SULPHUR, OK - It's been a dream two decades in the making for members of the Chickasaw Nation, and now after five years of construction, the Chickasaw Cultural Center is finally complete.
The newly finished Chickasaw Cultural Center sits on 109 acres adjacent to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur. With everything from live performances to historical museums, the center is sure to have something for everybody.
Chickasaws and non-Chickasaws alike gathered Friday for a first hand look at the newly finished Chickasaw Cultural Center.
"The Chickasaw Cultural Center has been a dream of the Chickasaw people for more than 20 years," says Administrator for the Division of History and Culture Dr. Amanda Cobb-Greetham.
Cobb-Greetham says the center offers over 96,000 square feet of indoor attractions from an exhibit center that features interactive displays of Chickasaw history to a research center equipped with genealogical photos and archives.
"People can come and not just learn but do and be researchers if they want to, and I think what makes people excited is that living element. It's not just something to look at. It's something to do, to become," Cobb-Greetham says.
Cobb-Greetham says visitors can also be a part of history outdoors by touring the traditional village or visiting the honor garden, designed to pay tribute to members of the Chickasaw Hall of Fame.
Sherri Rogers says she believes the new center will help educate others on the rich history of the tribe.
"People all over the world want to know about Native American history and cultural, and I think that this will be a mecca for people from all over to come and see what it means to be an Indian and to understand it," Rogers says.
Cobb-Greetham says although the center was designed with the Chickasaw people in mind.. It's meant to serve as a cultural center where everyone can learn and experience the past and the future of the Chickasaw people.
"This is an investment in cultural health. This is something that will be here for generations to come."
The Cultural Center is scheduled to officially open to the public on Saturday, July 24th. For more information check the link below.
On the Web:
Posted: 05/23/13 - Julie Luton of Bonham took home the top honor of the evening at the recent volunteer banquet hosted by the Fannin County Children’s Center. Luton was named the CASA Volunteer of the Year for her work in advocating for abused and neglected children in foster care. Read More
Posted: 05/22/13 - (Idabel, Okla.) – For anyone interested in learning more about building preservation, Idabel Main Street will host “Historic Building Maintenance,” a workshop on the care and maintenance of the historic district, June 25th, from 5:30pm – 7:00pm, at the Idabel Public Library. Read More
Posted: 05/08/13 - The Sherman Public Library is very excited about our upcoming Summer Reading Club for children and teens. Children ages birth-11 can Dig into Reading and join the Youth Summer Reading Club. The theme for the Teen Summer Reading Club this year is Beneath the Surface and it is open to teens ages 12-18. Read More
