My main goal for traveling to Talequah was to lean about the town first hand so I could write credibly about it. I set out early from my hotel with a list of places I wanted to visit. My first stop was a small park I spotted on my way in the night before.
The park, I discovered, is called Cherokee Square, and it surrounds a large red brick civil war era structure that was once the Cherokee Nation capitol building. Today, the building houses the judiciary branch of the Cherokee Nation
There are several monuments in the park. The most prominent one is dedicated to confederate war dead. The Cherokee were primarily an ally of the confederacy during the civil war, although, there were attempts by Chief John Ross to maintain neutrality.
My favorite monument, however, memorializes the first phone call that was placed west of the Mississippi. That call was made from Talequah in 1885. It just seemed a little quirky and out of place amoung all the other more solemn items.
I visited the Cherokee museum and heritage center. Inside the museum is an excellent exhibit that depicts events from before the Trail of Tears until Oklahoma statehood. Outside there is a guided walking tour of a simulated ancient Indian village. I shared the walking tour with a group of high school students on a field trip. One of the demonstration stops on the tour has Cherokee reanactors playing the Cherokee ball game. They gave the group of high school kids sticks and turned them lose to act as Cherokee players.
The Cherokee played the ball game for a variety of reasons including to resolve disputes between tribes. The game was significant enough that Cherokee would travel many miles to meet in central places to play. I live in Ball Ground Georgia. It’s called Ball Ground because it was where the Cherokee in northwest Georgia would meet to play the game.
I was able to make a contact at the Heritage center who I can exchange emails with if I have questions about the Cherokee.
After I left the museum, I followed signs toward the Ross cemetery. So much of the history I have been tracing involves John Ross that I thought it would be good to go see his grave. The area outside of Talequah is very rural. Many roads are in rough or even unpaved condition. Unfortunately, for me to get to the Ross grave I would have to cross a bridge that I could not cross safely on my bike. The wooden decking of the bridge was rotted through in many places. I did not want to see the grave that bad.
I spent most of the rest of the day in the library. I could not help but notice, that a few homeless, definitely psychotic, people were spending the day in the library too. It was apparent that these folks were regulars by the way the staff interacted with them. I, on the hand, was somewhat unnerved when a man approached me and recited a mantra he must have memorized over the years explaining how grateful he was to have lived through the end of the 20th century. I quickly learned that anyone who remotely glanced at this man would be met with the same recital. The staff called him John. I watched john deliver his speech over and over again through the afternoon. I think I may have it memorized.
I wanted to ensure I established some contacts before I left. After John delivered his last speech to the woman at the reference desk, I struck up a conversation that ultimately lead to me explaining that I had ridden my motorcycle 1200 miles to research the town for a book I would like to write. As soon as I finished telling my story, I realized that I must sound as nuts as John. Thank god I showered and shaved before going to the library. I have no doubt the woman thought I was off my meds, but at least I was clean. What ever the reason, she did not dismiss me pleasantly like I watched her do to John 5 or 6 times. She gave me her email address, I’m betting it’s the same one she gives John.
I ended the day riding from one end of the town to the other taking pictures and notes. I’m a little surprised I was not arrested. In the post 911 day. I’m not sure how one explains why they are taking pictures of police departments, hospitals, and other seemingly uninteresting subjects.
Tomorrow I start home...
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