OKMULGEE – Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tribal leadership made the first step in the construction of the new Welcome Center on Wednesday, Sept. 24. The Welcome Center will be located at 3581 Industrial LN in Okmulgee, just west of the General Services Administration Building. The planned 11,000 sq foot facility will include a collection space, a decontamination room, and a research area. Additionally, it will feature classrooms for culinary arts, pottery, woodworking art and community use. A gallery sharing the history and culture of the Mvskoke people will be prominently featured along with rotating exhibits. Press Secretary Jason Salsman said the facility’s location will provide a “big warm Mvskoke welcome” for motorists on Highway 75.
“What a great place to showcase who exactly we are, what our history is, what we’re all about, where we came from and what we’re doing now.” Salsman said.
MCN Principal Chief David Hill believes the facility will provide the space needed to tell the story of the Tribe, its history, and its culture.
“Our stories here reach long before statehood. Through this center we will be able to share the story in a powerful way to all who visit. The Welcome Center will be more than just a stop along the highway. It will be a place of learning. Classrooms here will nurture knowledge, creativity and the next generation of artists and storytellers who will carry our traditions forward.” Chief Hill said.
MCN Second Chief Del Beaver expressed his excitement that the site is being put to good use. According to Beaver, many wondered in anticipation what would become of the property after laying vacant for many years.
“We should be proud of who we are, we should be proud of what we’ve done. We should be proud of what we’ve accomplished and have yet to accomplish, we’re not done yet. This is just one step in a long line of projects we’re doing. One step in showcasing who we are. I am glad that we can share in the celebration and excitement of moving forward.” Chief Beaver said.
National Council Speaker Randall Hicks shared his excitement for the project and what he believes it will represent. According to Speaker Hicks, the Welcome Center will share the story of the Tribe and keep its traditions and culture alive.
“This Welcome Center will be a true gateway to our Nation. Visitors will be able to step inside and immediately feel the strength of our people, and the beauty of our traditions,” Speaker Hicks said. “They will hear our language, they will see our art and learn the story of our ancestors that walked this land long before us.”
A Gateway to the Nation
The Welcome Center will be the new home of the Council House collection. According to Secretary of Culture and Humanities RaeLynn Butler, the collection includes over 200 boxes and 55 critical care items. This includes hundreds of paintings, photographs, prints, pottery, and baskets. Among these items is a basket and a cast iron pot brought over on the Trail of Tears. The collection also includes firearms and a canon ball from the Civil War.
“These items have been boxed up for several years but it’s time for them to have a home,” Butler said. “The curation space will allow the collection to be stored in a climate-controlled environment that is up to federal curation standards. This dedicated space will help make the collection accessible to our citizens for the first time. We will have a research area that will give artists an opportunity to see the items and learn from the designs. We hope this encourages a younger generation of museum professionals and traditional artisans.”
TriArch Owner Scott Vrooman (Potowatomi) is the architect who designed the Welcome Center. Vrooman’s resume includes Garth Brooks’ house in Claremore, the Hard Rock Casino Lobby Expansion and various churches and community centers in the Tulsa area. When it came time to draft ideas for the Welcome Center Vrooman said his team worked very closely with Butler and Cultural Center & Archives Program Manager ShaVon Agee to make sure their vision for the center authentically represented the Tribe. Vrooman noted that the Welcome Center will incorporate four main motifs: mounds, Tribal towns, Removal, and the Modern Mvskoke.
“We are so happy to be working on this project,” Vrooman said. “We love to make architecture that tells stories. This is certainly telling the story of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. It’s a building that remembers the past through state-of-the-art archiving and research facilities. It celebrates the present through art and education. It embraces the future through educational programs. Triarch is honored to be telling the story of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation through this building.”
