Cherokee Nation – Tahlequah District

The Cherokee Nation Courthouse stands in the center of Courthouse Square in Tahlequah, bounded by East Delaware Street, South Water Avenue, East Keetoowah Street, and South Muskogee Avenue. It is a two-story masonry building with neoclassical Italianate style, built out of red brick and white-painted wooden trim.

Completed in 1869, it served as the capitol building of the Cherokee Nation from 1869 to 1907, when Oklahoma became a state. The building was used as the Cherokee County Courthouse from 1907 to 1979 when a new courthouse was built, and the structure was returned to the Cherokee Nation. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961 for its role in the Nation’s history.

The building currently houses the judicial branch of the Cherokee Nation government, serving as the site of the tribal supreme court. The modern Cherokee Nation Court is located at 17675 S Muskogee Ave, Tahlequah, and includes both the Supreme Court and District Court. The District Court of the Cherokee Nation serves all 14 counties of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, handling civil, criminal, and juvenile cases.