TULSA – Tribal Citizens and residents of Tulsa got a sneak peek of proposed redevelopments for Dream Keepers Park during an open house held at the Centennial Center on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The event featured poster displays of the proposed conceptual designs. Once complete, guests can expect to see a “full park renovation” that will include a new plaza, performance stage, walking loops, a playground, and picnic shelters. The open house allowed for attendees to provide feedback and offer suggestions on the proposed redevelopment.
Formerly known as Veteran’s Park, the area was renamed in 2021 to celebrate Tulsa’s Indigenous history and to recognize the Tribal lands it is on: Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Cherokee Nation, and Osage Nation. The park annually hosts Native American Day, which this year marked its 10th anniversary.
The project will utilize the Outdoor Recreation and Legacy Partner Grant, funded by the National Park Service. It is a 50-50 matching grant and will receive funding contributions from the three Tulsa Tribes, the City of Tulsa, local neighborhood associations, and local businesses.
The capital improvement project was initiated by the Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission, which requested improvements to accommodate park guests during Native American Day celebrations.
Tulsa Parks Capital Improvements Project Manager Steven Lassman said all three local Tribes were consulted on the project. According to Lassman, this is the first time the Outdoor Recreation and Legacy Partner grant has worked with Tribal entities. The park designers’ goal was to incorporate imagery that authentically reflected each Tribe.
“We started working with the three Tribes to talk about a couple of features we really wanted their input on, including Native gardens, representative of each of the three tribes that Tulsa’s in, the Osage, the Muscogee (Creek), and the Cherokee,” Lassman said.
“We have a cultural advisory group working with our architects and parks department to get input. Through every step of design, we wanted to make sure it was reflective of all three Tribes.”
Research on the project has involved traveling to each Tribal capital to understand cultural imagery, stories, and history. Once complete, the park will feature wayfinding signage displaying information about the Tribes’ histories and how they continue to function today. Traditional plants will also be planted in the park’s gardens, with signage identifying each species and explaining how it was used by each Tribe.
“We want this to be a learning opportunity. A chance for people to understand the Tribes a little better. It’s near the Council Oak, which is an incredibly significant site,” Lassman said.
Greater Tulsa Indian Affairs Commission Cultural Chairperson Dorcas Williams (Otoe-Missouri/Ponca) has served on the commission since the 1980s. Williams has played a major role in advocating for the city to officially designate a park to honor Native Americans. The name, Dream Keepers Park, came from Williams.
“It was just getting the right people that would support Indigenous people.” – Dorcas Williams
According to Williams, it’s been a long road to rename the park and redevelop it. Once complete, the park will be a place for everyone to use.
“In the City of Tulsa there are 30,000 Native Americans on the census, that could have changed over the past few years,” Williams said. “The goal is to support them; that’s why I started this and kept it going. I’m proud to be part of it and thankful that we have the support of the City of Tulsa.”
According to Lassman, the finalized plans will be finished in the fall of 2027. Once the designs have been finalized, Tulsa Parks will issue public bids to construction companies. Construction is expected to take a year to complete. Tulsa Park’s goal is to have the redevelopment complete by the 2028 Native American Day.
