WHAT:
The Cherokee Nation will celebrate the grand opening of the Wilma P. Mankiller Cherokee Capitol Park in Tahlequah.
WHEN:
Tuesday, May 12 at 11 a.m.
WHERE:
Wilma P. Mankiller Cherokee Capitol Park
18050 S. Muskogee Ave.
Tahlequah, OK
WHO:
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.
First Lady January Hoskin
First Daughter Jasmine Hoskin
Deputy Chief Bryan Warner
Council of the Cherokee Nation
Cherokee Nation Cabinet
Charlie Soap
Daughter of late Principal Chief Mankiller, Felicia Olaya
Family of late Chief Mankiller
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Cherokee Nation on Tuesday, May 12, will celebrate the grand opening of the Wilma P. Mankiller Cherokee Capitol Park in Tahlequah, marking the completion of a $13.69 million investment in community well-being, cultural heritage, and family recreation on nearly 15 acres of land that once housed an industrial facility.
The park, which grew from a vision first proposed by First Daughter Jasmine Hoskin, stands today as one of the most significant community development achievements in recent Cherokee Nation history.
The park was constructed on land previously occupied by a septic manufacturing company. After the company closed, the tribe acquired the property and began transforming it into a space that reflects the Cherokee Nation’s commitment to its citizens and the enduring spirit of Gadugi, the Cherokee concept of community cooperation and working together.
Representatives of the Mankiller family, including Felicia Olaya and Charlie Soap, reviewed and approved the concept ideas for the park.
The park features an expansive playground with climbing structures, swings and slides, along with walking trails, a formal lawn suitable for events and community gatherings, a recreation field with a traditional stickball pole, an heirloom garden reflecting Cherokee agricultural traditions, a water feature, a picnic pavilion, a dog park, a multi-use sports court for basketball, pickleball, tennis and volleyball, a designated food truck area, an amphitheater for performances and public events, and a community room with a prep kitchen for indoor gatherings. Visitors may also check out sports equipment on-site, with rental kiosks planned for the near future.
Donna Edmondson, a friend of the late Wilma Mankiller was also the park designer.
Wilma Mankiller served as the first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, a position she held from 1985 to 1995. Under her leadership, family home ownership expanded, access to clean water improved, economic development opportunities grew, and educational achievement rose across the Cherokee Nation Reservation. Her legacy of empowerment, social justice, and community-centered governance continues to inspire Cherokee citizens and communities across the country.