240-639: The fight of Oklahoman Sarah Rector , child of a Creek Freedman , to hold on to her fabulous oil wealth in the early 1900’s, was shot primarily in Okmulgee in mid-2024. In the Elmore Leonard novella “Comfort to the Enemy,” the parties stay in Okmulgee while visiting the POW camp. Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act The Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of 1936 (also known as the Thomas-Rogers Act)
2296-524: The ground; and, the Kansas, Oklahoma Central and Southwestern Railway which had Congressional authorization to build a branch from Bartlesville through Okmulgee to Sherman, Texas , but was bought out by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway before construction began. The arrival of the railways triggered a building boom. By the time of Oklahoma statehood in 1907, the town had 2,322 residents and
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2352-632: The heart of Oklahoma's " Green Country ", in the North East Quadrant of Oklahoma. Okmulgee is 38 miles south of Tulsa and 13 miles north of Henryetta via US-75 . As of the 2020 United States census , there were 11,332 people and 4,477 households, with an average of 2.37 persons per household. The population density was 657.6 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 51.5% White, 16.6% African American, 18.5% Native American, 0.9% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 12.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.4% of
2408-490: The historical monuments of the Muscogee tribe. In 1934 the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act was passed to help the tribes regain their sovereign status. (This was during the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt , when federal legislation had authorized tribes to restore self-government.) From the 1930s into 1960s, the City of Okmulgee used the Creek Council House variously as a sheriff's office,
2464-583: The majority of the Muscogee tribe members were forced to remove from their territory in the Southeast to west of the Mississippi River by the U.S. government, during what is known as the Trail of Tears . Survivors of the trek reached Indian Territory and held a meeting at the historic Council Oak Tree, in an area that developed as present-day Tulsa . During the American Civil War, tribal unity
2520-534: The old Council House was sold for $ 60, with the tribe reconvening at the new Council House on September 23. The new Council House contained separate chambers for the executive and judicial branches of the government, with the legislative branch divided into the House of Kings and House of Warriors. In 1906 the U.S. Congress passed the Five Civilized Tribes Act , ending national self-governance for
2576-495: The opinion of its Solicitor General about the effects of this legislation. This correspondence is part of the agency records. As the Five Civilized Tribes began to reorganize and set up new governments, the question arose as to whether they could change their membership rules, specifically, to exclude the Freedmen. Each of the tribes had been required under terms of new 1866 treaties to extend citizenship to their Freedmen . In 1941,
2632-484: The population. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.4% under the age of 18, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. Females were 52.9% of the population. The median household income, for the period 2016-2020 and in 2020 dollars, was $ 31,572. The per capita income for the city in the last 12 months, also for the period 2016–2020 and in 2020 dollars, was $ 19,564. About 24.3% are considered persons in poverty. Along with coal mining, agriculture supported
2688-605: The producing areas around Schulter , Coalton and Dewar from 1916 to 1964. Railroad projects which tried unsuccessfully to reach Okmulgee include the Oklahoma-Southwestern Railway , which planned to build from Bristow to Okmulgee but only made it to Nuyaka ; the Kansas, Okmulgee and Gulf Railroad, which planned a line from Kansas City through Okmulgee to a point on the Red River , but never got off
2744-638: The three Districts. County services, including the District Court, Assessor, County Clerk, Jail, and Sheriff's office, are all located between 6th and 8th St, and Alabama and Seminole Avenues. While the historical capitol of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation is the Creek Council House in downtown Okmulgee, the MCN's modern headquarters is at Okmulgee Creek Nation Tribal Complex at U.S. Route 75 and Loop 56 . Other MCN facilities in town include
2800-408: The various national Main Street programs that aim to reenergize their respective downtowns and commercial districts through preservation-based economic development and community revitalization. This group is helping to propel the “Okmulgee Rising” movement that started in the city in 2014. The process is aided in part by tax incentives for preserving historic properties. Among the downtown structures
2856-465: Was built in 1916 and is also NRHP listed. The Creeks initially built a two-story log council house to serve as their capital. This building burned in 1878 and was replaced with the stone Creek Council House building that stands today. Ownership of the building changed over the years, but in November 2010 the City sold the building back to the tribe for $ 3.2 million. The building currently houses
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#17327720870312912-628: Was established in the town, with Captain Frederick B. Severs appointed as the first postmaster. The name of the post office was officially changed to the present spelling on November 15, 1883. For seven years, beginning December 20, 1870, Okmulgee was the seat of government of all of what would become the State of Oklahoma , except for the Panhandle . Okmulgee became a transportation center. The St. Louis, Oklahoma and Southern Railway (later absorbed by
2968-599: Was extinguished in Indian Territory by the break-up and allotment of communal lands. Under the Dawes and Curtis acts, the communal land of the former reservations in Oklahoma was: In addition to surplus lands being sold, many Native Americans lost their allotments to speculators and unscrupulous businessmen. The Native Americans suffered major losses of land in Oklahoma. In addition, the disruption of their societies and cultures resulted in considerable breakdown of their worlds. As issues arose, Department of Interior officials sought
3024-399: Was founded following the Civil War . The Creek Nation began restoring order after that conflict. They had allied with the Confederacy during the war and needed to make a new peace treaty with the United States afterward as a result. They passed a new constitution and elected Samuel Checote as their first principal chief after the war. In 1869, a post office (originally spelled Okmulkee)
3080-428: Was named as the seat of Okmulgee County. Coal mined in the Henryetta area and agriculture were the basis of the early economy. Discovery of oil at nearby Morris in 1907 stimulated expansion of Okmulgee, and attracted several new industries to town. These included three glass factories, a bottle factory, and foundry and machine shops. Five local refineries were operational by the early 1920s. These industries were
3136-400: Was tested as members divided over alliance with the Confederacy. Leaders had hoped to maintain neutrality, but many members fought with the Confederacy. After the war, the US required a new peace treaty to be negotiated and also required the tribe to emancipate any enslaved African Americans they held. They became known as Creek Freedmen. In 1867 the Muscogee (Creek) Nation was established in
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