First Cherokee Female Seminary Site - Park Hill, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 35° 52.015 W 094° 57.336
15S E 323439 N 3970953
These three pillars are all that remains of the extraordinary Female Seminary which once stood here.
Waymark Code: WMP98D
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 07/23/2015
Views: 3
These three brick pillars stand on their original location. They were refurbished by the Cherokee National Historical Society and placed on the National Register in 1974. Today, their location is at the entrance to the Cherokee Heritage Center.
Work began on the original seminary in 1847, but because of a shortage of building materials and labor, the building was not completed until May 7, 1851. It was 185 ft. by 109 ft, with walls two feet thick. The back of the building was three story, and the front two story. Around the exterior were two-story galleries supported by twenty-five massive columns. All bricks were made on site, and the building cost over $60,000 - a huge sum at that time. The school closed down in 1856 due to a shortage of funds, and remained closed during the Civil War, when it was used by the Union Army for storage. It re-opened in the early 1870's and was renovated and additions added in 1877, including central heating. The school operated until it was destroyed by fire on Easter Sunday morning, 1887.
The photo gallery shows old photos of the building before and after the fire.
Street address:
21191 S. Keeler Drive
Park Hill, OK US
74451
County / Borough / Parish: Cherokee
Year listed: 1974
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event
Periods of significance: 1875-1899; 1850-1874
Historic function: Education
Current function: Recreation and Culture
Privately owned?: yes
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 2: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.