Cherokee Strip Museum--Alva

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Cherokee Strip Museum--Alva Discover the Treasures Within! He was not to catch up with him until he reached Southern Colorado where he took those in the American expedition prisoner. M.

The Cherokee Outlet, popularly and commonly called the Cherokee Strip, was granted in 1828 as a hunting outlet west of the land the Cherokee Indians were assigned in Indian Territory, now Northwestern Oklahoma. Coronado in 1541 passed through that part of the Strip now Northwestern Woods County in his search for the supposedly rich city of Quivera. In 1806 Don Falcundo Malgares, as a result of strong Spanish interested in the Zebulon Pike expedition, crossed the Cimarron River near Freedom and cut across Woods County, going into Kansas where the Salt Fork River crosses the Kansas line, looking for Pike. In 1843 Captain Nathan Boone and his men, sent by the United States Government to check the safety of trails headed west, also passed west of Freedom. The Cherokee Outlet also served as a roadway for the transportation of Texas cattle to the north, and then as a grazing area for the herds of the cattlemen. In 1883 a Cherokee Strip Livestock Association was incorporated to deal with the Indians and this resulted in a five year lease with the Cherokee Indian Nation at $100.00 per year. This worked well for both parties, and in 1888 a new lease was negotiated at double the price. Meanwhile the Unassigned Lands in Central Oklahoma had been opened to settlers, and pressure was put upon the government to buy the Cherokee Strip and open it in a great land rush also. The Strip, containing over six million acres, was bought for $8.3 million. The Run into the Cherokee Strip was held September 16, 1893. County, later called Woods County, was one of the seven counties organized in the Strip. The Cherokee Strip then ceased to be political entity but remains as a part of the heritage of its people. The Cherokee Strip Museum Association was organized January 1961 by representatives of the civic and social clubs of Alva. The Museum was located on the second floor of the Herod Hall at Northwestern State College where articles were contributed by individual families. When the building was remodeled in 1963, the Museum articles were stored on the college campus. In May 1965, the Museum, located on the lower floor of the Alva City Library, was again visited by schools, civic clubs and individuals. In June 1975, the Morton Share Trust presented the former Alva City Hospital on 14th and Highway 64, to the Cherokee Strip Museum Association for the New Museum’s location. The Morton Share Trust has contributed to the renovation of the building and its surroundings while the furnishings and maintenance of the building are the responsibility of the Museum Association and the community. The Cherokee Strip Museum is readily available to travelers as well as the people of the area and the state.

Tonight at the Museum! Enjoy discovering our treasures but also the refreshments!
10/16/2026

Tonight at the Museum! Enjoy discovering our treasures but also the refreshments!

Make plans to attend the Cherokee Strip Museum's 50th anniversary celebration tomorrow evening at 6:00pm!

Don’t forget this Friday evening at the Museum!
10/15/2026

Don’t forget this Friday evening at the Museum!

Didn’t see this in the NWOSU Homecoming Parade? That’s because it’s from about 1950 when the Farmers Coop first got thei...
10/10/2026

Didn’t see this in the NWOSU Homecoming Parade? That’s because it’s from about 1950 when the Farmers Coop first got their first tank truck. Guessing this is Alva before the old court house was torn down and before the new modern street lights replaced the cut glass globes.

10/08/2026

Tonight on OETA TELEVISION . The show “Our haunted Heritage will air again that includes the Cherokee Strip Museum!

Next week! The Museum was gifted its permanent home by Share Trust.October 16, 1976 the Museum opened it’s doors to welc...
10/05/2026

Next week! The Museum was gifted its permanent home by Share Trust.
October 16, 1976 the Museum opened it’s doors to welcome visitors.
The doors will be open to celebrate this next Friday, October 16, 2026.
Come celebrate with us!

Had a problem? Beth asked for help! It seems the wind is always beating up our flags. Beth faithfully repairs them or se...
10/03/2026

Had a problem? Beth asked for help! It seems the wind is always beating up our flags. Beth faithfully repairs them or sees that they are replaced.
Thank you Alva Fire Department for helping get our flags back in place.

The Museum is a great place to be this weekend. We are open 1-5pm both Saturday and Sunday and as always closed Monday. ...
09/05/2026

The Museum is a great place to be this weekend. We are open 1-5pm both Saturday and Sunday and as always closed Monday. Admission fee is only $5 for 16 & Up and $3 for 6 to 15. Let the younger kids do our scavenger hunt with a prize drink from Alva Sonic! Come see our Treasures!

Some days we just need to slow down and watch the paint dry!Good job Beth.
09/01/2026

Some days we just need to slow down and watch the paint dry!
Good job Beth.

The Year of the Bugs! What year was it? The Ranger Room at the Museum has a display of Alva Public School treasures to ...
08/31/2026

The Year of the Bugs! What year was it? The Ranger Room at the Museum has a display of Alva Public School treasures to show off! Soon it will be time to revise the room’s name…..

Address

901 14th Street
Alva, OK
73717

Opening Hours

Tuesday 1pm - 5pm
Wednesday 1pm - 5pm
Thursday 1pm - 5pm
Friday 1pm - 5pm
Saturday 1pm - 5pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+15803272030

Website

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